Ford bulletin SSM 54515
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a manufacturer communication dated Jan 22, 2026, received Jan 27, 2026, about the power train. It names 21 model years (2023–2025). A manufacturer communication 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 communication2023-2024 F-Super Duty/F-53 Motorhome Chassis/F-59 Commercial Stripped Chassis and 2023-2025 F-650/F-750/E-Series vehicles equipped with a Dana rear axle and built on or after 01-Jul-2022 may have orange/red RTV sealant used as the gasket on the differential housing cover. This does not indicate any previous repairs as it is used by Dana during assembly.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54515 | Other | Jan 22, 2026 | 11027826 | not yet checked |
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 themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2023 Ford F-53; 2024 Ford F-53; 2023 Ford F-550 SD; 2024 Ford F-550 SD; 2023 Ford F-59; 2024 Ford F-59; 2023 Ford F-650 SD; 2024 Ford F-650 SD; 2025 Ford F-650 SD; 2023 Ford F-750 SD; 2024 Ford F-750 SD; 2025 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 54515 a recall?
No. A manufacturer communication 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 54515 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 54515 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 21 model years: 2025 Ford E-Series, 2024 Ford E-Series, 2023 Ford E-Series, 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2023 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2024 Ford F-350 Super Duty and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.