Ford bulletin SSM 51723
What it saysSome 2021 F-150 vehicles built on 22-Jul-2021 and through 09-Nov-2021 may experience inoperative heated front seats with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) B1208:2A and/or B120A:2A in the driver front seat module (DSM). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 16, 2023, received Jun 21, 2023, about the equipment. It names 1 model year (2021). 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 communicationWhat it applies to, as the document itself states it — the build window in the manufacturer’s own words, read by machine from the PDF NHTSA serves. The build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb; the dealer settles a borderline vehicle by its VIN.
Some 2021 F-150 vehicles built on 22-Jul-2021 and through 09-Nov-2021 may experience inoperative heated front seats with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) B1208:2A and/or B120A:2A in the driver front seat module (DSM). This may be due to various software parameters in the DSM. To correct the condition, download and run the DSM - Driver Front Seat Module (DSM) Configuration app on the latest level of the Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming use causal part number 14C708 and applicable labor times from Section 10 of the Service Labor Times Standard (SLTS) Manual.
Trouble codes it names: B1208 B120A
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51723 | Service bulletin | Jun 16, 2023 | 10237975 | 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 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 1,309 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 equipment
Source: same model, same component group35 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford F-150 under the same component group (equipment), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Ford list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB 24-2126 | Service bulletin | Apr 29, 2024 | This article supersedes TSB 24-2093 to address the revised software and include affected 3.5L FHEV vehicles. Some 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles e… |
| TSB 24-2117 | Service bulletin | Apr 24, 2024 | Some 2024 F-150 non-Lightning vehicles equipped with minor feature codes C2BAW and FDDAA may exhibit an intermittent Trailer Brake System Fa… |
| TSB 24-2116 | Service bulletin | Apr 24, 2024 | Some 2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.5L PowerBoost engine may exhibit a Trailer Brake System Fault See Manual message in the instrumen… |
| SSM 52476 | Service bulletin | Apr 24, 2024 | All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory install… |
| 24U04 | Service bulletin | Apr 19, 2024 | Certain 2024 Model Year F-150, F-150 Lightning, F-150 Raptor, 2024 Ranger, 2024 Ranger Raptor Enhanced Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) |
| SSM 52370 | Service bulletin | Mar 19, 2024 | Some 2023-2024 F-150 and 2024 Bronco/Transit vehicles may exhibit Apple Carplay Bluetooth connectivity concerns. This may be due to the acce… |
| OTAPU10246CHAUDF | Service bulletin | Mar 15, 2024 | Quality Improvements include: - Fix the infrequent random audio noises issue and improve the audio quality of the vehicle. |
| OTAPU102410CHAUF | Service bulletin | Mar 13, 2024 | Quality Improvements include: - Fix the no audio out of random speakers issue. |
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 51723 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 51723 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 51723 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2021 Ford F-150. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone. The document itself sets the build window: 2021 F-150: built 22 Jul 2021 – 9 Nov 2021 — the build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb.