Ford bulletin SSM 54738
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Apr 13, 2026, received Apr 14, 2026, about the engine. It names 18 model years (2023–2025). 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 communicationSome 2023-2025 Escape 1.5L/F-Super Duty/Transit vehicles may exhibit a lack of cooling from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which may be accompanied by abnormal rattling, grinding and/or squealing noises from the engine compartment. This may be due to damage to the air conditioning (A/C) compressor internal components and/or clutch assembly. Confirm ambient air temperature is above approximately 0°C (32.0°F). On the HVAC controls, set the temperature to full cold (not MAX A/C), select PANEL, set the fan speed to the highest setting and select the A/C button (indicator on). If the A/C compressor clutch engages and the A/C compressor is noisy, and/or the belt is slipping on the A/C compressor pulley or the A/C compressor is seized, install a new A/C compressor as indicated in Section 412-00 of the Workshop Manual (WSM). For claiming, use causal part 19703 and labor operation MT19700SSM up to 0.3 hours to check for a damaged compressor. If the compressor requires replacement, claim labor operations 19700A and 19700A4. Also claim available Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) op
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54738 | Service bulletin | Apr 13, 2026 | 11031302 | 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-550 SD; 2024 Ford F-550 SD; 2025 Ford F-550 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 54738 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 54738 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 54738 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 18 model years: 2025 Ford Escape, 2024 Ford Escape, 2023 Ford Escape, 2025 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2023 Ford F-250 Super Duty and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.