TSB: FORD EXPEDITION, F-150, NAVIGATOR (2013–2018)

Bulletin TSB-20-2028 — February 12, 2020

Bulletin Details

Bulletin IDTSB-20-2028
ManufacturerFORD
ModelsEXPEDITION, F-150, NAVIGATOR
Model Years2013–2018
Date IssuedFebruary 12, 2020
Date Added to NHTSAMarch 3, 2020
ComponentSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
Vehicles Affected36 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

Some 2013-2018 F-150/Expedition/Navigator vehicles equipped with 4-wheel drive (4WD) may exhibit an intermittent grinding noise while driving in 2-wheel drive (2WD) mode most commonly on acceleration. This may be due to a loss of vacuum to

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
FORD EXPEDITION 2018 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD EXPEDITION 2018 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2018 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2018 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2018 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2018 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2017 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD EXPEDITION 2017 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2017 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2017 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2017 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2017 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2016 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2016 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2016 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2016 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2016 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2016 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD EXPEDITION 2015 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD EXPEDITION 2015 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2015 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2015 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2015 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2015 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2014 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD EXPEDITION 2014 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD F-150 2014 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2014 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2014 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2014 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2013 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
FORD EXPEDITION 2013 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2013 350000 EQUIPMENT
FORD F-150 2013 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2013 350000 EQUIPMENT
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 2013 033100 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

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What Should You Do?

If your vehicle is affected by this TSB, contact your authorized FORD dealer. Bring this bulletin ID (TSB-20-2028) 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.