Ford bulletin SSM 54820
What it saysSome 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U023A:08 in the steering column control module (SCCM) after reprogramming the SCCM with no customer symptoms present. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 13, 2026, received May 18, 2026, about the steering. It names 3 model years (2021–2023). 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.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U023A:08 in the steering column control module (SCCM) after reprogramming the SCCM with no customer symptoms present. If the vehicles automatic high beam operation is fully functional, this DTC does not affect vehicle operation, and no additional diagnosis or service is required for this condition. Replacement or reprogramming of the SCCM or image processing module A (IPMA) will not resolve this condition. To validate that the automatic high beam system is fully operational, cover the light sensor located in the middle of the dashboard to activate the automatic low beam headlamps. Push the steering wheel multifunction switch forward to cycle through both high beam settings which will be represented in the instrument cluster panel (IPC) as a white telltale (automatic mode - the high beams will not turn on while testing) and a blue telltale (manual mode - the high beams will turn on). If any of the telltales did not illuminate when the steering wheel multifunction switch is pressed forward, refer to the Workshop Manual (WSM)
Trouble codes it names: U023A
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54820 | Service bulletin | May 13, 2026 | 11032754 | PDF, 66 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 themA 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 3 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,642 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
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 steering
Source: same model, same component group3 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford F-150 under the same component group (steering), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCCM-24.AA.AC | Over-the-air update | Feb 25, 2026 | "Quality improvements include: -Addresses battery usage caused by the Steering Column Control Module keeping the Controller Area Network bus… |
| SU6 P2 F150 | Service bulletin | Oct 26, 2023 | Software Update SU6 P2 for 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles is now available. Quality Improvements include: -Robustness actions to improve steerin… |
| SSM 51894 | Service bulletin | Aug 28, 2023 | Some 2021 F-150 vehicles may exhibit a lack of steering assist upon start-up along with a Steering Assist Fault message in the instrument pa… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Ford, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford SSM 54820 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 54820 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 54820 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2023 Ford F-150, 2022 Ford F-150, 2021 Ford F-150. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.