TSB: FORD E-150, E-250, E-350, E-450, EXCURSION, EXPEDITION, EXPLORER, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-53, F-550 SD, MOUNTAINEER, NAVIGATOR (2003–2008)

Bulletin SSM 51909 — September 7, 2023

Bulletin Details

Bulletin IDSSM 51909
ManufacturerFORD
ModelsE-150, E-250, E-350, E-450, EXCURSION, EXPEDITION, EXPLORER, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-53, F-550 SD, MOUNTAINEER, NAVIGATOR
Model Years2003–2008
Date IssuedSeptember 7, 2023
Date Added to NHTSAOctober 3, 2023
ComponentPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Vehicles Affected62 combinations

What is a TSB?

A Technical Service Bulletin is a document issued by the vehicle manufacturer to inform dealership technicians about a known issue and the recommended repair procedure. TSBs are not mandatory recalls — they serve as repair guidance for common problems.

If your vehicle has this issue, bring this bulletin ID to your dealer. If under warranty, the repair should be covered at no cost.

Summary

When performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving MERCON SP, MERCON LV has replaced all versions of MERCON SP and can be used going forward. Mixing MERCON LV and MERCON SP in the same transmission is acceptable. After 30-J

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
FORD E-150 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-250 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-350 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-450 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXPEDITION 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXPLORER 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-53 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2008 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-150 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-250 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-350 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-450 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXPEDITION 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXPLORER 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-53 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2007 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-150 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-250 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-350 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-450 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXPLORER 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-53 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2006 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-150 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-250 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-350 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-450 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXCURSION 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2005 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-150 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-250 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-350 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD E-450 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXCURSION 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2004 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD EXCURSION 2003 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-250 SD 2003 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-350 SD 2003 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-450 SD 2003 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD F-550 SD 2003 103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Related FORD Recalls

CampaignModelYearComponentSummary
ODYSSEY 2026 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:WHEELCHAI... Turtle Top is recalling certain 2026 Terra Transit and Odyssey transit buses....
ESCAPE 2026 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:IN... Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Escape and Lincoln Corsai...
BRONCO 2022 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles. The...
BRONCO 2021 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles. The...
BRONCO 2024 SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco ve...

What Should You Do?

If your vehicle is affected by this TSB, contact your authorized FORD dealer. Bring this bulletin ID (SSM 51909) when you visit. If under warranty, the repair should be free. If your warranty has expired, ask about goodwill coverage — manufacturers sometimes cover TSB-related repairs beyond the warranty period.

Frequently Asked Questions

A recall is a mandatory safety fix — the manufacturer must repair every affected vehicle for free. A TSB is an advisory document that describes a known issue and the recommended fix, but repairs are not required. However, some TSBs eventually lead to recalls if the issue poses a safety risk. TSBs are generally issued for quality or performance problems, while recalls address safety defects.

If your vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty, TSB-related repairs are typically covered at no cost. If your warranty has expired, you can ask the dealer about goodwill or customer assistance programs. Many manufacturers will cover or partially cover repairs for well-known issues, especially if the TSB was issued recently or affects a large number of vehicles.

Check the make, model, and model year listed above against your vehicle. If they match, this bulletin likely applies. However, TSBs may only affect vehicles with specific production dates, VIN ranges, or configurations. Your dealer can confirm by entering your VIN into their service system, which will show all applicable TSBs and recalls.

This data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Manufacturers are required to submit copies of all communications (including TSBs) sent to their dealers to NHTSA. The agency makes this data publicly available as part of its vehicle safety monitoring program.