Volkswagen Karmann Ghia front side marker bulbs use 1895 size, while rear side marker bulbs accommodate either 1157 or 1895 size. The replacement chart covers 1969 to 1974 production years with corresponding bulb specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia uses the 1895 bulb for the front side marker position across all listed model years, spanning 1969-1974.
The 1895 is a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 0.9W, conforming to the ANSI standard used in the US and Canada.
The T5 designation refers to the bulb's tubular glass envelope, which is five-eighths of an inch wide, making it one of the smaller bulb formats in automotive use.
The rear side marker position on the Karmann Ghia uses the 1895 bulb for model years 1969-1972, matching the front side marker specification for those years.
For the 1973-1974 model years, the Karmann Ghia rear side marker transitions to the 1157 bulb, which differs significantly from the 1895 in both construction and power draw.
The 1157 is a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base, rated at 12V with a 21W high filament and a 5W low filament, also conforming to the ANSI standard for the US and Canada.
The BAY15d base features two offset pins, a design that prevents incorrect single-filament bulbs from being seated in a dual-filament socket.
The 1895 and 1157 are not interchangeable. The wedge base of the 1895 and the bayonet base of the 1157 are physically incompatible, and their wattage ratings differ substantially.
Installing a 1157 in a socket designed for the 1895 is not possible without modification, as the base types and housing formats are distinct.
The rear side marker sockets on 1973-1974 Karmann Ghia models are therefore not compatible with the same bulb used in earlier rear side marker positions or in the front side marker positions of any listed year.