FaultScore report
Owners have filed 43 complaints about the 1986 Ford Bronco with NHTSA between 1995 and 2004. The largest single group is the electrical system.
43
Complaints
5
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
4 crashes, 0 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
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.
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.
FUEL TANK CORROSION
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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Risk: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Fuel System
NOTE: THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES RECALL 88164. VEHICLES LOCATED IN THE YUKON, NOTHWEST TERRITORIES, ALBERTA, EASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA, N.W. ONTARIO, MANITOBA AND SASKATCHEWAN. A SHORT, U-SHAPED NYLON FUEL TUBE (JUMPER TUBE) LOCATED ON THE LEFT-HAND FRAME RAIL CONNECTING THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL FILTER COULD DEVELOP PIN HOLES IN THE TUBING WALL. IF THIS CONDITION SHOULD OCCUR, IT WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK AND A FIRE COULD RESULT. CORRECTION: A STEEL BRAIDED TEFLON FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND RELATED COMPONENTS WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL GROUND THE FUEL LINE AND ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE. THE U-SHAPED NYLON JUMPER TUBE WILL BE ELIMINATED BY THIS REPLACEMENT FUEL SYSTEM.
Fuel System
A SHORT, U-SHAPED NYLON FUEL TUBE (JUMPER TUBE) LOCATED ON THE LEFT-HAND FRAME RAIL CONNECTING THE FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL FILTER COULD DEVELOP PIN HOLES IN THE TUBING WALL. IF THIS CONDITION SHOULD OCCUR, IT WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK AND A FIRE COULD RESULT. CORRECTION: FUEL TUBE WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE HAVING A KRAYTON SLEEVE.
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
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
TIRES
RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD BEEN REPAIRED WITH FOUR STRING-PLUG ONLY REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO PATCH ON THE INNER-LINER AS RECOMMENDED BY THE RMA. *LA AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER PLUG-ALONE REPAIRS, AIR WAS ALLOWED TO MIGRATE INTO THE CARCASS OF THE TIRE; RESULTING ON A TREAD SEPARATION. WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE GRASS MEDIAN. THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME AIR BORNE AND CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT TO STRIKE THE DIRT. THE VEHICLE THEN OVERTURNED TRAVELING APP 41 FEET THEN LANDING ON IT'S TOP. A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER IS A PARAPLEGIC. (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).
NHTSA complaint #10074148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. (DOT NUMBER: A3UL423186 TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.( DOT NUMBER: A3UL423186 TIRE SIZE: P205/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH RIGHT IN THE CENTER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #833338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE IT ACCELERATED TO HIGH AMOUNT OF SPEED, CAUSING DRIVER TO CRASH HEAD-ON INTO A UTILITY POLE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #834747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WE HAVE SPEND MORE THAN 500.00 ON PART FOR THIS TRUCK IT JUST KEEP STOPPING FOR NO REASON, SHOP PEOPLE SAY ITS THE FUEL SYSTEM, IT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. STILL IT STOPS THEY DO NOT KNOW EXCEPT THE FUEL SYSTEM. WE HAVE BEEN STRAINED ABOUT 5 OR 6 TIMES MOST TIMES LATE AT NIGHT. HAVE BEEN TOW HOME ABOUT 6 OR 7 TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #10101004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD BEEN REPAIRED WITH FOUR STRING-PLUG ONLY REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO PATCH ON THE INNER-LINER AS RECOMMENDED BY THE RMA. *LA AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER PLUG-ALONE REPAIRS, AIR WAS ALLOWED TO MIGRATE INTO THE CARCASS OF THE TIRE; RESULTING ON A TREAD SEPARATION. WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE GRASS MEDIAN. THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME AIR BORNE AND CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT TO STRIKE THE DIRT. THE VEHICLE THEN OVERTURNED TRAVELING APP 41 FEET THEN LANDING ON IT'S TOP. A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER IS A PARAPLEGIC. (FLORIDA TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).
NHTSA complaint #10074148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
YOU BROADCASTED THE RECALL SETTLEMENT FOR FORD IGNITION MODULES,YETMY LOCAL DEALERS SEEM OBLIVIOUS TO THE RECALL ,WHAT DO I NEED TO GET ANOTHER IGNITION MODULE THAT YOU PEOPLE GOT FORD TO SETTLE ON.
NHTSA complaint #753022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE ENGINE DIED; HAVE REPLACED PART 3 TIMES IN LAST YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #750657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STALLED GOING ROUND CORNERS, STALLING AT STOPS. ENGINE RACED, FIXED AFTER YEARS LOW MILES.
NHTSA complaint #737501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. (DOT NUMBER: A3UL423186 TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE TREAD UNZIPPED FROM THE TIRE IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE FIRESTONE DEFECT, CAUSING MY BRONCO II TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP THREE TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.( DOT NUMBER: A3UL423186 TIRE SIZE: P205/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #734308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
GOOD MORNING! I AM WRITING TO ADD MY VOICE TO WHAT IS APPARENTLY A GROWING CHORUS OF PERSONS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IGNITION FAILURES ON FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRODUCTS. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT FMC DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR WEB SITE, AS THEIR OWNER REGISTRATION FORM IS, ITSELF, SUFFERING A FAILURE, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A FACILITY FOR DIRECTLY E-MAILING THEM WITHOUT 'REGISTERING' WITH THEM, FIRST. MY 1986 FORD BRONCO, FULL-SIZE, 5.0L, FUEL-INJECTED, IS SUBJECT TO SUDDEN, UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF "FIRE" (I.E. THE IGNITION QUITS FOR NO APPARENT REASON), AND YET WIL RE-FIRE IF THE VEHICLE IS ALLOWED TO SIT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO. THIS CONDITION IS NOT RELATED TO A "TRUE" OVERHEAT, I.E. NOT INVOLVING FAILURE OF THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TFI DISTRIBUTOR MODULE AN AVERAGE OF ONCE A YEAR IN THE SIX YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES MANY TIMES AS A RESULT OF THE IGNITION FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #734149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE AT LOW SPEED & NOTICED HOW BUMPY TIRES WERE FEELING. PULLED OVER & CHECKED. TREAD WAS SEPARATING & THEY WERE OUT OF ROUND. ALSO HAD LUMPS IN THE TIRES. HAVE NOT BEEN IN TOUCH WITH FIRESTONE OR FORD. REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1986 FORD BRONCO. FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX 31X10.5X15 DOT CODE VDHL.
NHTSA complaint #873216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR FAILURES OF THE TFI IGNITION MODULE OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF HAVING PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. EACH SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE YEAR INTERVALS. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE PROMPTED ME TO REPLACE NOT ONLY THE TFI MODULE BUT ALSO AN IGNITION COIL AND GENERAL TUNE-UP PARTS. THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ALSO WHILE SIMPLY AT IDLE IN TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #729645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH RIGHT IN THE CENTER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #833338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE IT ACCELERATED TO HIGH AMOUNT OF SPEED, CAUSING DRIVER TO CRASH HEAD-ON INTO A UTILITY POLE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #834747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING FLAMES CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #834366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #541426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR WIRING CONNECTOR MELTED AND SHORTED OUT CAUSING FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #521922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
FUEL IGNITION WIRING MELTED, RESULTING IN A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #511715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL TANK LEAKS.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN REPLACED TWICE.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR END PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS, CAUSING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD TO DIM/GO OUT
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FUSES IN DASHBOARD SHORTED OUT.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #504330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.