Service bulletin SSM 46296

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

The communication, as NHTSA indexes it (as of 2026-10-19)
Type	Service bulletin
NHTSA id	10095159
Published by NHTSA	2017-03-15
Manufacturer's number	SSM 46296
Manufacturer's date	2017-01-10
NHTSA component	SERVICE BRAKES

NHTSA's summary

SOME 2016-2017 FOCUS AND C-MAX VEHICLES BUILT ON OR AFTER 1-AUG-2016 MAY EXHIBIT A GROWL OR RUBBING NOISE FROM THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AFTER PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION HAS BEEN PERFORMED TO REMOVE THE BRAKE ROTOR COVERS. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE BRAKE CALIPER SPRING BECOMING DISLODGED AND RUBBING THE WHEEL. THE BRAKE ROTOR COVER REMOVAL PROCESS ON PTS PDI TAB STATES TOOLS ARE NOT TO BE USED WHEN TEARING/REMOVING THE ROTOR COVERS WHICH COULD DAMAGE THE WHEEL OR DISLODGE BRAKE COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION, TURN EACH TIRE/WHEEL BY HAND AFTER THE ROTOR COVER REMOVAL TO VERIFY THERE IS NO CONTACT/RUBBING BETWEEN THE BRAKE CALIPER COMPONENTS AND WHEELS. UNDER THE PTS PDI TAB AT TOP OF PAGE CLICK ON THE LINK BRAKE ROTOR COVER REMOVAL PROCESS, PAGES 6 AND 8 HAVE VIDEO LINKS TO SHOW THE PROPER STEPS USING YOUR FINGERS ONLY, NO TOOLS.

The document

No address for NHTSA's copy can be built for this communication. Ask the dealer for it by the manufacturer's number.

Components

Brakes

Vehicles listed
FORD C-MAX	2016, 2017
FORD FOCUS	2016, 2017

Listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned: the document says which.

Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component
SSM 47688	2019-01-07. Service bulletin. 2016-2018 Focus RS vehicles with 2.3L EcoBoost engine, may experience a momentary soft or long brake pedal in cold/wet/damp weather after extended driving conditions. Reprogram the ABS module using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part 2C219 and applicable labor operations in Section 02 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.
SSM 46053	2017-08-01. Service bulletin. Some 2017 Focus and C-Max vehicles built on or after 8/1/2016 may exhibit a growl or rubbing noise from the wheel assembly after pre-delivery inspection has been performed to remove the brake rotor covers. This may be due to the brake caliper spring becoming dislodged and rubbing the wheel. The Brake Rotor Cover Removal Process on PTS states tools are not to be used when tearing/removing the rotor covers which could damage the wheel or dislodge brake components. In addition, turn each tire/wheel by hand after the rotor cover removal to verify there is no contact/rubbing between the brake caliper components and wheels.
SSM 46322	2017-03-15. Service bulletin. SOME 2015-2016 FOCUS VEHICLES IF EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE START AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE 17-OCT-2016 MAY EXHIBIT VEHICLE STALL WITH A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC)P1594. THIS MAY BE DUE TO WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPORTING MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE STOPPED. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, UPDATE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) TO THE LATEST CALIBRATION LEVEL USING INTEGRATED DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE (IDS) VERSION 103.03 OR HIGHER. REFER TO WORKSHOP MANUAL (WSM) SECTION 419 TO PERFORM THE BCM UPDATING PROCEDURE. MAKE SURE THE IDS IS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET WHEN ENTERING MODULE REPROGRAMMING TO OBTAIN THE LATEST UPDATES. CALIBRATION FILES MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED AT WWW.MOTORCRAFTSERVICE.COM USE CAUSAL PART 14A068 AND APPLICABLE LABOR OPERATIONS IN SECTION 10 OF THE SLTS MANUAL.
SSM 46132	2017-02-10. Service bulletin. SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED. IF THE PARK BRAKE WAS APPLIED WHEN THE VHR WAS GATHERING DATA FROM THE MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS, THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION MESSAGE WILL BE REPORTED AS THE VHR LOOKS FOR ANY WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. RERUN THE VHR WITH THE ENGINE ON AND VEHICLE IN PARK, AND ENSURE THE PARK BRAKE IS DISENGAGED. IF THE SYNC VHR IS STILL REPORTING A CONCERN TO THE CUSTOMERS SYNC OWNERS ACCOUNT, REFER TO THE APPROPRIATE WORKSHOP MANUAL SECTION FOR DIAGNOSIS BY DTC OR SYMPTOM. STARTING IN 2015 NOT ALL SYNC EQUIPPED VEHICLES SUPPORT VHR, REFER TO THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR VHR OPERATION.
SSM 46132	2017-02-07. Service bulletin. SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED. IF THE PARK BRAKE WAS APPLIED WHEN THE VHR WAS GATHERING DATA FROM THE MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS, THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION MESSAGE WILL BE REPORTED AS THE VHR LOOKS FOR ANY WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. RERUN THE VHR WITH THE ENGINE ON AND VEHICLE IN PARK, AND ENSURE THE PARK BRAKE IS DISENGAGED. IF THE SYNC VHR IS STILL REPORTING A CONCERN TO THE CUSTOMERS SYNC OWNERS ACCOUNT, REFER TO THE APPROPRIATE WORKSHOP MANUAL SECTION FOR DIAGNOSIS BY DTC OR SYMPTOM. STARTING IN 2015 NOT ALL SYNC EQUIPPED VEHICLES SUPPORT VHR, REFER TO THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR VHR OPERATION.