Ford bulletin SSM 54825
What it saysSome 2023-2026 Escape vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0767, P0766 and/or P2703 stored in the powertrain… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 15, 2026, received May 19, 2026, about the power train. It names 4 model years (2023–2026). 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.
Get the next Ford Escape bulletin by email Weekly, only when something new is filed. Nothing else; one-click unsubscribe.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2023-2026 Escape vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0767, P0766 and/or P2703 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) and harsh/no reverse engagement. This may be due to the selectable one-way clutch (SOWC). To correct the condition, remove the transmission. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM) > Section 307-01. Disassemble the transmission only far enough to access the SOWC. Refer to WSM, Section 307-01 > Overhaul and perform Steps 34-66. Remove the SOWC assembly, disassemble the A-clutch and discard the SOWC. Refer to WSM, Section 307-01 > Overhaul and perform Steps 164-170. Assemble the new SOWC with the A-clutch components. Refer to WSM, Section 307-01 > Overhaul and perform Steps 173-179. The A-clutch seals can be reused unless damaged. Install the new SOWC and reverse the procedure to reassemble the transmission. Overhaul the main control valve body. Refer to WSM, Section 307-01 > Overhaul > Main Control Valve Body. Replace the torque converter seal. Refer to WSM, Section 307-01
Trouble codes it names: P0766 P0767 P2703
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54825 | Service bulletin | May 15, 2026 | 11032758 | PDF, 74 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.
Email me new Ford bulletins for the Escape
A weekly email, sent only in a week when Ford files something new with NHTSA for the model you pick — service bulletins, campaigns, warranty extensions, over-the-air notices, every model year. Nothing else is sent; one-click unsubscribe in every message. Separate from recall alerts.
What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 4 model years this bulletin names have filed 253 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 26 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.
a 2023 Ford Escape. while driving at approximately 76 MPH, I observed a warning chime dinging, the power train warning light illuminated, and the low engine coolant message was displayed. I received a notification via the Ford Pass APP stating that "There was a failure with the vehicle and to see the dealer'.
2023 Ford Escape · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jul 7, 2024
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 group39 other manufacturer communications filed against the Ford Escape 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55142 | Service bulletin | Sep 1, 2026 | Some 2023-2025 Escape vehicles built on or before 16-Sep-2024 equipped with 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an "Engine Coolant Over-Tempera… |
| TSB 26-2328 | Service bulletin | Jul 15, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 26-2194. Reason for update: update the Parts list to correct a part description " Loctite 638", update the claim qu… |
| SSM 54939 | Service bulletin | Jun 16, 2026 | Some 2020-2026 Corsair/Escape, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission may exhibit a shud… |
| TSB 26-2210 | Service bulletin | May 28, 2026 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: * Engine misfire condition * Illuminat… |
| SSM 54797 | Service bulletin | May 4, 2026 | Some 2020-2026 Corsair/Escape, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission may exhibit a shud… |
| TSB 26-2194 | Service bulletin | Apr 26, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 25-2627. Reason for update: To add a Step to reprogram the all-wheel drive (AWD) module for Bronco Sport vehicles.… |
| SSM 54595 | Service bulletin | Feb 19, 2026 | Some 2025 Maverick/Corsair and 2025-2026 Escape/Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission and built on 01-Sep-2024 and throug… |
| SSM 54593 | Service bulletin | Feb 17, 2026 | 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, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford SSM 54825 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 54825 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 54825 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 4 model years: 2026 Ford Escape, 2025 Ford Escape, 2024 Ford Escape, 2023 Ford Escape. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.