🚗 AutoDefect IQ

2023 Ford Bronco problems, complaints & recalls

Most-reported problem areas: Visibility/Wiper (90) · Power Train (19) · Service Brakes (14)

🧭 Reliability snapshot

59 /100
⚠ Known trouble spots — research carefully

Compared against other Ford Bronco model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →

🛣️ Complaints by mileage

<25k miles: 18 complaints 18 <25k 25–50k miles: 3 complaints 25–50k 50–75k miles: 2 complaints 50–75k 75–100k miles: 0 complaints 75–100k 100–125k miles: 0 complaints 100–125k 125–150k miles: 0 complaints 125–150k 150k+ miles: 0 complaints 150k+

23 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.

230
Complaints
18
Recalls
212
Service bulletins
6
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Deaths

Safety recalls (18)

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood 2026-07-20 · campaign 26V468000 · 565,691 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco and Bronco Raptor vehicles. The engine compartment wiring harness may become damaged and short circuit.

Risk: A short circuit in the engine compartment can create heat or spark, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will install sheathing over the wiring, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2026 Bronco Raptor notified owners on 7/31/2026. Phase 2 will include 2021-2025 Bronco Raptor vehicle will notify owners on or about 8/14/2026. Phase 3 will include 2021-2026 Bronco will notify owners on or about 9/1/2026. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S55. Vehicle Id

Structure:body 2026-06-24 · campaign 26V403000 · 36,046 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Bronco vehicles. The fender flares may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.

Risk: A detached fender flare can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the fender flares as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 1, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S47. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 7, 2026.

Power Train:automatic Transmission 2026-04-14 · campaign 26V236000 · 4,922 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Bronco vehicles. The transmission to transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines.

Risk: Excessive wear of the transmission and transfer case splines may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the transmission to transfer case joint and replace the transmission and transfer case as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.

Back Over Prevention:software 2026-03-03 · campaign 26V124000 · 849,310 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Ford Bronco and 2021-2024 Ford Edge vehicles. The Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) may overheat and shutdown, which can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended.

Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: The APIM software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S09. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.

Seats:critical Fasteners 2025-10-23 · campaign 25V721000 · 163,256 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.

Risk: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 28, 2025.

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:delivery:fuel Pump 2025-07-07 · campaign 25V455000 · 850,318 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.

Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.

Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2025-05-14 · campaign 25V273000 · 128,889 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco vehicles. The 360-degree view camera may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

Risk: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48. This recall expands previous recall number 23V-598.

Back Over Prevention:software 2025-05-09 · campaign 25V315000 · 1,076,138 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.

Risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford

Suspension:rear:shock Absorber 2025-01-17 · campaign 25V025000 · 149,449 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles. The rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external reservoir.

Risk: An external reservoir that detaches from a vehicle can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorbers, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S01.

Latches/Locks/Linkages:doors:lock 2024-03-08 · campaign 24V189000 · 9,847 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Bronco 4-door vehicles. The left-side rear door may be opened from the inside of the vehicle when the child safety lock is in the "ON" position.

Risk: A malfunctioning child safety lock that allows a rear door to be opened unintentionally can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the child safety locks and replace the rear door latch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 9, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S15.

Visibility:glass, Side/Rear 2024-02-23 · campaign 24V142000 · 7,875 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Bronco and Bronco Heritage vehicles. The rear quarter glass panels may have been improperly installed to the vehicle hard top, which can allow them to detach.

Risk: Detached rear glass panels may create a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the rear glass panels on Bronco vehicles. On Bronco Heritage vehicles, dealers will replace the rear left-hand removable quarter glass panel. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Bronco owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2024. Bronco Heritage owner letters were mailed June 12, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S10.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:internal:park Pawl 2023-08-03 · campaign 23V546000 · 2 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco vehicles. The transmission park system may have been damaged during assembly, which can prevent the parking pawl from fully engaging and result in a vehicle rollaway.

Risk: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S44.

Equipment:other:labels 2023-05-26 · campaign 23V379000 · 29,607 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.

Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 2023-05-18 · campaign 23V358000 · 175,550 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco vehicles built with the 5-Door body style. The first-row seat belt latch plates may be difficult to access from their stowed position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: Difficulty accessing the seat belt latches may result in occupants not wearing their seat belts, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will add a sliding clip latch stop to the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 14, 2023. Owner letters informing owners that parts are available were mailed on October 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C16.

Wheels:lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs 2023-04-20 · campaign 23V283000 · 1,434 vehicles ⚠ DO NOT DRIVE

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco and Ranger vehicles. The lug nuts on the driver's side wheels may have been improperly tightened.

Risk: Loose lug nuts may result in wheel detachment while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, retighten the lug nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S17.

Steering 2023-03-08 · campaign 23V155000 · 343 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco Wildtrak and 2022 Bronco Raptor vehicles. Internal damage to the steering gear may require increased steering effort or cause the steering wheel to lock-up.

Risk: A steering wheel that locks-up can result in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S09.

Power Train:automatic Transmission 2023-02-10 · campaign 23V070000 · 1,138 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK."

Risk: The inability to secure the vehicle in the park position can result in a rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmissions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S06.

Service bulletins (212)

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 2026-10-27 · SSM 55284 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

some 2021-2023 bronco vehicles equipped with a mt88 manual transmission may exhibit no 3rd gear engagement and/or a grinding noise going into 3rd and/or 4th gear. this may be due to the 3rd/4th gear shift fork. to correct this condition, replace the following parts: <br /><br /> *3rd gear (mu7z-7101

Unknown Or Other 2026-10-14 · TSB 26-2442 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin supersedes 26-2297. reason for update: add 2022-2025 transit vehicles. some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with sync4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen after welcome animation. the rear-view camera will still funct

Unknown Or Other 2026-10-12 · SSM 55240 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

some 2021-2024 bronco vehicles may exhibit an illuminated red brake warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) c0049:01 stored in the anti-lock brake system (abs) module. this may be due to pin fitment at the brake fluid level sensor connector. to resolve this concern, replace the brake fl

Unknown Or Other 2026-10-08 · SSM 55228 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

some 2020-2026 aviator/explorer/f-150/bronco/ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7l or 3.0l (non-diesel) engine may need the front engine cover removed and reinstalled for various reasons. the workshop manual (wsm), section 303-01 engine > removal and installation > engine front cover service procedur

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-24 · TSB 26-2380 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this article supersedes tsb 25-2575 to update the parts list to add the applicable body wiring harnesses and underbody shield bolts. some vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit a "sta-bar disconnect service required" message in the instrument panel cluster (ipc) with any of the fol

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-16 · TCU-26.2.12.2.2 Mach E, F · Over The Air

quality improvements include: -addresses a bug that may cause updates to fail

Showing the 6 most recent of 212 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.

What owners report

2026-10-16 · Unknown Or Other

“ infotainment screen went entirely black, causing a driver distraction and making vehicle features inaccessible. rear camera works. identical to current apim overheating recall. carson city ford has been unable to diagnose issue claiming software glitch or corruption. dealer asking for out of pocket cost to “repair” with no resolution 4 days later …”

2026-10-07 · Electrical System

“after rainfall, my 2023 ford bronco would not start. the dealership (stivers ford lincoln, waukee, ia) diagnosed water intrusion behind the dashboard that corroded the body connector electrical harness and body control module (bcm). a warranty claim (#109441186) was submitted to ford and denied on the basis that the affected component was not liste…”

2026-10-06 · Structure

“the contact owns a 2023 ford bronco equipped with an aftermarket bestop skyrider retractable rooftop, part number: 5246217. the contact stated that while driving, the mounting bolts on the roof loosened up. the contact was concerned that the rooftop might detach and fly off while driving at highway speeds. the contact stated that water was entering…”

2026-10-02 · Power Train

“transmission failed while towing in neutral flat tow mode and destroyed the entire transmission resulting in a $7,600 repair bill. ford will not warranty this as they claim is was might fault. not true, i had flat towed the vehicle for months without an issue and its their electronic system that failed and destroyed my transmission. …”

2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other

“my 2023 ford bronco is experiencing cracking and delamination on its molded-in-color (mic) hardtop roof. [add a sentence here describing your specific damage, e.g., the cracks are visible on the exterior corners / the roof is beginning to leak water into the cabin].this structural failure matches the exact defect described in ford's may 2026 recall…”

2026-09-24 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 32,752 mi

“the contact owns a 2023 ford bronco. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced an issue with the rearview camera while in use. the contact received a notice for nhtsa campaign number: 26v124000 (back over prevention), and the recall repair was subsequently performed. however, after the recall repair was completed, a new 'overheating' warning …”

2026-09-22 · Steering

“the steering rack on my 2023 ford bronco outer banks failed at approximately 23,000 miles. this caused my steering wheel to lock up and become very difficult to turn, especially while making turns. the dealer confirmed that the steering rack failed and needed to be replaced. they performed the repair. there were no other warning lights or indicator…”

2026-09-18 · Visibility/Wiper

“rear defroster connector becomes detached from the defroster grid rendering it inoperable. ford has acknowledged it is a common issue due to poor design. my local dealership repaired the broken tab and it once again broke off within a week or two. when i returned to the dealership, they refused to cover it under the vehicles original owner warranty…”

2026-09-16 · Power Train

“we sometime have loss of drive power while driving or a total failure to engage a gear. happens sometimes when moving from a stop sign or stop light. like the transmission is slipping in def case.…”

2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other

“cracking of the roof which has caused leaks. common issue for broncos, but only recalled for 2021-2022 broncos. my bronco is 2023 and has the same issue. it should also be a recall. …”

Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.

Other Ford Bronco years