Ford Explorer 2020–2022 — technical service bulletin
Bulletin SSM 51032 · NHTSA communication 10218605 · issued Aug 18, 2022
Technical service bulletin
communication type
Engine and Engine Cooling
component
2020–2022
model years
6
vehicle entries
Official summary
Some 2020-2022 Explorer/Aviator vehicles may exhibit automatic transmission fluid (ATF) contamination in the engine cooling system due to the transmission cooler. If the cooling system becomes contaminated with ATF, the system must be flushed clear of the contamination after the source of the contamination has been repaired. It is generally not necessary to replace the following components due to ATF contamination in the cooling system: radiator, heater core, de-gas bottle, water pump, auxiliary water pump, coolant control valves, temperature sensors, thermostat, turbocharger, heat exchangers,
Vehicles covered
What a TSB means. Technical service bulletins are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls, and repairs are not automatically free (warranty extensions are an exception worth checking). The full document is available via NHTSA’s vehicle lookup.