Ford bulletin SSM 51706
What it saysSome 2023 Bronco vehicles equipped with a 2.7L engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P051B stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 13, 2023, received Jul 6, 2023, about the engine. It names 1 model year (2023). 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 2023 Bronco vehicles equipped with a 2.7L engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P051B stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). PCM software is currently under development to resolve this condition and is scheduled to be available by 30-Jun-2023. Monitor OASIS for updates and schedule a follow up with the customer when the software becomes available
Trouble codes it names: P051B
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51706 | Service bulletin | Jun 13, 2023 | 10238722 | not found |
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 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 226 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 21 of them name Engine — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
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 engine
Source: same model, same component group23 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford Bronco under the same component group (engine), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Ford list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25B51 | Other | May 9, 2026 | Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explor… |
| 24N12 S2 | Other | Mar 31, 2026 | Certain 2021 - 2022 Model Year Various Vehicles Engine Valve Inspection Test This submission includes : Technical Instructions Updated word… |
| SSM 54451 | Service bulletin | Dec 18, 2025 | Some 2025 Bronco/Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.3L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with only… |
| SSM 54275 | Service bulletin | Oct 7, 2025 | Some 2021-2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 3.0L EcoBoost engine, 2021-2023 Aviator vehicles equipped with a 3.0L EcoBoost or 3.0L plug… |
| 25H03 | Other | Sep 3, 2025 | Harvest Program 25H03 Certain 2024 - 2025 Model Year Bronco, Bronco Sport, Corsair, Escape, Explorer, Maverick, Mustang, and Ranger Vehicle… |
| PCM-25.10.0 | Over-the-air update | Sep 2, 2025 | Quality improvements include: -Addresses a potential Malfunction Indicator Lamp caused by two Diagnostic Trouble Codes triggered by a random… |
| 24N12 -S1 | Other | Aug 25, 2025 | NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD Safety Recall 24S55 – Supplement #1 Dated: August 15, 2025 Customer Satisfaction Program 24N12 Dat… |
| 25P20 | Other | Jul 26, 2025 | Certain 2025 Model Year Bronco, Explorer, Mustang, and Ranger Vehicles Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Replacement On all affected vehicle… |
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 51706 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 51706 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 51706 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2023 Ford Bronco. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.