The Lincoln Town Car brake light utilizes unique bulb sizes 4157, 2458, 3157, and 1157 depending on the specific production period for the vehicle. Provided data covers the range from 1981 through 2011 for the components listed.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 3157 bulb is the most frequently specified brake bulb across the Lincoln Town Car's model history, covering the 1988-2003 model years for the standard brake light position.
The 4157 and 3157 are both dual-filament T25 wedge bulbs rated at 12V with a 27W high-filament and 7W low-filament output, making them functionally similar in wattage and base type despite carrying different ANSI designations.
The 1157 bulb, specified for the 1981-1987 Lincoln Town Car brake lights, uses a BAY15d bayonet base rather than a wedge base, which makes it physically incompatible with the T25 wedge socket used in later model years.
The center high mount stop light on the Lincoln Town Car (2006-2011) requires a 3156 bulb specifically on vehicles equipped with a reverse proximity sensor, a condition that affects fitment selection for that sub-part.
The 3156 is a single-filament T25 wedge bulb rated at 12V and 27W, whereas the 3157 used in the standard brake position for overlapping years is a dual-filament variant of the same T25 platform, meaning the two are not interchangeable despite sharing a base style.
The 912 bulb, specified for the center high mount stop light from 1986-2002, is a T15 wedge type rated at 12V and 12W, a notably lower wattage than the T25 bulbs used elsewhere in the brake lighting system.
The 912 is classified as a variant of the 921 bulb within the ANSI standard, which reflects a close electrical relationship between the two types within the T15 wedge family.
The transition from the 3157 to the 4157 in the standard brake light position occurred between the 2003 and 2004 model years, representing a change in ANSI designation while retaining the same T25 wedge base and 27W/7W dual-filament rating.