Ford bulletin SSM 51711
What it saysSome 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles may exhibit a condition where the front passenger OCS (occupant classification system) components (seat cushion foam, OCS bladder with OCSM (occupant classification system module) and front… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 14, 2023, received Jun 21, 2023, about the seats. It names 3 model years (2021–2023). 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 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles may exhibit a condition where the front passenger OCS (occupant classification system) components (seat cushion foam, OCS bladder with OCSM (occupant classification system module) and front seat cushion adjuster) require replacement. These components are calibrated to each other and must be serviced as an assembly. The OCS service kit components are not to be installed separately. If a new OCS or OCS components are needed, a new OCS service kit must be installed as an assembly, which includes all components of the kit. A new passenger seat cushion cover and the heater mat can be installed separately. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, Removal and Installation. For claiming, use causal part 632A22 and applicable labor operations in Section 12 of the Service Labor Time Standards Manual.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51711 | Service bulletin | Jun 14, 2023 | 10237966 | PDF, 28 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 3 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,642 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
I turned on the truck and heard a loud crack followed by load static originating from the front passenger area. This was from the stereo speakers. My right ear endured a lasting and substantial amount of pain. I will estimate, based on measurements of SPL I've made as an engineer, that the crack was approximately 120dB
2022 Ford F-150 · Equipment · filed with NHTSA Oct 10, 2022 · ODI 11488615
When I pressed Start yesterday a loud ear-splitting noise emitted from the sound system. It took my shocked brain a moment to realize it wasn't a security alert. When I realized nothing I did would get it to shut off, I got out of the vehicle. It eventually stopped, and the sound system doesn't work at all now.
2023 Ford F-150 · Equipment · filed with NHTSA Nov 11, 2023 · ODI 11554618
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 seats
Source: same model, same component group3 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford F-150 under the same component group (seats), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55100 | Service bulletin | Aug 22, 2026 | For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service p… |
| SSM 55008 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2026 | Some 2021-2026 Ford vehicles may exhibit inoperative heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel and/or front/rear defrost features after a r… |
| 25B40 | Other | Aug 12, 2025 | Certain 2025 Model Year F-150 Platinum Plus Trim Level Rear Righthand Seat Backrest Cover Replacement |
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 51711 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 51711 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 51711 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2023 Ford F-150, 2022 Ford F-150, 2021 Ford F-150. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.