David J. Johnson
Director
Service Engineering Operations
Ford Customer Service Division

Ford Motor Company
P. O. Box 1904
Dearborn, Michigan 48121

August 21, 2018
TO:

All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers

SUBJECT:

Customer Satisfaction Program 18B20
Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Livery Vehicles
Seat Back Bolster Replacement

PROGRAM TERMS
This program will be in effect through August 31, 2019. There is no mileage limit for this
program.
URGENCY / EXPIRATION DATE
This Customer Satisfaction Program has an expiration date of August 31, 2019 to encourage
dealers and customers to have this service performed as soon as possible.
We recommend dealers utilize their FSA VIN Lists name and address available by September
19, 2018 to contact customers with affected vehicles. This will help minimize the number of
vehicles that may have cracked seat back bolsters, which may require a more extensive repair.
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Vehicle

Model Year

Assembly Plant

Build Dates

Continental Livery

2017-2018

Flat Rock

August 1, 2016 through February 21, 2018

Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS and FSA VIN Lists.
REASON FOR THIS PROGRAM
In some of the affected vehicles, the front driver or passenger seat back bolster may crack,
resulting in a loose outboard bolster and/or a gap between the foam trim and surrounding
plastic.
SERVICE ACTION
Dealers are to replace both the driver and passenger front seat back bolsters. This service
must be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the vehicle owner.
OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE
Owner letters are expected to be mailed the week of September 3, 2018. Dealers should repair
any affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received
a letter.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I:
Administrative Information
Attachment II:
Labor Allowances and Parts Ordering Information
Attachment III:
Technical Information
Owner Notification Letter

 Copyright 2018 Ford Motor Company

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
For questions and assistance, contact the Special Service Support Center (SSSC) via the
SSSC Web Contact Site. The SSSC Web Contact Site can be accessed through the
Professional Technician Society (PTS) website using the SSSC link listed at the bottom of the
OASIS VIN report screen or listed under the SSSC tab.
Sincerely,

David J. Johnson

 Copyright 2018 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT I
Page 1 of 2
Customer Satisfaction Program 18B20
Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Livery Vehicles
Seat Back Bolster Replacement
OASIS ACTIVATION
OASIS will be activated on August 21, 2018.
FSA VIN LISTS ACTIVATION
FSA VIN Lists will be available through https://web.fsavinlists.dealerconnection.com on
September 21, 2018. Owner names and addresses will be available by September 19, 2018.
NOTE: Your FSA VIN Lists may contain owner names and addresses obtained from motor
vehicle registration records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose
other than in connection with this program is a violation of law in several states, provinces, and
countries. Accordingly, you must limit the use of this listing to the follow-up necessary to
complete this service action.
SOLD VEHICLES
• Owners of affected vehicles will be directed to dealers for repairs.
• Immediately contact any of your affected customers whose vehicles are not on your VIN
list but are identified in OASIS. Give the customer a copy of the Owner Notification
Letter (when available) and schedule a service date.
• Correct other affected vehicles identified in OASIS which are brought to your dealership.
• Dealers are to prioritize repairs of customer vehicles over repairs of new and used
vehicle inventory.
STOCK VEHICLES
• Correct all affected units in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.
• Use OASIS to identify any affected vehicles in your used vehicle inventory.
TITLE BRANDED / SALVAGED VEHICLES
Affected title branded and salvaged vehicles are eligible for this service action.
OWNER REFUNDS
• Ford Motor Company is offering a refund for owner-paid repairs covered by this program
if the repair was performed before the date of the Owner Notification Letter. This refund
offer expires February 28, 2019.
• Dealers are also pre-approved to refund owner-paid emergency repairs that were
performed away from an authorized servicing dealer after the date of the Owner
Notification Letter. Non-covered repairs, or those judged by Ford to be excessive, will
not be reimbursed.
• Refunds will only be provided for the cost associated with front seat back bolster
replacement.
RENTAL VEHICLES
Rental vehicles are not approved for this program.

 Copyright 2018 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT I
Page 2 of 2
Customer Satisfaction Program 18B20
Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Livery Vehicles
Seat Back Bolster Replacement
ADDITIONAL REPAIR (LABOR TIME AND/OR PARTS)
Additional repairs identified as necessary to complete the FSA should be managed as follows:
• For related damage and access time requirements, refer to the Warranty and Policy
Manual – Section 6 – Ford/Lincoln Program Policies – Field Service Actions (FSA) –
Related Damage.
• For vehicles within new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, no SSSC
approval is required.
o Lincoln vehicles – 4 years or 50,000 miles
•

For vehicles outside new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, submit an
Approval Request to the SSSC Web Contact Site prior to completing the repair.

CLAIMS PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION
• Enter claims using Dealer Management System (DMS) or One Warranty Solution (OWS)
online.
o When entering claims, select claim type 31: Field Service Action. The FSA number
18B20 is the sub code.
o For additional claims preparation and submission information, refer to the Recall and
Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) Repairs in the OWS User Guide.
• Additional labor and/or parts must be claimed as related damage on a separate repair
line from the FSA. IMPORTANT: Click the radio button on the Related Damage
Indicator.
• For rental vehicle claiming, follow Extended Service Plan (ESP) guidelines for dollar
amounts. Enter the total amount of the rental expense under Miscellaneous Expense
code RENTAL.
• Submit refunds on a separate repair line.
- Program Code: 18B20
- Misc. Expense: ADMIN
- Misc. Expense: REFUND
- Misc. Expense: 0.2 Hrs.
• Multiple refunds should be submitted on one repair line and the invoice details for each
repair should be detailed in the comments section of the claim.

 Copyright 2018 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT II
Page 1 of 1
Customer Satisfaction Program 18B20
Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Livery Vehicles
Seat Back Bolster Replacement
LABOR ALLOWANCES
Description

Labor Operation

Labor Time

18B20B

1.0 Hours

Replace both front seat back bolsters
PARTS REQUIREMENTS / ORDERING INFORMATION
Part Number

Description

Order Quantity

Claim Quantity

GD9Z-9660081-BC Seat back bolster
2
2
Order your parts requirements through normal order processing channels. To guarantee the
shortest delivery time, an emergency order for parts must be placed.
DEALER PRICE
For latest prices, refer to DOES II.
PARTS RETENTION AND RETURN
Follow the provisions of the Warranty and Policy Manual, Section 1 - WARRANTY PARTS
RETENTION AND RETURN POLICIES.
EXCESS STOCK RETURN
Excess stock returned for credit must have been purchased from Ford Customer Service
Division in accordance with Policy Procedure Bulletin 4000.

 Copyright 2018 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 1 OF 3
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 18B20

CERTAIN 2017-2018 MODEL YEAR CONTINENTAL LIVERY VEHICLES — SEAT
BACK BOLSTER REPLACEMENT
OVERVIEW
In some of the affected vehicles, the front driver or passenger seat back bolster may crack, resulting in
a loose outboard bolster and/or a gap between the foam trim and surrounding plastic. Dealers are to
replace both the driver and passenger front seat back bolsters.

SERVICE PROCEDURE
Recommended Tool List:
General Tools
Plastic Trim Tool
Pick/Hook Tool
1. Remove the affected front seat backrest cover. Please follow the procedures in Workshop Manual
(WSM) Section 501-10A.
2. Release the front seat backrest heater mat wiring retainer from the backrest assembly. See Figure 1.

1810A

FIGURE 1

CPR © 2018 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
8/2018

STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
STUD FOR

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 2 OF 3
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 18B20

3. Release the heater mat fabric wrap around extensions and position aside. See Figure 2.

1810B

FIGURE 2
4. Release the hook and loop strips and separate the seat backrest foam from the seat backrest bolster.
See Figure 3.

STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
PLACE COPY HERE
PLACE COPY HERE
1810C
PLACE
COPY HERE

FIGURE 3

CPR © 2018 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
8/2018

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 3 OF 3
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 18B20

5. Release the pin-type retainers and remove both multi-contour bladders. See Figure 4.

1810D

FIGURE 4
6. Reverse the removal procedure using the new bolster to reassemble the front seat backrest cover
assembly.
NOTE: Prior to installation of the hose and lock assemblies, verify the black O-ring and white spacer
remains with each hose. The black O-rings are installed first, then the white spacers lock them in.
NOTE: When connecting the hose and lock assemblies, an audible click must be heard for correct
installation.

STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
STUD FOR
MISSING NUT
PLACE COPY HERE
PLACE COPY HERE
PLACE COPY HERE

CPR © 2018 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
8/2018