Volkswagen Golf Mk5 bulb types

Dipped: H7 · Main: H7 · Indicators: PY21W · Brake/tail: P21W

2003–2008. UK specification. Halogen base spec unless a row says otherwise — cars with factory xenon or LED headlamps use sealed units for those positions.

Volkswagen Golf Mk5

2003–2008 · bulbsAll 10 verified

Dip beam (low)H7VerifiedUK 477. Xenon variants (GTI/R32 option) D2S
Main beam (high)H7VerifiedH7 on both halogen and xenon headlamps (bi-function on xenon)
Front fogH11VerifiedH11 on cars built to 01/2007; facelift-era cars from 01/2007 use HB4. Check bulb before buying. Split per birnen-typ, base H11 also on agmvision and xenons-online Mk5 page.
Sidelight / DRLW5WVerifiedUK 501. No separate front DRL on Mk5 (birnen-typ)
Front indicatorPY21WVerifiedAmber PY21W (UK 581) in halogen headlamp cars; xenon-equipped cars use H21W in the headlamp unit instead.
Rear indicatorH6WVerifiedUnusual fitting: small H6W bayonet behind an amber lens section, not PY21W. Hella/TYC Golf V rear-light unit specs list lamp types P21W + H6W, and agmvision names H6W for the rear turn signal.
Brake / tailP21WVerifiedSeparate single-filament P21W for brake and a second P21W for tail - NOT a combined P21/5W. Confirmed by agmvision (brake P21W, rear position P21W) and Golf V rear lamp unit specs.
ReverseP21WVerifiedP21W (UK 382), in the bootlid inner lamp.
Rear fogP21WVerifiedP21W, in the bootlid inner lamp. Corrects micksgarage's R10W, which no other source supports; birnen-typ and agmvision both give P21W.
Number plateC5WVerifiedC5W festoon (UK 239).

Sources · last checked 5 Sept 2026

Two independent sources agree: birnen-typ.de Golf 5 1K1 bulb list; racext.com Golf Mk5 GTI bulb guide (Dip beam (low), Main beam (high), Sidelight / DRL)
Two independent sources agree: birnen-typ.de Golf V list; agmvision.com Golf V (1K1) bulb list; xenonsonline.com Golf MK5 lighting guide (agmvision.com ↗) (Front fog)
Two independent sources agree: birnen-typ.de Golf V list; agmvision.com Golf V (1K1) bulb list (agmvision.com ↗) (Front indicator, Reverse, Rear fog, Number plate)
Two independent sources agree: birnen-typ.de Golf V list; agmvision.com Golf V (1K1) bulb list; onlinecarparts.co.uk Golf V rear light units (onlinecarparts.co.uk ↗) (Rear indicator, Brake / tail)

Checked by FitsMyCar against the sources above · how we check

Volkswagen's handbooks (VIN required) ↗

Can you fit LED bulbs to the Golf Mk5?

Most trims of this car have halogen headlamps. In the UK, a halogen headlamp unit on a car first used on or after 1 April 1986 must not be converted to LED or HID bulbs: the MOT inspection manual (§4.1.4) treats a converted unit as a fail, however bright or well aimed it is. “Retrofit LED H7” bulbs sold for these cars are for off-road use. Halogen upgrade bulbs (+150% and similar) are legal because the unit is unchanged. Sidelights, indicators and number-plate LEDs are a separate question — E-marked LED versions of those are road legal.

Source: MOT inspection manual, section 4 — lamps ↗. Headlamp technology recorded as halogen on most trims, xenon or LED on some — how we check.

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