Ford F-350 License Plate Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The Ford F-350 license plate position uses two distinct bulb types across its model years: the 194 and the 97, both of which are ANSI-standardized components rated for 12-volt electrical systems in the United States and Canada.
• The 194 is a T10 miniature wedge bulb drawing 3.78 watts, making it a low-wattage lamp relative to the 97, which is a single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base drawing 13 watts, a figure more than three times higher.
• The BA15s bayonet base of the 97 bulb is a single-contact fitting, and the 97 is noted as a variant of the 1156 bulb family, though the two are not identical and are not listed as interchangeable in these specifications.
• The 194 wedge bulb and the 97 bayonet bulb use physically incompatible base types, meaning one cannot be substituted for the other regardless of voltage compatibility.
• The 194 bulb is the more frequently specified of the two across the Ford F-350 license plate application, appearing in the majority of the listed model years between 1975 and 1997.
• The 97 bulb is specified for the Ford F-350 in 1969-1972, 1981, 1986, 1991-1992, 1995-1996, representing a recurring but less frequent fitment within the listed range.
• The bulb type alternates between the 194 and 97 at several points across consecutive model years, indicating that the same position did not retain a single bulb standard throughout the production span covered by these specifications.
• The 1996 and 1997 model years specify different bulb types from one another, with 1996 requiring the 97 and 1997 requiring the 194, which is a relevant fitment distinction for those two adjacent years.