Ford bulletin SSM 54601
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Feb 24, 2026, received Feb 27, 2026, about the unknown or other. It names 180 model years (2016–2026). 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 communicationFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54601 | Service bulletin | Feb 24, 2026 | 11029052 | 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 themand 118 more model years on this site.
Also filed against model years this site has no page for: 2016 Ford F-53; 2017 Ford F-53; 2018 Ford F-53; 2019 Ford F-53; 2020 Ford F-53; 2021 Ford F-53; 2022 Ford F-53; 2016 Ford F-550 SD; 2017 Ford F-550 SD; 2018 Ford F-550 SD; 2019 Ford F-550 SD; 2020 Ford F-550 SD; 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; 2026 Ford F-550 SD; 2017 Ford F-650 SD; 2018 Ford F-650 SD; 2017 Ford F-750 SD; 2018 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 54601 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 54601 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 54601 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 180 model years: 2026 Ford Bronco, 2025 Ford Bronco, 2024 Ford Bronco, 2023 Ford Bronco, 2022 Ford Bronco, 2021 Ford Bronco and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.