Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1985 Ford Bronco
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Electrical System
937.5%
0 crashes, 6 fires
Fuel & Propulsion
416.7%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Equipment & Accessories
28.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Seats
28.3%
Tires
28.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Suspension
28.3%
2 crashes, 0 fires
Engine & Cooling
28.3%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
14.2%
0 crashes, 1 fires
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 1995peak 4Apr 2001
NHTSA investigations into the 1985 Ford Bronco
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE87015Opened 15 Jan 1987Closed 30 Nov 1987SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FRONT BRK CALIPER SEIZURE
ANALYSIS:ALLEGEDLY, DURING BRAKE APPLICATION THE DISC BRAKE CALIPERSSEIZE, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE PULL AND/OR FRONT BRAKE LOCK-UP.SOMEREPORTS CITE A COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL RESULTING IN UNFOREWARNEDAND UNAVOIDABLE TRAVEL INTO OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANES.CONSUMERS CLAIM THATSERVICE PERSONNEL HAVE CONSISTENTLY ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO THE USE OFPHENOLIC PISTONS WHICH OVERHEAT AND SEIZE IN THE CALIPER BORES.INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER DISCLOSED THE COMPLAINT, ACCIDENT,AND INJURY STATISTICS TABULATED ABOVE.OTHER MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED DATADISCLOSED THAT TWO DESIGN CHANGES WITH POT...
Recalls on the 1985 Ford Bronco
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 1987098295,731 units in Canada
Fuel System
ON VEHICLES WITH EFI OR CFI, THE SPRING-LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING USED TO CONNECT THE FUEL SUPPLY AND RETURN LINES TO THE EFI FUEL RAILS OR TO THE CFI THROTTLE BODIES AS WELL AS OTHER FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS NEAR THE DASH PANELS ON SOME VEHICLES, COULD DISENGAGE DURING VEHICLE USE. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF FUEL WILL RESULT, PROVIDING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE. CORRECTION: COUPLING RETAINER CLIPS WILL BE INSTALLED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES. NOTE: ESCORT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH EFI AND CFI. LYNX VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH CFI ONLY. EFI - ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION CFI - CENTRAL FUEL INJECTION
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Indpls, INCrash1 injured
TIRES
TIRE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING CRASH INTO CONRETE BARIER I HAVE THE STILL INFLATED TIRE WITH THE TREAD THAT CAME OFF( DOT NUMBER: HYHLF7A069 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #731806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorain, OHFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA complaint #507873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ADA, OHFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #521492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MT. View, CAFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE. FIRE COULD BE ELECTICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #800025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Somerswort, NHCrash
TRAILER HITCHES
TRAILER HITCH BALL BROKE, CAUSING TRAILER TO DETACH/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #501701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lyndhurst, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE, (FIRE STARTED IN THE SPEAKER).
NHTSA complaint #983816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Bowie, MD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE FAILS TO START AFTER KEY IS IN IGNITION. VEHICLE TOWED. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC PROBLEM WAS IN IGNITION MODULE.*AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #885268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNK, UN
SEATS
THE SEATS OF THE VEHICLE ARE BADLY BROKEN AND ARE DANGEROUS. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #557844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roselle Park, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL.ALSO,VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE.
NHTSA complaint #874057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Indpls, INCrash1 injured
TIRES
TIRE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING CRASH INTO CONRETE BARIER I HAVE THE STILL INFLATED TIRE WITH THE TREAD THAT CAME OFF( DOT NUMBER: HYHLF7A069 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #731806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pleasant View, UT
TIRES
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW FOR YOUR DATA BASE THAT THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AFTER MARKET, SO FORD HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. ONE TIRE ROLLED THE TREAD RIGHT OFF, SEPARATING RIGHT UNDER THE STEEL BELT. BUT THE TIRE HELD AIR. IT HAPPENED ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD, AT ABOUT 85 DEGREES. I USED THE OTHER 3 TIRES UNTIL THEY HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON THEM WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. HADN'T HEARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE AT THAT TIME SO I DIDN'T REPORT IT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235X15 )
NHTSA complaint #729711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Maddock, ND
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
THIS IS THE SECOND BRONCO THAT I HAVE OWNED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FAILED. THE BACK OF THE SEAT FALLS BACK.
NHTSA complaint #720625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sale Lake City, UT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED STALLING DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH (TFI MODULE), RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED AND DENIED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #548204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riviera BE, MD
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL TANK SHIELD RUSTED THROUGH AND BEGAN TO LEAK. (1ST VEHICLE ON DOC# 530326)
NHTSA complaint #607560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorain, OHFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA complaint #507873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ADA, OHFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #521492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MT. View, CAFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE. FIRE COULD BE ELECTICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #800025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Somerswort, NHCrash
TRAILER HITCHES
TRAILER HITCH BALL BROKE, CAUSING TRAILER TO DETACH/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #501701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lyndhurst, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE, (FIRE STARTED IN THE SPEAKER).
NHTSA complaint #983816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lyndhurst, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE, (FIRE STARTED IN THE SPEAKER).
NHTSA complaint #983816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Paul, MNFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO BURN AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Paul, MNFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO BURN AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sunriver, ORCrash1 injured
SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE LOST CONTROL/SERVED, RESULTING IN ROLLOVER/ACCIDENT/INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #490769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sunriver, ORCrash1 injured
SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE LOST CONTROL/SERVED, RESULTING IN ROLLOVER/ACCIDENT/INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #490769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sunderland, MAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION SWITCH, MORE SERVICE DONE HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE DAYS IN FOR REPAIR AND WHILE PARKED CAUGHT FIRE EA95-002 ACTIVE. TT
NHTSA complaint #978958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boyce, IDFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
HAD A GAS LEAK CAUSE BY FAULTY CARBURETOR WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. TT
NHTSA complaint #967516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Halifax, MAFire
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER MOTOR/FAN NOT PROTECTED BY VENT SCREEN, ALLOWING PINE NEEDLES TO ENTER SYSTEM, RESULTING IN A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #478287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Elkton, MD
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
REPLACED FUEL TANKS TWICE, STILL LEAK. TT
NHTSA complaint #960868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Elkton, MD
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK
REPLACED FUEL TANKS TWICE, STILL LEAK. TT
NHTSA complaint #960868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairbanks, AK
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
I M SENSOR CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. TT
NHTSA complaint #960549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.