Ford bulletin SSM 54674
What it saysFor 2021-2026 vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test has been introduced in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Mar 19, 2026, received Apr 6, 2026, about the power train. It names 36 model years across Ford and Lincoln (2021–2026). 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.
For 2021-2026 vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test has been introduced in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS). This test utilizes the pressure and vacuum transducer (PVT) when available. The Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated under Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing to include this procedure. The new test improves the accuracy of detecting leaks within transmission fluid circuits and replaces the previous air check method.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54674 | Service bulletin | Mar 19, 2026 | 11030791 | 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 32 model years
Lincoln 4 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 36 model years this bulletin names have filed 5,198 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 1,479 of them name Power Train — 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 2021 Ford F-150, the 88 owners who gave an odometer reading for Power Train reported it at a median of 58,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
A Police Officer's Ford Explorer Interceptor Hybrid SUV while driving had a vehicle malfunction where the rear wheels began to wobble/vibrate and while driving in a straight line with front wheels facing straight caused the vehicle to fishtail out of the control (loss of control to the rear wheels) and slam into a tree at approximately…
2021 Ford Explorer · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Nov 20, 2023 · ODI 11556088
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 40 MPH, and the vehicle then shifted into 4WD-Low independently. As a result of the failure, the vehicle dramatically decelerated and skidded to a complete stop. The 4WD warning light was illuminated.
2023 Ford Ranger · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Mar 28, 2025 · ODI 11651300
Passenger side rear axle retention bolt sheared off. Discovered during routine maintenance / tire rotation. Unknown how safety was at risk -- dealer told me once discovered that the vehicle would be repaired under warranty, and they could do in 24 hours, so no discussion about unsafe to drive as others have reported they were told.
2022 Ford F-150 · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Nov 20, 2022 · ODI 11494333
In depth: 2021 Ford Expedition transmission and drivetrain problems → · 2022 Ford Explorer transmission and drivetrain problems → · 2021 Ford Explorer transmission and drivetrain problems → · 2024 Ford F-150 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 power train
Source: same model, same component group197 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (power train), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Ford list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB 26-2436 | Service bulletin | Oct 30, 2026 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may have diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P05B0 stored in the powertrain control modul… |
| TSB 26-2448 | Service bulletin | Oct 27, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 25-2236. Reason for update: To consolidate prior articles and revise the Service Procedure to add an AAD blade limi… |
| TSB 26-2408 v2 | Service bulletin | Oct 22, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2309. Reason for update: update the Model section to remove Aviator 10R80, update theParts list to add 3.3L to W… |
| TSB 26-2431 | Service bulletin | Oct 21, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2226. Reason For Update: update the Service Procedure for 2021-2022 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost vehicles with the new Fo… |
| SSM 55257 | Service bulletin | Oct 19, 2026 | Some 2024 Ranger vehicles equipped with a rotary selectable drive mode control may exhibit a condition where the Drive Mode will change unco… |
| TSB 26-2408 | Service bulletin | Sep 22, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2309. Reason For Update: update the Model section to remove Aviator 10R80, update the Parts list to add 3.3L to… |
| 26E03 | Emissions | Sep 17, 2026 | Certain 2026 Model Year F-150 Raptor Vehicles With 3.5L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Software Update |
| TSB 26-2395 | Service bulletin | Aug 26, 2026 | This article supersedes 26-2287. Reason for update: update the labor operation numbers to add MT to operations C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M, an… |
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 54674 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 54674 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 54674 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 36 model years across 2 brands (Ford and Lincoln): 2026 Ford Expedition, 2025 Ford Expedition, 2024 Ford Expedition, 2023 Ford Expedition, 2022 Ford Expedition, 2021 Ford Expedition and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.