The Volkswagen Vanagon uses 9004 and H6024 bulb sizes for both high beam and low beam headlight applications, with these specifications representing the standard replacements across the model line. The replacement chart covers vehicle production spanning 1980 to 1991, detailing bulb size requirements for the noted years.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Volkswagen Vanagon used two distinct headlight technologies across its production run, with the H6024 sealed beam unit fitted to 1980-1985 models and the 9004 halogen bulb fitted to 1986-1991 models.
The 9004 is a dual-filament halogen bulb operating at 12V with a power draw of 65W on high beam and 45W on low beam, using a P29t base. A single bulb serves both the high beam and low beam functions through its two filaments.
The H6024 is a 7-inch round sealed beam unit conforming to ANSI standards applicable in the United States and Canada. Unlike a conventional replaceable bulb, the entire H6024 unit is the light source itself and must be replaced as a whole when it fails.
Both the 9004 and H6024 are ANSI-standardized types, meaning they are not proprietary to Volkswagen and are produced by multiple manufacturers to a common specification.
On 1986-1991 Vanagon models, the same 9004 bulb size is specified for both the high beam and low beam positions, indicating a single-bulb-per-side headlight housing design rather than separate bulbs for each function.
The H6024 and 9004 are not interchangeable. The H6024 is a sealed unit with no separate base or socket, while the 9004 is a discrete halogen capsule with a P29t connector, making the two systems physically and electrically incompatible.