Volkswagen Tiguan front and rear side marker bulbs utilize 2821 and 12961 bulb sizes depending on location and model generation. The replacement chart covers vehicle production spanning 2009 to 2024 with corresponding bulb size specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Volkswagen Tiguan front side marker uses the 2821 bulb for the 2022-2024 model years and the 12961 bulb for the 2009-2011 model years.
The Tiguan rear side marker uses the 12961 bulb across the 2012-2018 model years.
The 12961 is a Philips part number designation for a T10 miniature wedge bulb operating at 12 volts and 5 watts.
The T10 form factor uses a W2.1x9.5d wedge base, which is a push-in connector type requiring no socket rotation during installation.
At 5 watts, the 12961 falls within the low-wattage range typical of side marker applications, where output requirements are minimal compared to headlamp or brake lamp circuits.
The 2821 bulb type specified for the 2022-2024 Tiguan front side marker positions differs from the 12961 used in earlier front side marker positions, indicating the two bulb sizes are not interchangeable across those generation groups.
The 12961 is shared across both the front side marker positions of the 2009-2011 Tiguan and the rear side marker positions of the 2012-2018 Tiguan, meaning the same bulb serves multiple positions across different generation groups of the same model.