Ford bulletin TSB 25-2568
What it saysThis article supersedes TSB 25-2373 to update a print error on publication. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jan 7, 2026, received Jan 13, 2026, about the suspension. It names 4 model years across Ford and Lincoln (2020–2021). 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 the document itself states it — the build window in the manufacturer’s own words, read by machine from the PDF NHTSA serves. The build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb; the dealer settles a borderline vehicle by its VIN.
This article supersedes TSB 25-2373 to update a print error on publication. Some vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) C00A6 and/or C0631. This may be due to the front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate shaft.
Trouble codes it names: C00A6 C0631
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSB 25-2568 | Service bulletin | Jan 7, 2026 | 11027608 | PDF, 211 KB |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| LB5Z-3B477-A | Wheel Hub Nut | — | eBay Motors → |
| W715932-S439 | Lower Strut-to-wheel Knuckle Bolt | — | eBay Motors → |
| W520517-S440 | Lower Strut-to-wheel Knuckle Nut | — | eBay Motors → |
| W719506-S440 | — | — | |
| W717521-S440 | Engine Mount Nut | — | eBay Motors → |
| W719326-S439 | Engine Mount Bolt | — | eBay Motors → |
| N1MZ-3A329-A | Intermediate Shaft | — | eBay Motors → |
| N1MZ-3A427-F | Halfshaft | — | eBay Motors → |
| L1MZ-4382-C | Engine Mount Bolt | — | eBay Motors → |
| W720050-S440 | Control Arm Nut (Aviator) | — | eBay Motors → |
| W719503-S439 | Control Arm Bolt (Aviator) | — | eBay Motors → |
| W711310-S440 | Control Arm Nut (Aviator) | — | eBay Motors → |
| W520216-S440 | Control Arm Nut (Aviator) | — | eBay Motors → |
| N1MZ-3B476-A | Front Axle Assembly Breather Hose | — | eBay Motors → |
| W712961-S439 | Steering Shaft Bolt (3.0L) | — | eBay Motors → |
| W716979-S439 | Rear Subframe Bolt (3.0L) | — | eBay Motors → |
| W719413-S439 | Subframe Bolts Mid/Front (3.0L) | — | eBay Motors → |
| 1X4Z-9E936-AA | Throttle Body Gasket (3.0L) | — | eBay Motors → |
| XY-75W140-QL | Motorcraft® SAE 75W-140 Synthetic | — | eBay Motors → |
| CXY-75W140-1L | Motorcraft® SAE 75W-140 Synthetic | — | eBay Motors → |
| 3U2Z-14A088-AB | Motorcraft® Wire Splice Kit | — | eBay Motors → |
| L1MZ-6758-A | Tube Assembly (3.0L) | — | eBay Motors → |
| 5L7Z-7D285-A | Transmission Fluid Cooler Tube | — | eBay Motors → |
| 5L7Z-7J324-A | Fluid Cooler Tube Backing Rings | — | eBay Motors → |
| W715131-S442 | Cooler Tube Bolt (10R80 Only) | — | eBay Motors → |
Labour operations and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 252568A | 2020-2021 Explorer 4WD 2.3L EcoBoost: Retrieve DTCs And Install Intermediate Shaft… | 2 hrs |
| 252568B | 2020-2021 Explorer 4WD 3.3L TiVCT, 3.3L Hybrid: Retrieve DTCs And Install… | 2.6 hrs |
| 252568C | 2020-2021 Explorer 4WD 3.0L EcoBoost: Retrieve DTCs And Install Intermediate Shaft… | 7.2 hrs |
| 252568D | 2020-2021 Aviator AWD 3.0L EcoBoost 3.0L PHEV: Retrieve DTCs And Install… | 7.8 hrs |
| 252568E | Additional Time To Check And Correct Caster/Camber And Front Toe (Can Be Claimed… | 1.1 hrs |
| 252568F | Additional Time To Check And Correct Caster/Camber And Front Toe For Vehicles With… | 1.3 hrs |
| 252568G | 2020-2021 Explorer 4WD 3.0L 10R80 Only: Additional Time To Remove/Install… | 0.8 hrs |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (5 pages), read Sep 29, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches Ford’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
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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 2 model years
Lincoln 2 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 4 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,867 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Aviator PHEV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with left and right lower control arm and right knuckle failures.
2021 Lincoln Aviator · Suspension · filed with NHTSA Jun 8, 2026 · ODI 11742793
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 suspension
Source: same model, same component group6 other manufacturer communications filed against these Ford models under the same component group (suspension), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB 25-2568 V2 | Service bulletin | Sep 16, 2026 | This article supersedes TSB 25-2373 to update a print error on publication. Some vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit an… |
| TSB 26-2242 | Service bulletin | May 19, 2026 | This bulletin supersedes 25-2213. Reason for update: update the Service Procedure to add notes to clarify the customer symptoms, applicabili… |
| SSM 54809 | Service bulletin | May 7, 2026 | Some 20242025 Explorer vehicles built on 01-Feb-2024 and through 31-Jul-2024 may exhibit a rattle/clunk/knock noise from the front suspensi… |
| 24N01 S1 | Service bulletin | Oct 15, 2024 | In some of the affected vehicles, the rear axle bolt may fracture. A fractured rear axle bolt will allow the rear axle housing to move out o… |
| SSM 52405 | Service bulletin | Apr 2, 2024 | Some 2023 Explorer vehicles built on 01-Dec-2022 and through 31-Aug-2023 may exhibit a rattle/clunk/knock/pop/thump noise from the front sus… |
| SSM 51640 | Service bulletin | May 12, 2023 | Some 2020-2023 Aviator vehicles equipped with air suspension may require service of a front air spring/strut. Complete front air spring/stru… |
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 TSB 25-2568 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 TSB 25-2568 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 TSB 25-2568 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 4 model years across 2 brands (Ford and Lincoln): 2021 Ford Explorer, 2020 Ford Explorer, 2021 Lincoln Aviator, 2020 Lincoln Aviator. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone. The document itself sets the build window: 2020-2021 Explorer AWD: built on or before 30 Aug 2021; 2020-2021 Aviator AWD: built on or before 30 Aug 2021 — the build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb.