TSB SSM-51181 — Ford and Lincoln Service bulletin
SSM-51181 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 3 Ford and Lincoln models, 2013–2016 model years. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
What the bulletin says. Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque coupling (ATC) clutch assembly. To prevent this error from…
NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.
Vehicles and model years SSM-51181 names
| Vehicle | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| Ford Fusion | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| Lincoln MKZ | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
Every document filed under SSM-51181
| Document ID | Filed | Type |
|---|---|---|
| SSM 51181 | November 4, 2022 | Service bulletin |
What SSM-51181 covers
Brakes & stability — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.
Questions buyers ask
What is TSB SSM-51181?
SSM-51181 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Ford and Lincoln, covering 3 Ford and Lincoln models across the 2013–2016 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque coupling (ATC) clutch assembly. To prevent this error from…
Which vehicles does SSM-51181 cover?
NHTSA's file names Ford Escape (2013–2016); Ford Fusion (2013–2016); Lincoln MKZ (2013–2016). A bulletin number can be re-issued against more vehicles later, so check the model-year list on this page against your own.
Is TSB SSM-51181 a recall, and is the repair free?
No. SSM-51181 is repair guidance the manufacturer sent its dealers, not a safety defect finding. You pay for the work unless the vehicle is still under warranty. Recall repairs, by contrast, are always free.
How do I get the full text of SSM-51181?
Take the document ID to a dealer's service desk, or search NHTSA's manufacturer-communications records. This page carries every document ID filed under SSM-51181, its date, and NHTSA's own summary from the public file.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. This page lists only what NHTSA's manufacturer-communications file records under SSM-51181. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.