Ford bulletin SSM 51945
What it says2020-2023 Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may require level III ballistic panels to be replaced due to broken mounting tabs. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 22, 2023, received Oct 6, 2023, about the equipment. It names 4 model years (2020–2023). 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 communication2020-2023 Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may require level III ballistic panels to be replaced due to broken mounting tabs. Level III ballistic panel mounting tab service kits are now available (right LB5Z-78201B68-F and left LB5Z-78201B69-F). Replacement of the level III ballistic panel assembly is not required for this condition. Level IV ballistic panels do not have removable mounting tabs and still require complete panel replacement. Level III vs. level IV ballistic panels can be identified by a large roman numeral label on the panel or by the vehicle window sticker if equipped.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51945 | Service bulletin | Sep 22, 2023 | 10243650 | PDF, 62 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 4 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,047 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 group19 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford Explorer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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… |
| 22M03 S1 | Service bulletin | Apr 12, 2024 | Certain 2017-2020 Model Year Continental and Super Duty, 2018-2020 Navigator, 2020 Aviator, and 2020 Explorer Vehicles Replace Front and/or… |
| 22G07 S1 | Service bulletin | Apr 1, 2024 | Certain 2020-2022 Model Year Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles Equipped with a Low Band Frequency Noise Suppression Kit - Electromagnetic… |
| SSM 52390 | Service bulletin | Mar 26, 2024 | Some 2023-2024 Explorer vehicles built on or after 31-Jul-2023… |
| SSM 52351 | Service bulletin | Mar 13, 2024 | Certain 2023-2024 Explorer vehicle trim levels built on or after 6-Feb-2023 are no longer equipped with the rear heating ventilation and air… |
| TSB 24-2044 | Service bulletin | Feb 22, 2024 | This article supersedes TSB 23-2181 to add 2024 vehicle model year. Some 2020-2024 Explorer/Aviator vehicles may exhibit a lack of audio and… |
| TSB 23-2347 | Service bulletin | Nov 10, 2023 | This article supersedes TSB 23-2279 to update the Service Procedure. Some 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.5L PowerBoost hybrid en… |
| TSB 23-2307 | Service bulletin | Oct 5, 2023 | Some 2019-2020 Edge/F-150/Fusion/Continental/MKZ/Nautilus, 2019-2021 Mustang/Ranger/Transit Connect, 2020-2021 EcoSport/Escape/Expedition/Ex… |
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 51945 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 51945 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 51945 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 4 model years: 2023 Ford Explorer, 2022 Ford Explorer, 2021 Ford Explorer, 2020 Ford Explorer. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.