Dodge Charger Headlights Guide (2015–2023): Bulb Sizes, LED Headlights, Fixes and Upgrades

Dodge Charger headlights changed more between 2015 and 2023 than most owners realize: two different halogen bulbs, an optional HID system, a new turn signal in 2022 and factory LED headlights in 2023. In this guide we cover which headlights your car has, the right bulb, how to change it, what to check when one stops working and which upgrades are worth it.

We make parts for the 2015–2023 Charger and work on these cars all the time, so everything in this guide is about this generation. The 2011–2014 Charger uses different headlights.

Halogen, HID or LED: which Dodge Charger headlights you have

Every 2015–2023 Charger has the same basic headlight shape, but there are three different light sources behind the lens:

• Halogen (2015–2022): standard on most cars, from the SXT and GT to many R/Ts.
• HID, also called xenon (2015–2022): an option. It usually came with a package such as the Plus Group (on some R/T cars, the Driver Convenience Group), so a GT or R/T without those packages has halogen. Two cars of the same year and trim can have different headlights.
• LED (2023): for the last model year, Dodge switched to LED low and high beams.

Every one of them is a projector headlight, and every Charger of this generation also has LED daytime running lights built into the headlight. They are the bright LED strip you see when the car is on, not the main beam. It’s also the mix-up we hear about most: many owners of 2015–2022 cars think they have LED headlights when the low and high beams are halogen or HID.

The quickest way we know to tell halogen from HID is to start the car in a dark garage and switch the headlights on. Halogen light is warm and instant. HID light starts with a blue tint and settles into a bright white after up to about 10 seconds. If you are still not sure, open the hood and look behind the headlight: an HID headlight has a small box (the ballast) and a thick high-voltage connector on the back of the bulb.

Dodge Charger headlight bulb size by year

“Which bulb does my Charger take?” is one of the questions we get most. The answer depends on the year and the headlight type. The table below follows the “Replacement Bulbs” section of the Dodge owner’s manuals and also shows the two changes Dodge made near the end of the run.

On halogen and HID cars, one bulb per side does both low and high beam. It sits inside the projector, and a small shutter moves to switch between the two beams. That also explains a fault we see a lot: if the low beams work but the high beams don’t (or the other way round), the bulb is usually fine and the problem is the shutter or its connector.

What changed in the last two years:

• 2022: the turn signal moved into the daytime running lights. On 2015–2021 cars, the front turn signal is a separate amber LED and the white daytime running lights only dim while you signal. From 2022, the daytime running lights themselves switch from white to amber and flash (often called “switchback” daytime running lights). The bulbs stayed the same as before: 9005SL+ for halogen and D3S for HID.
• 2023: factory LED headlights. The 2023 owner’s manual no longer lists a halogen or HID bulb. It says the low and high beams use LED sources that are not serviceable and must be replaced as an assembly. The window sticker of a 2023 Charger GT lists “Bi-Function LED Projector Headlamps” as standard equipment.

When we replace bulbs, we usually go for the Sylvania SilverStar or Philips X-tremeVision for halogen (9005SL+, or 9012 for the 2015 car) and Philips or Sylvania D3S for HID. We recommend changing bulbs in pairs: a new bulb next to an old one looks a different color, and the old one is usually close to the end of its life too.

Dodge Charger headlight bulb replacement, step by step (halogen)

These are the steps for halogen headlights, the type most 2015–2022 Chargers have. Changing a halogen bulb is an easy job you can do at home. HID bulbs run on high voltage, so we leave those to a dealer. A 2023 Charger has no bulb at all: if an LED headlight fails, unfortunately the whole headlight needs to be replaced.

1. Switch the car off and let the headlights cool for a few minutes.
2. Open the hood and find the round dust cap on the back of the headlight. On the driver side, the manual notes you may need to remove the air cleaner housing first to reach the bulb.
3. Twist the dust cap counterclockwise and pull it off.
4. Turn the bulb counterclockwise and pull it out of the headlight. The wiring stays attached to the socket.
5. Disconnect the old bulb from the socket and connect the new one. Don’t touch the glass: oil from your skin creates a hot spot that can crack a halogen bulb.
6. Put the bulb back into the headlight and turn it clockwise until it locks.
7. Refit the dust cap and test low and high beam before you close the hood.

It takes us about 15 to 30 minutes per side, and the driver side usually takes longest because of the air cleaner housing. If a step needs force, take a second look, because the tabs on the headlight housing break easily and a new housing is expensive. Make sure the dust cap clicks fully into place: a loose cap is one of the most common reasons we see for water inside the headlight.

Dodge Charger headlights not working

This is what we check first, depending on what you see:

• One headlight out: on a halogen car it is usually the bulb. Swap the bulbs left to right, and if the problem moves with the bulb, you have found it. On an HID car, check that side’s fuse in the front fuse box first: F15 for the left headlight, F16 for the right.
• Both headlights out at once: bulbs rarely fail on the same day. Check the exterior lighting fuses F06 and F07 in the trunk fuse box (on HID cars, also F15 and F16 under the hood), then the headlight switch to the left of the steering wheel.
• Low beam works, high beam doesn’t: the same bulb does both beams, so the bulb is usually fine. Check the small shutter connector on the back of the headlight. There is no separate high beam fuse.
• HID headlight flickers or turns pink: the D3S bulb is near the end of its life. A new pair of bulbs usually fixes it, so try that before replacing the ballast.
• 2023 LED headlight out: there is no bulb, so check the exterior lighting fuses F06 and F07 in the trunk and the connector on the back of the headlight. If both are fine, unfortunately the headlight itself needs replacing.
• Daytime running lights out: if they are out on both sides, check fuse F47 (10 A, red) in the trunk fuse box. If only one side is out, the LED module in that headlight has failed, and the fix is a new module or a new headlight.

Dodge Charger headlight fuse locations

The 2015–2023 Charger has two fuse boxes, which Dodge calls power distribution centers. Only a handful of fuses matter for the lights, and they are the same in every owner’s manual from 2015 to 2023:

The halogen headlights and the tail lights don’t have a fuse of their own. They run through the two exterior lighting fuses, F06 and F07, so if one of those blows, several outside lights go dark at the same time. When a single headlight or one tail light section stops working, in our experience it is almost never a fuse.

The fuse layout is also printed on the inside of each fuse box cover. When you replace a fuse, use one with the same amperage (the color tells you). If a new fuse blows straight away, there is a short circuit somewhere, often in wiring that was added later, such as a dash cam or trailer wiring. A bigger fuse won’t fix that and can damage the wiring, so it’s best to have the short found first.

Dodge Charger LED headlights and other upgrades

LED headlight bulbs

The cheapest upgrade for a 2015–2022 Charger with halogen headlights is an LED conversion kit: an LED bulb in place of the halogen bulb. Diode Dynamics, Philips, Sylvania and Morimoto all sell LED bulbs that fit the Charger. They look whiter and more modern, and good ones put more light on the road. Two things to know first:

• They are not street legal in the US. Federal rules (FMVSS 108) approve a headlight as a complete unit with the bulb it was designed for. An LED bulb in a halogen headlight is not DOT compliant, and reputable brands say so on the box. Plenty of owners run them anyway, but it’s good to know they can be an issue at inspection or at a traffic stop.
• The Charger needs anti-flicker modules. The car pulses the headlight power to check the bulbs. Without a decoder, many LED bulbs flicker or trigger a bulb warning. The kits we recommend include one.

Please note: this is for halogen headlights only.

Aftermarket headlights and headlight assembly replacement

If you want a legal upgrade, replace the whole headlight. A complete aftermarket headlight with a DOT stamp is designed around its own light source, so it can be legal where an LED bulb is not. This is the most popular way to get full LED lighting on an older car: Morimoto and AlphaRex both make complete LED headlights for the 2015–2023 Charger. Budget brands like Spyder sell projector replacements. The other route is an original HID headlight, which bolts in but may need wiring changes.

You also need a new headlight assembly when a lens is cracked, the housing keeps filling with water or the daytime running lights have died. Match both the headlight type (halogen, HID or LED) and the model year. Halogen and HID headlights are not interchangeable, and the 2022–2023 headlights with the amber turn signal in the daytime running lights are a different part from the 2015–2021 ones.

Fitting 2022 headlights to a 2015–2021 Charger

A mod we like for older cars: the 2022 headlights fit the 2015–2021 Charger without modifications, as long as you stay with the same type. Halogen headlights go on a halogen car and HID headlights on an HID car. You get the newer look with daytime running lights that turn amber when you signal, and the bulbs stay the same (9005SL+ for halogen, D3S for HID). If you are replacing a damaged or foggy headlight anyway, it is an easy way to update the front of the car.

Want the rear to look fresh too? Our gloss black tail light decals are peel and stick and remove without residue.

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Hazy headlights and condensation

Cleaning and restoring hazy headlights

The lenses are polycarbonate with a UV-resistant coating from the factory. After years in the sun the coating breaks down and the lens turns yellow and cloudy, which also cuts the light on the road. We restore hazy lenses with a kit from Meguiar’s, 3M or Sylvania, and it takes about an afternoon: sand off the old coating, polish the lens clear, then apply the UV sealant in the kit. That last step is the important one: without a new UV layer, the lens turns yellow again within months. Clear paint protection film over the restored lens keeps it clear longer.

Condensation in the headlights

A light fog inside the lens after a car wash or a cold night is normal. The lamps have small vents, and the fog should clear after 20 to 30 minutes with the lights on. Water drops that stay, or water pooling at the bottom of the lens, mean a seal or vent has failed. Left alone, that water corrodes the LEDs and the connector. Check that the dust caps on the back of the headlights are seated properly (the cause we find most often after a bulb change), then look for a cracked housing. A lamp that keeps filling with water needs resealing or replacing.

Other Dodge Charger bulb sizes: fog, turn, reverse, plate and interior

Outside the headlights, almost every light on the 2015–2023 Charger is LED from the factory. The owner’s manuals list these lights as LED that is “serviced at an authorized dealer”, which means there is no bulb to buy: if one fails, the whole lamp or module is replaced. Here is the full list from the Dodge owner’s manuals.

The manual also warns that the interior bulbs must be glass wedge or glass cartridge types, and aluminum base bulbs should not be used. If you swap the interior lights for LEDs, Sylvania and Philips both make LED versions of the 578, 562 and 194. In our experience they work without any extra parts. If you no longer have the paper manual, you can view it on Mopar’s owner website.

The tail lights on these cars are LED too, so there are no bulbs to replace there. If you’d like to change how they look, our pre-cut tail light tint goes on dry in about 30 minutes with the tail lights still on the car.

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Dodge Charger Tail Light Tint Kit

• Fits every 2015–2023 Charger, SXT to Hellcat
• Pre-cut dark vinyl with air-release channels
• Squeegee, towel, practice pieces and install instructions included

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Related guides

• Dodge Charger mods and accessories guide (2015–2023)
• Tail light tint explained: film vs spray vs pre-cut overlays
• Are tinted tail lights legal? Tail light tint laws by state
• Dodge Charger parts and accessories

FAQ

What headlight bulb does a Dodge Charger use?

On the 2016–2022 Charger with halogen headlights, one 9005SL+ bulb per side does both low and high beam. The 2015 halogen headlights use an HIR2 (9012). Cars with HID headlights use a D3S bulb. The 2023 Charger has LED headlights with no replaceable bulb.

Does the Dodge Charger have LED headlights?

Only the 2023 model year. The 2023 owner’s manual lists LED low and high beams. The 2015–2022 Charger has halogen or HID low and high beams, and the LED strip inside the headlight is the daytime running light, not the main beam. On those cars, full LED headlights, such as the ones from Morimoto and AlphaRex, are an aftermarket upgrade.

Do 2022 Charger headlights fit a 2015–2021 Charger?

Yes. The 2022 headlights fit the 2015–2021 Charger without modifications, as long as you keep the same type: halogen headlights on a halogen car and HID headlights on an HID car. You get the daytime running lights that turn amber as the turn signal.

Are LED headlight bulbs legal in a Dodge Charger?

Not in the US. An LED bulb in a headlight designed for a halogen bulb is not DOT compliant, and reputable brands say so on the box. For a legal upgrade, replace the whole headlight with a DOT-approved LED or HID headlight.