1987 Lincoln Town Car problems & reliability
32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 17 | 53% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 13% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 13% |
| Equipment | 2 | 6% |
| Power Train | 2 | 6% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Tires | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Four minutes after the engine was shut off, black smoke was seen coming from under the hood. The owner opened the hood and noticed the alternator was on fire. *ak a mechanic extinguished the fire and no police report was made. Consumer would like ford to recall all vehicles with the same type alternator and other…”
Electrical System · filed Dec 8, 2003
“While driving radiator suddenly started to leak fluid. Upon the leakage from the radiator vehicle automatically shut down with no warning. *ak”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Sep 8, 2003
“Strong gasoline odor inside car most noticeable with a window down, have checked for leaks and can't find it, seems like it may be coming from behind the dash. *jb”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed May 9, 2003
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car. The 10 most recent:
Transfer service tips for the front wiper motor mount bracket and depressed park output arm. *tt
02107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2002
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Lincoln Town Car in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Lincoln Town Car?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.