Lincoln Town Car Back Up Light Bulb Size

The Lincoln Town Car back up light utilizes unique bulb sizes 2456, 2356, 3156, 3155, 1156, and P21W for various lighting components. Data for the specified vehicle covers the range from 1981 through 2011.

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
2010-2011	2456
2009	2356
2008	2456
2007	3156
2006	2456
2004-2005	3156
2003	3155
2002	3156
1997-2001	2456
1996	2356
1995	3156
1992-1994	2456
1991	2356
1990	2456
1989	2356
1981-1988	1156

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon bulb, specialty application. 12V.	2456
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. 12V.	2356
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament wedge bulb (T25). 12V, 27W.	3156
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament wedge bulb (T25). 12V, 27W.	3155
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA15s bayonet base. 12V, 21W.	1156

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Lincoln Town Car back up light specifications span the 1981-2011 model years, with five distinct bulb types used across that range: 2456, 2356, 3156, 3155, and 1156.
The 2456 is the most frequently specified bulb across the Town Car's production run, appearing in 1982-1983, 1990, 1992-1994, 1997-2001, 2006, 2008, and 2010-2011 model years. It is a 12V festoon-style bulb meeting ANSI standards for the US and Canadian markets.
The 1156 bulb is specified for the 1981-1988 model years. It operates at 12V and 21W, using a BA15s single-contact bayonet base, which is a single-filament design.
The 3156 is a single-filament T25 wedge bulb rated at 12V and 27W. It is specified for the 1995, 2002, 2004-2005, and 2007 Town Car.
The 3155 is specified exclusively for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car. Like the 3156, it is a single-filament T25 wedge bulb rated at 12V and 27W, though the two carry different ANSI designations and are not confirmed interchangeable by these specifications.
The 2356 is a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base, operating at 12V. It is specified for the 1989, 1991, 1996, and 2009 model years. Its dual-filament construction distinguishes it from the single-filament 1156, despite both using bayonet-style bases.
The BAY15d base of the 2356 and the BA15s base of the 1156 are physically similar but not interchangeable. The BAY15d base has offset pins to accommodate dual-filament operation, while the BA15s base uses a single-contact, symmetrical pin arrangement.
The festoon form factor of the 2456 differs structurally from the wedge and bayonet base types also present in these specifications. Festoon bulbs are held in place by spring clips at each end rather than a base socket, indicating a different housing design in the vehicles where it is specified.
The bulb type changes at several points across consecutive model years, such as the shift from 2456 in 2001 to 3156 in 2002, and from 3156 in 2007 to 2456 in 2008, indicating that direct substitution between model years is not supported by these specifications.
All five bulb types listed are ANSI-standardized for both the US and Canadian markets, meaning each carries a consistent electrical and physical specification within its respective designation across those regions.