The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera high beam headlight bulb size measures 9005 or H4651, while low beam headlight bulbs measure 9006, H4656, or H4652 in size. The replacement chart covers vehicle production years spanning 1982 to 1990 with corresponding bulb specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera used two distinct headlamp system types across its production run: sealed beam units in earlier model years and halogen capsule headlamps in later ones, with 1987 representing the transitional year in which both systems were offered simultaneously depending on trim or factory configuration.
The 9005 bulb is a single-filament halogen unit operating at 12V and 65W with a P20d base, conforming to ANSI standards for the US and Canadian markets. It served as the high beam bulb for the Cutlass Ciera from 1988-1990, as well as for 1987 models equipped with halogen capsule headlamps.
The 9006 bulb is a single-filament halogen unit operating at 12V and 55W with a P22d base, also ANSI-standardized. It functioned as the low beam counterpart to the 9005 across the same 1987-1990 halogen capsule applications. The P20d and P22d bases of the 9005 and 9006 are physically distinct, making the two bulbs non-interchangeable despite their similar appearance.
The H4651, H4652, and H4656 are all 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam units operating at 12V. In sealed beam construction, the lens, reflector, and filament form a single fused glass assembly, meaning the entire unit is replaced rather than an internal bulb.
Although the H4651, H4652, and H4656 share the same 4x6-inch rectangular form factor, they are distinct part numbers with differing output characteristics. The low beam position on the Cutlass Ciera used H4652 in most years but H4656 in 1984 and 1987, indicating these variants are not universally interchangeable across all model years despite their physical similarity.
For 1987 Cutlass Ciera vehicles, the correct bulb sizes for both high and low beam positions depend entirely on which headlamp system the vehicle was built with. Halogen capsule-equipped units require 9005 and 9006, while sealed beam-equipped units require H4651 and H4656 respectively.
The sealed beam format was standard on the Cutlass Ciera from 1982-1986, with the H4651 used consistently for high beam across all those years. The low beam position saw variation, with H4652 used in 1982-1983, H4656 in 1984, H4652 again in 1985-1986, reflecting that the two sealed beam variants served the same physical position across different years without a single standardized part throughout.