Lincoln bulletin SSM 54116
Lincoln filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 7, 2025, received Aug 12, 2025, about the electrical system. It names 18 model years (2019–2024). 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 communicationVarious 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black center display screen at start-up using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This does not affect rear camera operation. This may be due to interference from the phone being connected into the media hub using a universal serial bus (USB) cable during SYNC system boot up. To correct his condition, advise the customer to disconnect the USB cable from the phone. If the center display screen displays normally, reconnect the phone. If the concern persists, disconnect the phone from the USB cable, cycle the ignition off and open the driver's door so the interior lights come on. Close the door, start the vehicle and wait for the center display screen to boot up past the start-up animation and display the home screen, then reconnect the phone using the USB cable. If the concern persists after this procedure, follow normal Workshop Manual diagnostics for a blank screen concern.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54116 | Service bulletin | Aug 7, 2025 | 11021803 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. 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. Quote it 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: 2019 Lincoln MKX; 2020 Lincoln MKX.
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 Lincoln SSM 54116 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 54116 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 54116 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 18 model years: 2024 Lincoln Aviator, 2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2022 Lincoln Aviator, 2021 Lincoln Aviator, 2020 Lincoln Aviator, 2020 Lincoln Continental and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.