TSB SSM-51409 — Ford Service bulletin

SSM-51409 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 2 Ford models, 2014–2019 model years. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

What the bulletin says. Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses a 50-tooth variable camshaft timing (VCT) intake and exhaust unit from the assembly plant or if a service long block was installed. VCT locking tool 303-1097 is not…

NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.

1Document filed
2Vehicles named
6Model years

Vehicles and model years SSM-51409 names

VehicleModel years
Ford Escape 2017, 2018, 2019
Ford Fusion 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Every document filed under SSM-51409

Document IDFiledType
SSM 51409 March 2, 2023 Service bulletin

What SSM-51409 covers

Engine — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.

← All Ford Escape TSB years TSB lookup by model

Questions buyers ask

What is TSB SSM-51409?

SSM-51409 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Ford, covering 2 Ford models across the 2014–2019 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: Some 2014-2020 Fusion and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles may be equipped with a 1.5L Ecoboost engine that uses a 50-tooth variable camshaft timing (VCT) intake and exhaust unit from the assembly plant or if a service long block was installed. VCT locking tool 303-1097 is not…

Which vehicles does SSM-51409 cover?

NHTSA's file names Ford Escape (2017–2019); Ford Fusion (2014–2018). 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-51409 a recall, and is the repair free?

No. SSM-51409 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-51409?

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-51409, its date, and NHTSA's own summary from the public file.

Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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-51409. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.