2024 Subaru Forester Bulb Sizes: Headlight, Tail, Fog & Interior Chart

As an ASE-certified master technician, I've serviced countless Subaru vehicles over the years. The 2024 Subaru Forester represents the culmination of Subaru's shift toward standard LED lighting. While previous generations gave owners plenty of halogen bulbs to swap, the 2024 model features standard Steering Responsive LED (SRH) headlights across all trim levels. However, depending on whether you drive a Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, or Touring, there are still several traditional bulbs around the vehicle that you might need to replace or choose to upgrade.

Here is the comprehensive bulb size guide for the 2024 Subaru Forester to help you find exactly what you need.

Quick reference

Note: Trims like the Limited and Touring feature fully integrated LED assemblies for both front and rear turn signals. Base, Premium, Sport, and Wilderness trims generally use standard halogen bulbs for turn signals, reverse lights, and interior lighting.

LED vs halogen upgrade considerations

Because the 2024 Forester comes with LED low and high beams standard, you won’t have to worry about retrofitting your main driving lights. However, many owners look to upgrade the remaining halogen bulbs—such as the turn signals, reverse lights, and interior dome lights—to LEDs for a more cohesive, modern look.

If you decide to upgrade your halogen turn signals (7440NA) to LEDs, you must account for hyperflashing. Because LED bulbs draw significantly less power than halogen bulbs, the vehicle's computer (CANBUS system) thinks the bulb is burnt out and flashes the signal rapidly. To fix this, you will either need LED bulbs with built-in load resistors (often called CANBUS-ready or error-free) or you will need to splice inline resistors into the factory wiring harness.

For interior and reverse lights, CANBUS errors are rarely an issue on this generation of the Forester. Simply swapping your factory 921 reverse bulbs for high-output LED equivalents will drastically improve your backup camera visibility at night without any warning lights on the dash.

How to replace each bulb

While the main headlights are non-serviceable sealed units, replacing the remaining traditional bulbs is generally straightforward:

• Front Turn Signals: If you have the halogen version, you can access the back of the headlight assembly from under the hood. For tighter spaces on the driver’s side, you may need to unclip and pull back the plastic inner fender liner inside the wheel well to reach the bulb socket. Twist counterclockwise to remove.
• Rear Turn Signals & Reverse Lights: Open the rear liftgate. Remove the two 10mm bolts securing the taillight housing to the vehicle body. Carefully pull the housing straight back to release the alignment pins. Once removed, you will have easy access to twist out the 7440 turn signal and 921 reverse light sockets.
• License Plate Lights: These are accessed from the outside. Use a plastic trim tool or a small flathead screwdriver (wrapped in tape to prevent scratching) to pry the plastic lens cover off. Pull the 194 bulb straight out.
• Interior Map & Dome Lights: Use a plastic pry tool to gently pop off the clear plastic lenses. The front map lights pull straight out (194), while the center dome light is a spring-loaded festoon bulb (DE3175). Make sure the vehicle is off, as these bulbs get very hot very quickly.

Common lighting issues for this generation

The 2024 Subaru Forester is still relatively new, so widespread long-term lighting failures are rare. However, the most critical thing to know about this generation is that the standard Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH) are completely sealed. If the LED low beam, high beam, or the SRH motor fails outside of your warranty window, you cannot simply replace a bulb or a motor; you have to replace the entire headlight assembly, which can be quite expensive.

Additionally, owners occasionally report minor condensation building up inside the headlight or taillight housings after heavy rain or automatic car washes. A small amount of fogging that dissipates quickly is normal and is handled by the housing's breather vents. However, if you see pooling water, the seal has failed, and the assembly should be replaced under warranty.

If you are dealing with a complex electrical issue or need a damaged LED headlight assembly properly aimed and calibrated after installation, don't leave it to chance. Find a trusted shop on Repairius.