Acura CL high beam headlight bulbs use 9005 size while low beam headlight bulbs use D2R or 9006 size specifications. The replacement chart covers vehicle production years spanning 1997 to 2003 with corresponding bulb size data.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 9005 bulb is the high beam headlight fitment for the Acura CL across all listed model years (1997-2003), with no variation in this position throughout the entire production span covered by the specifications.
The 9005 is a single-filament halogen bulb operating at 12V and 65W, built to the ANSI standard used in the United States and Canada, and uses a P20d base.
The low beam headlight position on the Acura CL uses two distinct bulb types depending on the model year: the 9006 halogen for 1997-1999 and the D2R HID (xenon) for 2001-2003.
The 9006 is a single-filament halogen bulb rated at 12V and 55W with a P22d base, also conforming to the ANSI standard. Although the 9005 and 9006 share a similar appearance, their base types differ (P20d versus P22d), and the two are not interchangeable.
The D2R is a high-intensity discharge (HID) xenon bulb rated at 85V and 35W, conforming to the ECE standard used in Europe and internationally. It requires an external ignitor to initiate the electrical arc that produces light, unlike the self-contained halogen types used in other positions.
The D2R uses a P32d-3 base and is specifically designed for reflector-type headlight housings. Substituting a D2R into a projector-type housing, or vice versa, produces incorrect light distribution on the road.
Because the low beam position transitions from a 12V halogen system to an 85V HID system between the 1999 and 2001 model years, the two generations of the CL are not electrically or mechanically compatible in this position, and parts from one generation cannot be directly substituted into the other.