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1987 Lincoln Continental

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 Continental.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1987 Lincoln Continental is equipped with an automatic 4‑speed transmission and an engine that requires 4.0 qt of oil, with recommended viscosities of 5W‑30, 10W‑30 or 10W‑40. Its EPA fuel economy is listed as 16/24/19 mpg. During early ownership the model recorded only 11 total complaints, the most frequent issue being suspension, and it was subject to a single recall. In the broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2020, the 1987 year precedes a peak of 427 complaints in 1993 and follows a low of seven complaints in 2020, marking it as an early, relatively stable point in the model’s reliability timeline.

Model year2020 2019 2018 2017 2002 2001 2000 1999 1987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1052 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200.8 in
Overall width	73.6 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	108.7 in
Curb weight	3799 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 24 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	102 cu ft
Cargo volume	15 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Continental of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.5–10.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1995 Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1988	Signature Series 3.8L V6	10.50 sec	17.60 sec	140 hp	FWD
1995	Sedan 4.6L V8	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	260 hp	FWD
1995	Sedan 4.6L V8	7.70 sec	15.90 sec	260 hp	FWD
1995	Sedan 4.6L V8	7.80 sec	16.00 sec	260 hp	FWD
1995	Sedan 4.6L V8	8.20 sec	16.00 sec	260 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1987 Lincoln Continental sits near the high‑complaint peak of the early 1990s, where complaints rose from 179 in 1992 to 427 in 1993 and 409 in 1994, with recalls climbing from 3 to 7 in that span. 1987’s complaint figures are not provided in the record, but the surrounding years show a trend of escalating complaints and recalls, suggesting that the generation experienced growing reliability issues. The top complaint categories for 1987—Suspension, Electrical System, and Power Train—mirror the types of problems that became more frequent in the mid‑1990s, indicating that the same component groups were problematic. With zero crash complaints and three fire complaints reported for 1987, the safety record is better than the later years where fire complaints were absent, but the mechanical issues persist. Overall, the 1987 model falls within a period of rising complaints and recalls, implying that a used 1987 Continental may carry higher maintenance risks; therefore, it is not the most favorable year to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 3 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 11 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Suspension3

Electrical System3

Power Train2

Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Electrical System,Equipment1

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

87V139000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 04/09/1987

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED. Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 22 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
01156	2001-08-06	Visibility	SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
01157	2001-08-06	Unknown Or Other	INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0015	2000-01-10	Power Train	INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
99222	1999-10-18	Electrical System	SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING…
99196	1999-09-20	Equipment	INFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Continental. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4.0 qt Thermostat RT1052

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 Continental take?

4.0 qt of BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 OR 10W-40. ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40. ABOVE 20 degrees F 20W-40 OR 20W-50, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 Continental have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Continental get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.