Ford bulletin SSM 54615
What it saysSome 2020-2026 Escape and 2021-2026 Corsair vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine may exhibit a fuel door that won't open with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P04CA stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Feb 28, 2026, received Mar 4, 2026, about the fuel/propulsion system. It names 13 model years across Ford and Lincoln (2020–2026). 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.
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 communicationWhat it applies to, as NHTSA’s summary states it — build dates and equipment as the manufacturer filed them. The dealer checks the VIN and the build date on the door jamb; a vehicle outside the window is not covered by this bulletin.
Some 2020-2026 Escape and 2021-2026 Corsair vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine may exhibit a fuel door that won't open with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P04CA stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to an open circuit on circuit SBB05 and/or a damaged splice S133. Before performing the pinpoint test for P04CA in Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 310-00, inspect circuit SBB05 and splice S133 for damage such as an open circuit. Repair as necessary. Refer to Wiring Diagram, Cell 005. If no damage is found, refer to WSM, Section 310-00 for normal diagnostics. For claiming use causal 14290 and labor operations 12650D, 12650D45, and 12650D45WR.
Trouble codes it names: P04CA
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54615 | Service bulletin | Feb 28, 2026 | 11029540 | PDF, 68 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 7 model years
Lincoln 6 model years
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 13 model years this bulletin names have filed 3,219 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 1,228 of them name Power Train, Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System — 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.
On the 2020 Ford Escape, the 78 owners who gave an odometer reading for Power Train reported it at a median of 46,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
I am filing a complaint regarding the outcome of Safety Recall 25SC4 on my vehicle. Following the completion of the recall service at the dealership on 9/11/2026, my vehicle's electric driving range immediately suffered an approximate 25% reduction from the previous week charging capacity. There are no warning lights on the dashboard.
2022 Lincoln Corsair · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 6, 2026 · ODI 11769450
The contact owns a 2023 Lincoln Corsair. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
2023 Lincoln Corsair · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jul 22, 2026 · ODI 11752196
Transmission realized a catastrophic and destructive failure. The vehicle immediately lost power and speed. Scattering debris and transmission fluid on the highway. Causing a safety concern for me and other drivers. Confirmed by a dealer. Inspected by the dealer. I experienced irregular transmission shifts and shuttering at times.
2021 Lincoln Corsair · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Nov 11, 2025 · ODI 11698723
In depth: 2023 Ford Escape electrical problems → · 2022 Ford Escape electrical problems → · 2022 Ford Escape fuel system problems → · 2021 Ford Escape transmission and drivetrain problems →
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 fuel/propulsion system
Source: same model, same component group10 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (fuel/propulsion system), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Ford list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54857 | Service bulletin | May 21, 2026 | 2020-2026 Explorer/Escape/Corsair, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport/Bronco, 2022-2026 Maverick, 2024-2026 Mustang/Ranger/Nautilus vehicles equipped wi… |
| 23B64 | Other | Apr 8, 2026 | Customer Satisfaction Program 23B64 Certain 2020-2024 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Equipped with High Voltage Batteries Battery Energ… |
| SSM 54610 | Service bulletin | Feb 27, 2026 | Some 2025-2026 Escape/Corsair PHEV only vehicles built on 21-Jul-2025 and through 27-Oct-2025 may exhibit an intermittent no crank/no start… |
| SSM 54586 | Service bulletin | Feb 16, 2026 | Some 2025-2026 Escape/Maverick/Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with an 8-inch instrument panel cluster (IPC) display may exhibit a condition… |
| SSM 54312 | Service bulletin | Oct 21, 2025 | Some 2020-2026 Escape and 2021-2026 Corsair PHEV vehicles may require inspection of the high voltage battery due to rust, scratches, curb st… |
| SSM 54290 | Service bulletin | Oct 14, 2025 | Some 2025 Escape/Maverick vehicles equipped with an 8-inch instrument panel cluster (IPC) display may exhibit a condition where the fuel gau… |
| VDM-24.7.5.2 | Over-the-air update | Sep 3, 2025 | Quality improvements include: -Addresses a key off load battery usage caused by the Vehicle Dynamics Module staying awake |
| SSM 54138 | Service bulletin | Aug 14, 2025 | Some 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition/Navigator, Escape/Corsair, Bronco, Explorer, Mustang, Maverick vehicles equipped with a 1.5/2.0/2.3/3.5L Ec… |
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 54615 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 54615 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 54615 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 13 model years across 2 brands (Ford and Lincoln): 2026 Ford Escape, 2025 Ford Escape, 2024 Ford Escape, 2023 Ford Escape, 2022 Ford Escape, 2021 Ford Escape and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.