Ford bulletin SSM 54399
What it saysSome 2025 Aviator/Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1110:56 and/or U3000:96 stored in the power steering control module (PSCM) after programming the PSCM… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Nov 25, 2025, received Dec 1, 2025, about the steering. It names 2 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 Aviator/Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1110:56 and/or U3000:96 stored in the power steering control module (PSCM) after programming the PSCM, or may display the following message in Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) when performing PSCM programmable module installation (PMI): <br /><br /> "It has been detected that a Model Year 2025 Steering Gear (R1MC - level) is fitted to this vehicle. It is not possible to run the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) Programmable Module Installation (PMI) application on this Steering Gear. If later software is available, this PSCM can be updated by running the PSCM Software Update application."<br /><br /> This may be due to the calibration in the PSCM. When installing a replacement steering gear, make sure the part number begins with prefix "S1MZ". If DTC U3000:96 previously set after programming the PSCM, continue with normal diagnostics outside this article. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 211-02 > Diagnosis and Testing. Improvements have been made to the diagnostics for this DTC.
Trouble codes it names: C1110 U3000
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54399 | Service bulletin | Nov 25, 2025 | 11025821 | PDF, 69 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 1 model year
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 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
Unpredictable Steering and Potential Loss of Vehicle Control My 2025 Lincoln Aviator is experiencing a serious and ongoing steering malfunction that makes it extremely difficult to maintain control of the vehicle.
2025 Lincoln Aviator · Steering · filed with NHTSA Oct 15, 2026 · ODI 11771282
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 steering
Source: same model, same component group6 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (steering), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55172 | Service bulletin | Sep 15, 2026 | Some 2025 Aviator/Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may exhibit a "Steering Assist Fault Service Required" message and diagnostic… |
| TSB 26-2302 | Service bulletin | Jun 30, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2150. Reason for update: To remove the M6 nut from the part list and remove the Steps to install the M6 nut from… |
| TSB 26-2035 | Service bulletin | Feb 5, 2026 | This TSB supersedes TSB 25-2350 to update the Service Procedure, vehicles affected, and parts list. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model… |
| TSB 25-2580 | Service bulletin | Dec 8, 2025 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit steering column shrouds that are misaligned or pushed out. This may be… |
| TSB 25-2350 | Service bulletin | Jul 25, 2025 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: * "Steering Assist Fault Service Requi… |
| TSB 25-2213 | Service bulletin | May 21, 2025 | This article supersedes TSB 25-2121 to update the affected production build dates. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above… |
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 54399 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 54399 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 54399 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years across 2 brands (Ford and Lincoln): 2025 Ford Explorer, 2025 Lincoln Aviator. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.