Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser License Plate Bulb Size

The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser license plate light uses bulb sizes 24, 194, and 97 depending on the specific version of the vehicle. Available information covers the range from 1971 through 1992 for the specified lighting components.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1991-1992	24
1974-1990	194
1971-1973	97

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 2W.	24
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA15s bayonet base. Variant of 1156. 12V, 13W.	97

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser license plate bulb specifications span model years 1971 through 1992, covering three distinct bulb types across that range.
The 194 bulb is the most widely used type in these specifications, fitted to the Custom Cruiser from 1974 through 1990, making it the dominant fitment across the majority of the model's covered years.
The 194 is a miniature wedge bulb using a T10 form factor, operating at 12V and drawing 3.78W. Its wedge base design means it requires no separate socket retainer, as the bulb body itself locks into the housing.
The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser (1991-1992) uses the size 24 bulb, which departs from the long-running 194 fitment used in prior years. The 24 bulb uses a BA9s base, a small single-contact bayonet cap, and operates at 12V with a rated output of 2W.
Because the 194 and the 24 use fundamentally different base types, a wedge versus a BA9s bayonet cap, the two bulbs are not interchangeable despite both being low-wattage 12V units.
The 1971-1973 Custom Cruiser uses the size 97 bulb, which carries a BA15s single-contact bayonet base and is classified as a variant of the 1156 bulb family. At 12V and 13W, it draws considerably more power than either the 194 or the 24.
The 97 bulb's 13W rating stands in notable contrast to the 3.78W of the 194 and the 2W of the 24, reflecting a different design generation for the license plate lighting circuit in the earlier model years.
All three bulb types in these specifications conform to ANSI standards recognized in both the United States and Canada, indicating standardized electrical and dimensional tolerances across the range.
The BA15s base of the 97 bulb and the BA9s base of the 24 bulb are both bayonet-style fittings, but they differ in collar size and pin configuration, making them mutually incompatible with each other's sockets.
The shift from the 97 in 1971-1973 to the 194 beginning in 1974 represents a transition to a lower-wattage wedge-base format for the Custom Cruiser's license plate lighting.