Oldsmobile Toronado License Plate Bulb Size

The Oldsmobile Toronado license plate light utilizes 194 and 97 bulb sizes depending on the specific production period for the vehicle. Provided information covers the span from 1966 through 1992.

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
1982-1992	194
1977-1981	97
1974-1976	194
1966-1973	97

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
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 Toronado license plate position uses two distinct bulb types across its model history: the 194 and the 97, both of which are ANSI-standardized components for the US and Canadian markets.
The 194 is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12 volts and 3.78 watts. Its wedge base design means it is held in place by the socket itself rather than by a separate locking mechanism such as a bayonet fitting.
The 97 is a single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base, rated at 12 volts and 13 watts. The BA15s designation indicates a single-contact bayonet cap with a 15mm base width, which physically differs from the wedge socket used by the 194.
At 13 watts, the 97 draws considerably more power than the 3.78-watt 194, meaning the two bulbs are not interchangeable despite both operating on a 12-volt system.
The 97 is noted as a variant of the 1156 bulb type. While the 1156 is a widely available single-filament bayonet bulb, the 97 is a lower-wattage variant and the two are not direct substitutes for one another.
The Oldsmobile Toronado (1982-1992) uses the 194 wedge bulb for the license plate position across that entire eleven-year span.
The 97 bayonet bulb is specified for the Toronado across the 1977-1981 model years for the license plate position.
The 194 wedge bulb is also specified for the 1974-1976 Toronado, while the 97 bayonet bulb covers the 1966-1973 model years.
Because the 194 and 97 use physically incompatible socket types, a wedge socket housing and a BA15s bayonet socket housing are not mutually compatible without modification to the socket itself.
The alternating use of the 97 and 194 across different production periods of the same model reflects socket-level changes in the vehicle's body design rather than simple bulb substitutions.