The Buick Sportwagon front side marker requires a 194, 97, or 194NA bulb size, while the rear side marker uses a 194 or 1157 bulb size. The replacement chart covers 1968 through 1972 vehicle production years with corresponding bulb size specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 194 bulb is the most frequently specified type across the Buick Sportwagon side marker positions, appearing in both front and rear applications across multiple model years.
The 194 is an ANSI-standard miniature wedge bulb in the T10 form factor, rated at 12V and 3.78W, and is used in both the US and Canadian markets.
The 194NA shares the same T10 wedge form factor and 12V, 3.78W electrical rating as the standard 194, but its glass envelope is natural amber rather than clear.
The Buick Sportwagon front side marker for 1968-1970 specifies the 194NA, meaning the amber color was built into the bulb itself rather than produced by a colored lens.
The front side marker specification changed from 194NA in 1970 to the standard clear 194 in 1972, indicating a shift in how the amber color was achieved for that position.
The 1971 front side marker uses the 97 bulb, which is a single-filament type with a BA15s bayonet base, rated at 12V and 13W, making it a significantly higher-wattage lamp than the 194 series.
The 97 bulb is noted as a variant of the 1156 and uses a BA15s single-contact bayonet base, which is physically distinct from the wedge base of the 194 and 194NA; the two types are not interchangeable.
The 1971 rear side marker specifies the 1157, a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base rated at 12V and 21W/5W, which differs in both base type and filament count from all other bulbs listed in these specifications.
The BAY15d base of the 1157 has an offset pin arrangement that prevents it from being seated in a BA15s socket, so the 1157 and 97 are not interchangeable despite both using bayonet-style bases.
Outside of 1971, the rear side marker position for the Sportwagon consistently specifies the 194 across 1968-1970 and 1972, while the front position shows more variation across those same years.