Ford Bronco problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 6 model years (2021–2026), NHTSA has logged 980 owner complaints and 50 safety recalls for the Ford Bronco. That averages 41.1 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 1.02 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Off-road SUVs segment it ranks #2 of 3 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 63.8.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 29% below the 2021 and 2022 models (97 early complaints per model year versus 118).
The 2022 model year has the highest rate (79.4 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (28.0). The 2022 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 41.1 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Body & structure (25.8% of complaints), followed by Engine (16.8%) and Electrical (15.0%). Body & structure complaints are 2.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 41 complaints (4.2%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 17 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 306 complaints versus 202 in the previous 12 months — up 51%. The 2022 model year generated the most recent reports (114). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 19 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 50 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (21), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 2 fixable over the air. 4 NHTSA investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Low-pressure fuel pump failure” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2024-07-29, closed 2025-09-19).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Toyota 4Runner, but fewer than Jeep Wrangler.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 230 | 39.7 | 0.98 | 46 | 20 | Engine | View › |
| 2022 ▲50%+ | 380 | 79.4 | 1.97 | 114 | 23 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2023 | 229 | 60.4 | 1.5 | 49 | 18 ⚠ | Body & structure | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 78 | 28.0 | 0.69 | 44 | 16 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 54 | 30.2 | 0.75 | 44 | 19 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 9 | 9.0 | 0.22 | 9 | 9 | Body & structure | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 306 · Previous 12 months: 202 Rising
Problem areas
Body & structure ›
253 · 25.8% · 2.84 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Engine ›
165 · 16.8% · 0.76 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Electrical ›
147 · 15.0% · 0.95 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Unspecified or other ›
74 · 7.6% · 0.84 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Brakes ›
71 · 7.2% · 1.2 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Transmission / powertrain ›
62 · 6.3% · 0.54 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Fuel system ›
59 · 6.0% · 1.39 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
56 · 5.7% · 2.28 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Airbags & seat belts
34 · 3.5% · 0.91 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
25 · 2.6% · 0.4 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
15 · 1.5% · 0.99 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
11 · 1.1% · 0.2 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
8 · 0.8% · 0.44 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 19 months
What owners report
Possible suspension on front driver side caused loss of control of vehicle and separation of front tire from body. Failure of front airbags to deploy despite impact, Recall of front seat or seatbelt entire malfunction caused ejection and death of driver.
On XXX, our 2023 Ford Bronco, VIN [XXX], was stopped on an incline. The vehicle was not moving, and the driver exited the vehicle believing it was in Park. The vehicle was actually still in Drive. A passenger remained in the vehicle.
Steering assembly failure-Ford service garage diagnosed on 10/13/26. (lower steering shaft and seal). Vehicle was previously seen at the same garage on 10/2/26 and they were unable to reproduce the problem.
The component in question is the MIC Hardtop roof of my 2024 Bronco Raptor. It would seem that there is a current delamination on the roof, similarly to what was recalled on the 21-22 models, for the process and equipment parameter showing clear issues to the…
Twice, while flat towing the 2026 Ford Bronco something happen and allegedly the neutral tow disabled and I had to replace the transmission. $7,500 each time. The first time the Bronco had 900 miles and the second time the unit had 3,000 miles.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Off-road SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota 4Runner | 334 | 10.1 | 0.25 | Stable | Rising | 12 | Brakes |
| 2 | Ford Bronco | 980 | 41.1 | 1.02 | Improving | Rising | 50 | Body & structure |
| 3 | Jeep Wrangler | 5,957 | 126.6 | 3.14 | Improving | Rising | 44 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 50
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 3
- Over-the-air fix: 2
Safety recalls: 2021 (20) · 2022 (23) · 2023 (18) · 2024 (16) · 2025 (19) · 2026 (9)
Investigations
- Low-pressure fuel pump failure Closed
On July 29, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24019 to investigate complaints of low-pressure fuel pump failures in MY 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. Some consumers reported that the failure occurred without warning while driving, resulting in a complete loss of motive power with no ability to restart the engine. Ford determined that several other vehicle models contain low-pressu…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) granted a Defect Petition (DP22001) and opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22007) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines. Complainants were reporting sudden engine failure while driving resulting in a loss of motive power, often without the abilit…
- Loss of motive power due to valve intake failure on Ford Bronco vehicles. Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition dated March 16, 2022, requesting an investigation regarding allegations of defective intake valves in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with the 2.7L Eco-boost (“Nano”) engines. The petitioner alleged these vehicles are experiencing loss of motive power at any highway speeds with no-restart as a result of catastrophic …
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received three petitions on March 17, March 18, and March 29, 2022, which requested a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the valves on model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with the 2.7L Eco-boost engines. The petitioners alleged that MY 2021 Ford Broncos vehicles are experiencing loss of motive power at highway speeds with no-rest…