Buick Riviera License Plate Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The Buick Riviera license plate bulb specifications cover model years 1963-1999, with three distinct bulb types used across that span: the 194, the 97, and the 1155.
• The 194 bulb is the most widely used type in these specifications, fitted to the Buick Riviera across model years 1972-1999, with the exception of 1994.
• The 194 is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W, making it one of the lower-wattage bulbs in this specification set. Its wedge base design means it is held in place by socket tension rather than a locking mechanism.
• The 97 bulb was specified for the Buick Riviera from 1965-1971. It uses a BA15s single-contact bayonet base and is rated at 12V and 13W, placing it at a significantly higher wattage than the 194.
• The 1155 bulb was specified for the 1963-1964 Buick Riviera. Like the 97, it uses a BA15s bayonet base, but it is rated at 21W, the highest wattage of the three bulb types listed in these specifications.
• Both the 97 and the 1155 are classified as variants of the 1156 bulb family, sharing the same BA15s bayonet base. Despite this shared base type, their wattage ratings differ substantially, and the two are not interchangeable without accounting for that difference.
• The transition from the 1155 to the 97 occurred between the 1964 and 1965 model years, representing a reduction in wattage from 21W to 13W for the license plate position.
• The transition from the 97 to the 194 occurred between the 1971 and 1972 model years, also representing a reduction in wattage and a change in base type from BA15s bayonet to T10 wedge.
• Because the 194 uses a wedge base and the 97 and 1155 use a bayonet base, bulbs from the pre-1972 specifications are physically incompatible with the socket designs used in the post-1971 model years.
• All three bulb types conform to ANSI standards applicable in both the United States and Canada, indicating standardized electrical and physical tolerances across the specification set.