TSB SSM-53878 — Ford and Lincoln Service bulletin
SSM-53878 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 2 Ford and Lincoln models, 2021 model years. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
What the bulletin says. Some 2021-2025 Expedition/Navigator and 2021-2025 F-150 non-Lightning/non-PowerBoost vehicles may exhibit a rattle/scraping noise from the bellhousing area on start-up. This may be due to the torque converter studs contacting the engine to transmission spacer plate (separator…
NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.
Vehicles and model years SSM-53878 names
| Vehicle | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Expedition | 2021 |
| Lincoln Navigator | 2021 |
Every document filed under SSM-53878
| Document ID | Filed | Type |
|---|---|---|
| SSM 53878 | June 5, 2025 | Service bulletin |
What SSM-53878 covers
Transmission & drivetrain — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.
Questions buyers ask
What is TSB SSM-53878?
SSM-53878 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Ford and Lincoln, covering 2 Ford and Lincoln models across the 2021 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: Some 2021-2025 Expedition/Navigator and 2021-2025 F-150 non-Lightning/non-PowerBoost vehicles may exhibit a rattle/scraping noise from the bellhousing area on start-up. This may be due to the torque converter studs contacting the engine to transmission spacer plate (separator…
Which vehicles does SSM-53878 cover?
NHTSA's file names Ford Expedition (2021); Lincoln Navigator (2021). 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-53878 a recall, and is the repair free?
No. SSM-53878 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-53878?
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-53878, 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-53878. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.