Ford bulletin SSM 55008
What it saysSome 2021-2026 Ford vehicles may exhibit inoperative heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel and/or front/rear defrost features after a remote start is performed through the Ford mobile application or with the key… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 14, 2026, received Jul 20, 2026, about the seats. It names 19 model years (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.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome 2021-2026 Ford vehicles may exhibit inoperative heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel and/or front/rear defrost features after a remote start is performed through the Ford mobile application or with the key fob. Customers may also experience heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel and/or front/rear defrost features turning on in unexpected conditions such as during warmer weather. These features will operate normally when commanded in the center display screen. This may be due to the customer not setting up their "Climate Settings" through the Ford mobile application. To correct this condition, inform the customer they should perform a remote start from the Ford mobile application and then adjust the "Climate Settings" in the Ford mobile application as desired. These settings only need to be set once and will persist through subsequent remote starts. Heated and cooled seats will be set to Level 2 when turned ON via "Climate Settings" in the Ford mobile application during a remote start event. This is normal operating characteristic. This condition does not affect vehicle durability and no a
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55008 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2026 | 11035100 | PDF, 67 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 19 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,550 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 853 of them name Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper — 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 2022 Ford F-150, the 26 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 20,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach E. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V711000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E · Visibility/Wiper · filed with NHTSA Apr 5, 2022 · ODI 11459714
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, a MIL warning illuminated, with the message “Immediate Loss of Power” displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle shut off and the battery was drained. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped and independently shifted to park(P).
2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Dec 5, 2023 · ODI 11558645
After charging for the first time at a DC fast charge station to 80%, I resumed my trip and drove about 3 miles to merge onto the expressway, my screen panel said "safely stop now", with a turtle logo and battery icon coming on. my car then came to a complete stop within a few seconds in the middle of the on-ramp leaving me stranded.
2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jun 6, 2023 · ODI 11525550
In depth: 2024 Ford F-150 electrical problems → · 2023 Ford F-150 electrical problems → · 2022 Ford F-150 electrical problems → · 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E electrical 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 seats
Source: same model, same component group7 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (seats), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 55100 | Service bulletin | Aug 22, 2026 | For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service p… |
| 25B40 | Other | Aug 12, 2025 | Certain 2025 Model Year F-150 Platinum Plus Trim Level Rear Righthand Seat Backrest Cover Replacement |
| SSM 52398 | Service bulletin | Mar 28, 2024 | Some 2024 Mustang vehicles may exhibit a ticking noise coming from the front seats when the heated and cooled seat feature is in use. This m… |
| TSB 24-2053 | Service bulletin | Mar 15, 2024 | This article supersedes TSB 23-2235 to correct the Parts List and update Step 2 of the Service Procedure. Some 2019-2021 Transit vehicles bu… |
| TSB 23-2235 | Service bulletin | Oct 3, 2023 | This article supersedes TSB 22-2263 to update the Title, Issue, Action, Service Procedure, and Part List. Some 2019-2021 Transit vehicles bu… |
| 23U07 | Service bulletin | Sep 30, 2023 | Certain 2024 Model Year Mustang Vehicles Equipped with Front Recaro Seats - Mismatched Front Recaro Seats Inspection/Replacement |
| SSM 51711 | Service bulletin | Jun 14, 2023 | Some 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles may exhibit a condition where the front passenger OCS (occupant classification system) components… |
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 55008 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 55008 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 55008 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 19 model years: 2026 Ford Bronco Sport, 2025 Ford Bronco Sport, 2026 Ford F-150, 2025 Ford F-150, 2024 Ford F-150, 2023 Ford F-150 and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.