The Volvo 245 brake light utilizes 1156, P21W, and P21/5W bulb sizes depending on the specific production version. Available information covers the span from 1975 through 1989.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Volvo 245 brake light specifications cover model years 1975 through 1989, with two distinct bulb types appearing across that span.
The 1156 is the most frequently specified brake bulb in the Volvo 245 data, covering model years 1975-1984. It follows the ANSI standard common to the US and Canadian markets, operates at 12V with a 21W output, and uses a BA15s single-contact bayonet base with a single filament.
The P21/5W is specified for the Volvo 245 brake lights from 1985-1989. It follows the ECE standard used in European and worldwide markets, operates at 12V, and carries a dual-filament design rated at 21W and 5W respectively, mounted on a BAY15d offset twin-contact bayonet base.
The BAY15d base of the P21/5W and the BA15s base of the 1156 are physically distinct. Despite sharing a similar 15mm bayonet collar width, the offset pin arrangement of the BAY15d prevents direct substitution with BA15s sockets, making the 1156 and P21/5W non-interchangeable.
The shift from the 1156 to the P21/5W between the 1984 and 1985 Volvo 245 model years represents a change from a single-filament ANSI bulb to a dual-filament ECE bulb in the brake light position.
The P21/5W dual-filament construction allows one filament to serve a higher-intensity function, such as braking, while the second lower-wattage filament serves a secondary function such as a tail or parking light, within a single bulb housing.
The Center High Mount Stop Light on the Volvo 245 is specified for 1988-1989 and uses the P21W bulb. This is a single-filament ECE-standard bulb with a BA15s bayonet base, operating at 12V and 21W.
Although the P21W and the 1156 share the same BA15s base type and identical 12V/21W ratings, one follows the ECE standard and the other the ANSI standard. Physical fitment may be possible between the two, but regulatory and certification differences exist between the standards they represent.
The P21W specified for the Center High Mount Stop Light and the P21/5W specified for the main brake lights in the same 1988-1989 model years are not interchangeable, as they use different base types and filament configurations.