C0051
0 owner reports and 86 manufacturer filings across 25 model years from Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln and others.
Where C0051 shows up
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Buick Encore | Steering | 7 | — |
| 2020 Buick Encore | Steering | 7 | — |
| 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer | Steering | 7 | — |
| 2021 Ford E-Series | Electrical System | 6 | — |
| 2020 Ford Escape | Service Brakes, Air | 6 | — |
| 2020 Lincoln Corsair | Electrical System | 6 | — |
| 2022 Ford E-Series | Electrical System | 4 | — |
| 2021 Ford Escape | Electronic Stability Control | 4 | — |
| 2021 Lincoln Corsair | Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | — |
| 2022 Buick Encore | Steering | 3 | — |
| 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer | Steering | 3 | — |
| 2022 Ford Bronco Sport | Electrical System | 3 | — |
| 2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | — |
| 2022 Ford Escape | Electrical System | 3 | — |
| 2022 Ford Maverick | Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | — |
| 2022 Lincoln Corsair | Electrical System | 3 | — |
| 2017 Mazda CX-5 | Steering | 3 | — |
| 2016 Mazda CX-5 | Wheels | 3 | — |
| 2018 Mazda CX-5 | Tires | 2 | — |
| 2024 Ram 1500 | Steering | 1 | — |
| 2023 Ram 1500 | Steering | 1 | — |
| 2024 Ram 2500 | Steering | 1 | — |
| 2023 Ram 2500 | Steering | 1 | — |
| 2024 Ram 3500 | Steering | 1 | — |
| 2023 Ram 3500 | Steering | 1 | — |
A model year appears here because the code is named in its record, not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are mentions in the federal files, not failure rates — nobody publishes the denominator.
What it gets filed under
Manufacturer filings that name it
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsService bulletins and campaigns whose filed summary names C0051. Quoting the document number at a service desk is often the fastest route to a diagnosis someone has already written down.
- 91004872025-01-15 · Steering
- MODULE Steering Control Before replacing the steering column control module (SCCM) due to turn signal inop, wipers inop, steering controls inop, TCS light DTC C0051 or horn blowing while turning, please follow these steps: 1.- Refer to service library procedure and follow diagnosis steps. 2.- If failure still present, make sure all the switches', horn's, airbag's harness are properly connected and
- SSM 514372023-03-14 · Vehicle Speed Control — Cruise Control
- Some 2020-2022 Escape/Corsair, 2021-2022 Bronco Sport, 2022 Maverick vehicles built on or before 23-Mar-2022 may exhibit driver assistance warning messages displayed in the instrument panel cluster (IPC): Pre-collision Assist Not Available, Cruise Control Not Available, Collision Warning Malfunction and/or Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunction. Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U0415:00 may also be stor
- SSM 512852023-01-06 · Forward Collision Avoidance — Adaptive Cruise Control
- Some 2020-2022 Escape/Corsair, 2021-2022 Bronco Sport, 2022 Maverick vehicles may exhibit any of the following driver assistance warning messages displayed in the instrument panel cluster (IPC): Pre-collision Assist Not Available, Cruise Control Not Available, Collision Warning Malfunction and/or Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunction. Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U0415:00 may also be stored in the
- SSM 512102022-11-17 · Electrical System
- Some 2020-2022 F53 Motorhome built on or before 06-Oct-2022 and 2021-2022 E-Series vehicles built on or before 09-Mar-2021 may exhibit a Service AdvanceTrac and Pre-Collision Assist Not Available message in the cluster with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C0051 stored in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module. Cruise control may also be inoperative. To correct the condition, reprogram the ABS modul
- SSM 511112022-09-30 · Service Brakes, Air — Antilock — Control Unit/Module
- Some 2020-2022 F53 Motorhome built on or before 06-Oct-2022 and 2021-2022 E-Series vehicles built on or before 09-Mar-2021 may exhibit a Service AdvanceTrac and Pre-Collision Assist Not Available message in the cluster with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C0051 stored in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) module. Cruise control may also be inoperative. To correct the condition, reprogram the ABS modul
- 21-NA-1772022-07-25 · Steering
- This service bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of Service Power Steering DIC Message, DTC C0051 58 - Steering Wheel Angle Sensor Error Set.
What C0051 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIC0051 sits in the generic range of the OBD-II standard, so it means the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States — but WhichTrim does not carry a definition for it and will not invent one. What is on this page is the record: who named it and on what.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. It is the starting point of a diagnosis, not its conclusion — the same code has several possible causes and the cheap one is not always right.
Common questions about C0051
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardCan I keep driving with C0051 stored?
Nobody can answer that from the code alone, and a site that does is guessing. A steady light generally means the fault was logged and the vehicle is in a reduced-risk mode; a flashing light means stop soon, because a misfiring engine can destroy a catalytic converter in minutes. The safe read of this page is the mileage and the components, not permission.
Does a code mean the car is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN, and none of them are triggered by a scan tool. If you want to know whether an open recall applies to one specific vehicle, check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — that is the only source that settles it.
Why do the counts here differ from other sites?
Because these are not estimates. Every number on this page is a count of documents in NHTSA's own files: manufacturer communications that name the code in their filed summary, and owner complaints that name it in the narrative. We do not model, weight or extrapolate them.
Will clearing the code fix it?
Clearing turns the light off and erases the freeze-frame data a technician would have used to work out what happened. If the condition is still there the code returns, usually within a few drive cycles, and the diagnosis now starts from less information than before.