2021 Ford Bronco Sport problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (148) · Service Brakes (84) · Electrical System (71)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford Bronco Sport model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
201 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (16)
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint 2026-05-27 · campaign 26V340000 · 4,653 vehicles ⚠ DO NOT DRIVE
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.
Risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater 2025-10-10 · campaign 25V685000 · 59,006 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford
Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System 2025-07-11 · campaign 25V467000 · 694,271 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the engine control software. In addition, dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel rail assembly and fuel injectors, free of charge. As an interim repair, dealers will update the engine control software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 29, 2025. Second letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford'
Back Over Prevention:software 2025-06-27 · campaign 25V442000 · 200,237 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Electrical System:body Control Module/Bcm 2025-03-14 · campaign 25V158000 · 48,041 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V-267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.
Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 23, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S26.
Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System 2025-03-14 · campaign 25V165000 · 33,576 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S21.
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery 2025-01-17 · campaign 25V019000 · 272,817 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail.
Risk: Battery failure can result in a loss of electrical accessories, including the hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the 12-volt battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S02. Vehicles in this recall were previously repaired under 24V-267 and will need to have the new remedy completed.
Electrical System:body Control Module/Bcm 2024-04-12 · campaign 24V267000 · 456,565 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.
Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S24.
Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System 2022-11-18 · campaign 22V859000 · 521,746 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previ
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/Lubrication 2022-03-25 · campaign 22V191000 · 345,451 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S21.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper 2021-11-23 · campaign 21V922000 · 114,666 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2021-10-15 · campaign 21V809000 · 1,036 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The moonroof glass may not have been bonded correctly to the moonroof frame, which could result in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached glass panel can become a road hazard, and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the moonroof glass date code and replace the glass, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S46.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump:control/Drive Module 2021-08-10 · campaign 21V625000 · 13,773 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. Interim notification letters (remedy not available) were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S38.
Suspension:front:control Arm 2021-02-16 · campaign 21V074000 · 106 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. These vehicles may have been produced with incorrect front lower control arms.
Risk: An incorrect lower control arm may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a rollover crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front lower control arms, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S03.
Suspension:rear 2021-02-16 · campaign 21V075000 · 1,638 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The rear suspension subframe assembly may have loose or missing bolts.
Risk: Loose or missing bolts may affect the vehicle's handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash. It could also reduce the vehicle's performance in a rear impact crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear suspension bolts, and secure or replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S04.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2021-01-15 · campaign 21V011000 · 147 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Risk: If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.
Service bulletins (188)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-22 · TSB 26-2092 V2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this article supersedes tsb 25-2466 to add bronco sport, escape, maverick and corsair, as well as removing expedition and navigator. one time use parts for corsair and bronco sport were also added to the parts list. some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit a headliner rat
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · SSM 55149 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2021-2024 bronco sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5l may exhibit a lack of air conditioning (a/c) cooling while at a stop and idling in ambient temperatures of 100°f (38°c) or higher. in addition, there are no diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) present related to a/c system functionality, refrigera
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-22 · SSM 55100 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
for various ford and lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover j-clips, lower-level service parts are now available. use service part w709919-s901 if the j-clip is completely detached from the seat cover and w715386-s424 if the clip is still partially a
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-15 · TSB 26-2328 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin supersedes 26-2194. reason for update: update the parts list to correct a part description " loctite 638", update the claim quantity for the drain/fill plug, update the claim quantity of the wheel hub bolts (corsair) and limited the parts list for edge/nautilus to only the rear drive u
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-09 · 26E04 · Emissions
new vehicle delivery hold - emissions recall 26e04 certain 2021-2025 model year f-150, maverick, mustang, ranger, expedition, bronco sport, explorer, bronco, navigator, and aviator vehicles powertrain control module software update
Power Train 2026-06-16 · SSM 54939 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2020-2026 corsair/escape, 2021-2026 bronco sport, and 2022-2026 maverick vehicles equipped with an 8f35 transmission may exhibit a shudder condition, most noticeable at speeds below 60 mph (100 km/h), with no relevant diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) stored in the powertrain control module (pcm).
Showing the 6 most recent of 188 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-26 · Fuel System, Gasoline“the contact owns a 2021 ford bronco sport. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v467000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle intermittently failed to accelerat…”
2026-10-26 · Power Train“the contact owns a 2021 ford bronco sport equipped with an 8f35 automatic transmission. while driving between 25 and 45 mph under normal acceleration, the vehicle experienced repeated violent hesitation, jerking, and lunging 4 to 5 times in rapid succession, accompanied by rapid rpm fluctuations between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. the condition mimics an…”
2026-10-26 · Power Train“driving and check engine light came on saying abs system disabled pull over immediately this was a 4000.00 repair for the sensor that should’ve been a recall as there were 5 other broncos repaired with this same issue in the shop during my repair. i was not covered u der warranty because i was 600 miles over power train warranty when this occurred.…”
2026-10-19 · Power Train“the bronco sport was put into drive and would not go like normal, it slowly picked up speed, but every shift between gears was felt. the vehicle drove fine once it hit 55mph. vehicle was shut off and then would not engage into drive. the drive icon was flashing. the dealer was able to confirm the problem. there were zero warning messages or symptom…”
2026-10-14 · Engine“vehicle had rough idle. loss power. loss engine coolant and oil and started pouring large amounts of white smoke from exhaust. …”
2026-10-13 · Suspension“i have a 2021 bronco sport 55,000 miles. i have taken my vehicle to the dealer for all maintenance, repairs and advice. my boyfriend mentioned my rpms are bouncing and they should not. i scheduled at the dealer anticipating a sensor. i learned from the dealer my vehicle requires a new transmission, new rear and new water pump. $15,000. i also…”
2026-10-09 · Power Train · 97,434 mi“the contact owns a 2021 ford bronco sport. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the transmission failed to shift into a higher gear. the contact stated that the rpm was high and the vehicle was restarted to continue driving. the messages "power train malfunction" and "cannot engage in park, tur…”
2026-10-09 · Power Train“rear differential makes grinding noise. repaired by ford in 10/24 but grinding has returned. …”
2026-10-07 · Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/Odometer · 74,310 mi“the contact owns a 2021 ford bronco sport. it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. the vehicle was a dealer sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 46,427, and at the time of the vehicle registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 74,310.…”
2026-10-06 · Power Train“the rear differential went out on my bronco sport. ford has issued a tsb, but has not widely promoted it. i've been told if i drive it, it could have a catastrophic failure resulting in an accident. my vehicle has been sitting at a ford dealership for 7 weeks now and the part is not anticipated to be released to the dealership for over another mont…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.