H3 Bulbs

The H3 bulb is a single-contact bulb with a short lead wire instead of a standard base. It’s most commonly used in fog lights and auxiliary lamps, and on some vehicles it’s fitted in the high beam. This section includes 7 items: Osram and Philips 12 V 55 W halogen bulbs, an Osram 24 V 70 W truck bulb, and three Niken H3 LED bulb kits from the Eco, Pro, and Nova series. Before buying, check the markings on your old bulb and your vehicle’s system voltage.

Which H3 bulbs are in this section

What do +30% and +110% mean?

These are manufacturer ratings showing how much more light reaches the road compared to a standard halogen bulb of the same wattage. Osram Super and Philips Premium +30% are direct replacements with slightly brighter light. Osram Night Breaker Unlimited +110% shines further and is sold as a pair. All three are halogen bulbs with a glass capsule that fit in place of the factory H3 with no modifications.

Halogen or H3 LED?

Niken H3 LED bulbs produce white 6500 K light and use less power than halogen. However, an LED bulb has a heatsink, and the Eco series also includes a fan, so it’s longer than a halogen bulb. Make sure there’s enough space inside your fog light or headlamp housing and that the cover will close. If the onboard computer shows a bulb error after installation, you’ll need a solution to prevent bulb-check warnings. The 24 V H3 bulb (Osram 64156) is for vehicles with a 24 V electrical system only—it's not suitable for a 12 V passenger car.

How to replace an H3 bulb

• Remove the cover or the lamp housing and unplug the bulb lead from the connector.
• Release the retaining clip and remove the old bulb, noting its position.
• Do not touch the glass capsule of a halogen bulb with your fingers—skin oils shorten its lifespan.
• Install the new bulb, secure it with the clip, and reconnect the lead.
• Check operation and beam cutoff against a wall; replace bulbs in pairs so both lights match.

Other LED bulb bases are in the LED bulbs section, bulbs for OEM xenon are in the xenon bulbs section, and all bulb types are collected in car bulbs.

This description was prepared with AI based on analysis of over 1 million phone calls between DD Tuning managers and customers, as well as the company knowledge base. We compiled the most frequently asked questions and field-tested answers.