Ok so I’m Chagrined to admit that looking in the manual was by far the easiest to find the bulb information—! Reminder to look at least through manual first or if a quick online search is not clear and definitive!
it’s the 168 bulb for the outer liftgate and quarter panel

my assumption here is I can just replace these bulbs as there is nothing wrong with the brake lights.

Anyway that’s the plan.
for reference here is the manual page

 

Save time and money and pick up bulb number 158 or part number 158LL $8.00 and 4 mins later your done. Thank me later. Sincerely Rx330 owner. Fits in all 4 main rear lights and have the correct watts and strength.

 

I did get the generic 168s and replaced License plate lights and the two tail lights.
OK another fact I did not realize is the little icon on the dash that shows the car with lines running out the tail(bottom) was indicating that lights were out.... I THOUGHT that dash light meant the lights were turned on (because it would come on when I turned the ligths to the ON position) anyway - lesson learned!
I don't think I need the LL as this is a 2005 with 225,000.... not sure how many more years we have left!

 

Bingo, at least a few ppl know how to figure it out via ''the owners manual supplied by the manufacturer'' vs the OP from 10+ yrs ago....