Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
My VW Polo 6R left tail light is off and it seems there are several kinds of bulbs available for purchase:
12V 5W
12V 12W
12V 5W + 12V 12W
12V 12W + 5V 5W
...
My first guess is that the 5V is just a mistake on the listing. But what are the bulbs that are listed as a combination of 5W and 12W for ? Do they draw different currents when the engine is on/off ?
If it is a 21W/5W bulb, then it has 2 filaments of different brightness.
The 5W filament is for the side/tail light for night driving.
The 21W filament is for bright illumination when you press the brake pedal.
Image copied from ToolStation
