TSB SSM-51536 — Ford and Lincoln Service bulletin
SSM-51536 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 16 Ford and Lincoln models, 2003–2021 model years. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
What the bulletin says. For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most…
NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.
Vehicles and model years SSM-51536 names
Every document filed under SSM-51536
| Document ID | Filed | Type |
|---|---|---|
| SSM 51536 | April 4, 2023 | Service bulletin |
What SSM-51536 covers
Body & structure — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.
Questions buyers ask
What is TSB SSM-51536?
SSM-51536 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Ford and Lincoln, covering 16 Ford and Lincoln models across the 2003–2021 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most…
Which vehicles does SSM-51536 cover?
NHTSA's file names Ford EcoSport (2018–2021); Ford Edge (2007–2018); Ford Escape (2005–2019); Ford Expedition (2003–2017); Ford Explorer (2011–2019); Ford F-150 (2004–2015); Ford F-250 (2011–2016); Ford F-350 (2011–2016); Ford Fiesta (2011–2019); Ford Flex (2009–2019), and 6 more vehicles listed on this page. 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-51536 a recall, and is the repair free?
No. SSM-51536 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-51536?
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-51536, 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-51536. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.