Ford bulletin SSM 53683
What it saysSome 2025 F-150/Expedition/Navigator/Bronco/Ranger vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U3012:68 stored in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module with a soft brake pedal following vehicle start-up… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Apr 29, 2025, received May 1, 2025. It names 5 model years across Ford and Lincoln (2025). 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.
One page for every brand it was filed under. Each brand’s bulletins: Ford · Lincoln.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2025 F-150/Expedition/Navigator/Bronco/Ranger vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U3012:68 stored in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module with a soft brake pedal following vehicle start-up with various brake system illuminated warning lamps and/or brake-related messages displayed in the instrument panel cluster (IPC). This may be due to a controller area network (CAN) communication concern within the ABS module. Replacement of the ABS module will not resolve this condition. To resolve this condition, place the vehicle in park. Disengage the park brake. Turn the vehicle off. Close all doors and liftgate/tailgate. Allow the vehicle to sit for 5 minutes to allow all vehicle modules to power down. Restart the vehicle. Verify brake functionality and clear any DTCs. Pressing unlock/lock button on the key fob, opening the doors/liftgate/tailgate or keeping the key fob within 30 ft (8 meters) of the vehicle can prevent the modules from powering down completely. Inform customers that they can continue to drive the vehicle and engineering is currently working on a solution for this condition
Trouble codes it names: U3012
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 53683 | Service bulletin | Apr 29, 2025 | 11017397 | PDF, 70 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 themFord 4 model years
Lincoln 1 model year
A 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 5 model years this bulletin names have filed 267 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.
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Ford and Lincoln, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford SSM 53683 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 53683 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 53683 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 5 model years across 2 brands (Ford and Lincoln): 2025 Ford Bronco, 2025 Ford Expedition, 2025 Ford F-150, 2025 Ford Ranger, 2025 Lincoln Navigator. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.