Ford bulletin SSM 51647
What it saysSome 2021-2022 Mustang Mach-E vehicles may exhibit a condition of intermittent headlamp operation while the vehicle is OFF and have diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B1533 stored in the body control module (BCM). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 17, 2023, received May 31, 2023, about the exterior lighting. It names 2 model years (2021–2022). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2021-2022 Mustang Mach-E vehicles may exhibit a condition of intermittent headlamp operation while the vehicle is OFF and have diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B1533 stored in the body control module (BCM). This may be due to the internal logic within the headlamp switch. Switch and/or module replacement will not resolve this condition. Headlamp operation is not affected while the vehicle is ON. A new headlamp switch is currently under development to correct this condition. This condition does not affect vehicle durability and no additional diagnosis or service is required for this condition at this time. Inform customers that they can continue to drive the vehicle and schedule a follow-up appointment in July 2023, when parts are expected to become available. Follow up with the customer to confirm the appointment once OASIS is updated with the repair information.
Trouble codes it names: B1533
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51647 | Service bulletin | May 17, 2023 | 10236584 | PDF, 97 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 485 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the exterior lighting
Source: same model, same component group2 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford Mustang Mach-E under the same component group (exterior lighting), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55194 | Service bulletin | Sep 23, 2026 | Some 2021-2024 Mustang Mach-E, 2025-2026 Navigator and 2024 F-150 vehicles may exhibit inoperative welcome/approach detection lights. This m… |
| SSM 54811 | Service bulletin | May 8, 2026 | 2022-2026 Mustang Mach-E vehicles built on or after 03-Jan-2022 are no longer equipped with a hands free liftgate system. The vehicle is not… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Ford, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford SSM 51647 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SSM 51647 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does SSM 51647 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years: 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.