Ford bulletin SSM 54446
What it saysSome 2025-2026 Expedition vehicles may exhibit a left turn signal that activates after the right turn signal is activated and the steering wheel is turned to the right, then immediately back to the left (past the center… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Dec 16, 2025, received Jan 6, 2026, about the steering. It names 2 model years (2025–2026). 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.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2025-2026 Expedition vehicles may exhibit a left turn signal that activates after the right turn signal is activated and the steering wheel is turned to the right, then immediately back to the left (past the center position). The left turn signal will deactivate once the steering wheel returns to center. This may be due to the multifunction switch. Replacing components will not resolve this issue. Inform the customer that Ford is aware of the concern and engineering is currently working on a solution for this condition that is expected to be announced by March 2026. This concern does not affect vehicle durability and the customer can continue to drive the vehicle. Monitor Professional Technician System (PTS) for additional information and schedule a service appointment for the customer once the repair becomes available.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54446 | Service bulletin | Dec 16, 2025 | 11027142 | PDF, 63 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 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 11 of them name Steering — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
The contact owns a 2026 Ford Expedition MAX. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH or higher speeds, the steering wheel shuddered due to a front suspension issue. The contact completed some research online and learned that it was a known failure associated with 2025 - 2026 model years. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
2026 Ford Expedition · Steering · filed with NHTSA Jun 8, 2026
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 the Ford Expedition under the same component group (steering), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| DSM-26.5.7.2 | Over-the-air update | Sep 29, 2026 | Quality improvements include: -Steering column memory calibration update to minimize unnecessary contact with mechanical hard stops |
| TSB 26-2423 | Service bulletin | Sep 23, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2280. Reason for update: To add 2027 vehicle models, update the Parts list to change the tape, and revise Step 4… |
| SSM 54763 | Service bulletin | Apr 22, 2026 | Some 2025-2026 F-Super Duty vehicles built without lane departure warning (built with minor feature code HLEAA) and 2025-2026 Expedition/Nav… |
| SSM 51916 | Service bulletin | Sep 13, 2023 | Some 2022-2023 Expedition Timberline vehicles may experience a clunk noise on turns with the steering wheel turned to full lock. This may be… |
| SSM 51901 | Service bulletin | Aug 30, 2023 | Some 2023 Expedition Timberline vehicles may experience a clunk noise on turns with the steering wheel turned to full lock. This may be due… |
| SSM 51715 | Service bulletin | Jun 14, 2023 | 2022-2023 Expedition Timberline vehicles may exhibit a clunk noise when the steering wheel is turned to the full lock position. This conditi… |
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 54446 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 54446 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 54446 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years: 2026 Ford Expedition, 2025 Ford Expedition. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.