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

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

September 13, 2021
TO:

All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers

SUBJECT:

Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 - Supplement #3
Certain 2017-2020 Model Year F-150, 2018-2020 Expedition, and 2018-2020
Navigator Vehicles Equipped with a 3.5L GTDI Engine
Powertrain Control Module Reprogram for Cam Phaser Rattle
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 - Supplement #2
Dated July 15, 2021

REF :

New! REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT
• Program Terms: Added reference to program 21N08 that covers reverting the engine
calibration back if an engine shudder is evident.
• Owner Notification Mailing Schedule: Owner letters are scheduled to mail during the week
of September 27, 2021
• Technician Instructions: The service procedure has been updated to only include the initial
PCM reprogramming instructions.
• Labor Operations: Labor operations have been changed.
New! PROGRAM TERMS
This program will be in effect through July 31, 2022. There is no mileage limit for this program.
In rare instances some vehicles will experience an engine shudder after reprogramming the PCM with
the 21B10 update. Customers that experience an engine shudder post-programming will receive
coverage to revert the engine calibration back in program 21N08.
Customers that receive the 21B10 repair prior to February 28, 2022 will receive coverage for a prorated cam phaser replacement (if needed) under a separate Customer Service Program (21N03) until
January 1, 2023.
We recommend dealers utilize their FSA VIN Lists name and address to contact customers with
affected vehicles. This will help minimize the number of vehicles that may develop a cam phaser
rattle, which requires a more extensive repair.
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Vehicle

Model Year

F-150*

2017-2020

Assembly Plant

Build Dates

Dearborn

March 10, 2016 through November 30, 2019

Kansas

April 15, 2016 through November 30, 2019

Expedition

2018-2020

Kentucky Truck

March 14, 2017 through November 30, 2019

Navigator

2018-2020

Kentucky Truck

March 16, 2017 through December 21, 2019

Note: This program now includes the F-150 Raptor/Limited variants.
Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS and FSA VIN Lists.

© Copyright 2021 Ford Motor Company

REASON FOR THIS PROGRAM
In some of the affected vehicles, an undesirable noise may develop from the cam phasers in the 3.5L
GTDI engine. This noise might occur as a rattle when starting the engine after the vehicle was turned
off for an extended period of time, or as a knocking noise when the engine is idling after it is warmed
up.
A cam phaser that has developed an undesirable noise does not affect the vehicle safety,
performance, or emissions.
SERVICE ACTION
Dealers are to reprogram the powertrain control module (PCM) to the latest level using FDRS or IDS
release 122.04 or higher as appropriate. This service must be performed on all affected vehicles at no
charge to the vehicle owner.
New! OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE
Owner letters are expected to be mailed the week of September 27, 2021. Dealers should repair any
affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received a letter.
New! ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I:
Administrative Information
Attachment II:
Labor Allowances and Parts Ordering Information
Attachment III:
Technical Information
Owner Notification
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
System (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 2021 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT I
Page 1 of 2
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 – Supplement #3
Certain 2017-2020 Model Year F-150, 2018-2020 Expedition, and 2018-2020 Navigator Vehicles
Equipped with a 3.5L GTDI Engine
Powertrain Control Module Reprogram for Cam Phaser Rattle
OASIS ACTIVATION
OASIS was activated on March 2, 2021.
FSA VIN LISTS ACTIVATION
FSA VIN Lists have been available through https://web.fsavinlists.dealerconnection.com since March
2, 2021. Owner names and addresses were available on April 1, 2021.
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
Refunds are not approved for this program.
LINCOLN PICKUP AND DELIVERY
Owners of 2017 MY and newer Lincoln vehicles have the option of requesting pickup and delivery
service with a Lincoln loaner (up to 2 days), from their dealership. For details, reference EFC08708,
2021 Lincoln Pickup & Delivery Updates.

© Copyright 2021 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT I
Page 2 of 2
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 – Supplement #3
Certain 2017-2020 Model Year F-150, 2018-2020 Expedition, and 2018-2020 Navigator Vehicles
Equipped with a 3.5L GTDI Engine
Powertrain Control Module Reprogram for Cam Phaser Rattle
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 / General Information & Special Circumstances
for FSA’s / Related Damage.
• For vehicles within new vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, no SSSC approval is
required, although related damage must be on a separate repair line with the “Related
Damage” radio button checked.
o Ford vehicles – 3 years or 36,000 miles
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
• Claim Entry: Enter claims using Dealer Management System (DMS) or One Warranty
Solution (OWS) online.
o When entering claims:
▪ Claim type 31: Field Service Action. The FSA number 21B10 is the sub code.
▪ Customer Concern Code (CCC): N09
▪ Condition Code (CC): 42
▪ Causal Part Number: RECAL
▪ Part Quantity: 0
o For additional claims preparation and submission information, refer to the Recall and
Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) Repairs in the OWS User Guide.
• Related Damage/Additional labor and/or parts: Must be claimed as Related Damage on a
separate repair line from the FSA with same claim type and sub code as described in Claim
Entry above.
IMPORTANT: Click the Related Damage Indicator radio button.
• Lincoln Pickup & Delivery: Claims for Lincoln Pickup & Delivery with a Lincoln loaner (up to
2 days) should be submitted on a separate line from the FSA. Refer to EFC08708,
2021 Lincoln Pickup & Delivery Updates for details.

© Copyright 2021 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT II
Page 1 of 1
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 – Supplement #3
Certain 2017-2020 Model Year F-150, 2018-2020 Expedition, and 2018-2020 Navigator Vehicles
Equipped with a 3.5L GTDI Engine
Powertrain Control Module Reprogram for Cam Phaser Rattle
New! LABOR ALLOWANCES
Description
Reprogram the PCM to the latest level.

Labor Operation

Labor Time

21B10D

0.3 Hours

PARTS REQUIREMENTS / ORDERING INFORMATION
Parts are not required to complete this repair.

© Copyright 2021 Ford Motor Company

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 1 OF 4
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 21B10-S3

CERTAIN 2017-2020 MODEL YEAR F-150, 2018-2020 EXPEDITION, AND 20182020 NAVIGATOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.5L ECOBOOST ENGINE —
POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING
SERVICE PROCEDURE
Module Reprogramming
NOTE: All vehicles are to have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) reprogrammed regardless of
symptoms.
NOTE: If any other Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) are present in the PCM and the engine light is
illuminated, record them on the repair order and advise the customer that this update will not
repair these issues and that the DTC's will be cleared but will return again after this update.
F-150 VEHICLES - see below
EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR VEHICLES - see page 2
1. Connect a battery charger to the 12 volt battery.
NOTE: Verify that the negative cable of the charger is installed on a chassis or engine ground, and not
the 12 volt battery negative terminal to prevent the battery saver mode from activating on the
vehicle.
NOTE: Make sure the Integrated Diagnostic Software (IDS) computer does not enter sleep mode during
programming.
2. Reprogram the PCM using the latest IDS release. Make sure you are connected to the Internet prior to
reprogramming. Make sure to select "No" at the beginning of the procedure when asked if
programming the vehicle is due to an engine shudder.

NOTE: Calibration files may also be obtained at www.motorcraftservice.com.
NOTE: Follow the IDS on-screen instructions to complete the reprogramming procedure.
3. Clear all DTC's.
4. Disconnect the battery charger from the 12 volt battery once the reprogramming has completed.
NOTE: Advise the customer that this vehicle is equipped with an adaptive transmission shift strategy
which allows the vehicle's computer to learn the transmission's unique parameters and improve
shift quality. When the adaptive strategy is reset, the computer will begin a re-learning process.
This re-learning process may result in firmer than normal upshifts and downshifts for several days.

CPR © 2021 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
09/2021

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 2 OF 4
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 21B10-S3

EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR VEHICLES
1. Connect a battery charger to the 12V battery.
NOTE: Verify that the negative cable of the charger is installed on a chassis or engine ground, and not
the 12 volt battery negative terminal to prevent the battery saver mode from activating on the
vehicle.
NOTE: If the diagnostic software does not load or if the vehicle cannot be identified properly, make sure
there is a good internet connection and the VCM is properly connected to the DLC.
2. Log into Ford Diagnostic and Repair System (FDRS).
NOTE: Vehicle information is automatically retrieved by the diagnostic software and a Network Test is
run. Vehicle identification data appears on the screen when this is complete.
3. Click 'Read VIN from Vehicle' or manually enter the VIN.
NOTE: Available modules are shown on the LH side of the screen, and available procedures are listed
on the RH side of the screen. Modules that are communicating are highlighted in green.
4. Select Toolbox tab.
5. From the list on the LH side of the screen, select the PCM.
6. From the list on the RH side of the screen, select PCM - Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Software
Update.
7. Click RUN. Follow all on-screen instructions carefully. Make sure to select "No" at the beginning of the
procedure when asked if programming the vehicle is due to an engine shudder.
8. From the list on the RH side of the screen, select Self-Test and click RUN.
9. Click the Run Selected Tests button in the lower right.
10. Click the Clear & Retest button at the top of the screen to clear DTCs in all modules.
11. Disconnect the battery charger from the 12V battery once the programming has completed.
NOTE: Advise the customer that this vehicle is equipped with an adaptive transmission shift strategy
which allows the vehicle's computer to learn the transmission's unique parameters and improve
shift quality. When the adaptive strategy is reset, the computer will begin a re-learning process.
This re-learning process may result in firmer than normal upshifts and downshifts for several days.

CPR © 2021 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
09/2021

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 3 OF 4
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 21B10-S3

Important Information for Module Programming when using IDS

NOTE: When programming or reprogramming a module, use the following basic checks to ensure
programming completes without errors.
• Make sure the 12V battery is fully charged before carrying out the programming steps and connect
IDS/scan tool to a power source.
• Inspect Vehicle Communication Module (VCM) and cables for any damage. Make sure scan tool
connections are not interrupted during programming.
• A hardwired connection is strongly recommended.
• Turn off all unnecessary accessories (radio, heated/cooled seats, headlamps, interior lamps, HVAC
system, etc.) and close doors.
• Disconnect/depower any aftermarket accessories (remote start, alarm, power inverter, CB radio, etc.).
• Follow all scan tool on-screen instructions carefully.
• Disable IDS/scan tool sleep mode, screensaver, hibernation modes.
• Create all sessions key on engine off (KOEO). Starting the vehicle before creating a session will cause
errors within the programming inhale process.

Recovering a module when programming has resulted in a blank module:
NEVER DELETE THE ORIGINAL SESSION!
a. Obtain the original IDS that was used when the programming error occurred during module
reprogramming (MR) or programmable module installation (PMI).
b. Disconnect the VCM from the data link connector (DLC) and the IDS.
c. Reconnect the VCM to IDS and then connect to the DLC. Once reconnected, the VCM icon should
appear in the corner of the IDS screen. If it does not, troubleshoot the IDS to VCM connection.

d. Locate the original vehicle session when programming failed. This should be the last session used
in most cases. If not, use the session created on the date that the programming failed.
NOTE: If the original session is not listed in the previous session list, click the Recycle Bin icon at the
lower right of the previous session screen. This loads any deleted sessions and allows you to
look through them. Double-click the session to restore it.
e. Once the session is loaded, the failed process should resume automatically.
f. If programming does not resume automatically, proceed to the Module Programming menu and select
the previously attempted process, PMI or MR.
g. Follow all on-screen prompts/instructions.
h. The last screen on the IDS may list additional steps required to complete the programming process.
Make sure all applicable steps listed on the screen are followed in order.

CPR © 2021 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
09/2021

ATTACHMENT III
PAGE 4 OF 4
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 21B10-S3

Important Information for Module Programming when using FDRS

NOTE: When programming a module, use the following basic checks to ensure programming completes
without errors.
• Make sure the 12V battery is fully charged before carrying out the programming steps and
connect FDRS/scan tool to a power source.
NOTE: A good internet connection is necessary to identify the vehicle and to load the diagnostic
software.
• Inspect Vehicle Communication Module II (VCM II)/Vehicle Communication and Measurement Module
(VCMM) and cables for any damage. Make sure scan tool connections are not interrupted during
programming.
• A hardwired connection is strongly recommended.
• Turn off all unnecessary accessories (radio, heated/cooled seats, headlamps, interior lamps, HVAC
system, etc.) and close doors.
• Disconnect/depower any aftermarket accessories (remote start, alarm, power inverter, CB radio,
etc.).
• Follow all scan tool on-screen instructions carefully.
• Disable FDRS/scan tool sleep mode, screensaver, hibernation modes.
• Create all sessions key on engine off (KOEO). Starting the vehicle before creating a session will
cause errors within the programming inhale process.

Recovering a module when programming has resulted in a blank module
a. Disconnect the VCMII or VCMM from the data link connector (DLC) and your PC.
b. After ten seconds, reconnect the VCMII/VCMM to the DLC and the PC. Launch FDRS. The
VCMII/VCMM icon should turn green in the bottom right corner of the screen. If it does not,
troubleshoot the FDRS to VCM connection.
c. If you are using the same FDRS as the initial programming attempt, select the appropriate VIN from
the Vehicle Identification menu. If you are using a different FDRS, select “Read VIN from Vehicle”
and proceed through the Network Test.
d. In the Toolbox menu, navigate to the failed module and Download/Run Programmable Module
Installation (PMI). Follow the on-screen prompts. When asked if the original module is installed,
select “No” and continue through the installation application.
e. Once programming has completed, a screen may list additional steps required to complete the
programming process. Make sure all applicable steps are followed in order.

CPR © 2021 FORD MOTOR COMPANY
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48121
09/2021

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

July 2021
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10 – 21N03