Ford bulletin SSM 54338
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Oct 29, 2025, received Nov 4, 2025, about the power train. It names 51 model years (2021–2026). 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.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2021-2025 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 5.0L/5.2L engine, 2021-2025 F-Super Duty/F-53 Motorhome/F59 Commercial Stripped Chassis vehicles equipped with a 6.8L/7.3L engine and 2021-2026 E-Series/F-650/F-750 vehicles equipped with a 7.3L engine may exhibit a rattle/scraping noise upon startup that may remain after the engine is running. This may be due to the starter motor drive gear not retracting after starting. To correct this condition, inspect the starter motor drive gear and shaft. If the starter motor drive gear slides back and forth by hand and/or shows signs of scoring or damage, replace the starter motor following Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-06 Starting System > Removal and Installation > Starter.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54338 | Service bulletin | Oct 29, 2025 | 11024900 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. 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. Quote it at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2021 Ford F-53; 2022 Ford F-53; 2023 Ford F-53; 2024 Ford F-53; 2021 Ford F-550 SD; 2022 Ford F-550 SD; 2023 Ford F-550 SD; 2024 Ford F-550 SD; 2025 Ford F-550 SD; 2021 Ford F-59; 2022 Ford F-59; 2023 Ford F-59; 2024 Ford F-59; 2021 Ford F-650 SD; 2022 Ford F-650 SD; 2023 Ford F-650 SD; 2024 Ford F-650 SD; 2025 Ford F-650 SD; 2026 Ford F-650 SD; 2021 Ford F-750 SD; 2022 Ford F-750 SD; 2023 Ford F-750 SD; 2024 Ford F-750 SD; 2025 Ford F-750 SD; 2026 Ford F-750 SD.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford SSM 54338 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 54338 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 54338 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 51 model years: 2026 Ford E-Series, 2025 Ford E-Series, 2024 Ford E-Series, 2023 Ford E-Series, 2022 Ford E-Series, 2021 Ford E-Series and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.