10 of the
109 complaints about the 1996 Ford Bronco are about the
electrical system — 9% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
116,489 miles.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD BRONCO. SPARKS WERE DRIPPING BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBOR ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH THE GARDEN HOSE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. EVENTUALLY, SEVERAL NEIGHBORS WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WITH GARDEN HOSES AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL AND INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY IN FEAR THAT IT MAY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 130,000. UPDATED 4/28/09 *CN UPDATED 04/30/09.*JB UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 12/10/09.
NHTSA complaint #10263070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 140,000 milesGolden Valley, AZFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DROVE 1996 FORD BRONCO 3 BLOCKS AND PARKED IT IN CLOSED UP GARAGE. CAME BACK A FEW DAYS LATER AND FOUND IT BURNT UP. FIRE BURNT UNDER HOOD AND DASH. IT SCORCHED THE VEHICLE PARKED NEXT TO IT AND DAMAGED INSIDE OF GARAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10248962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 86,000 milesSAN Jose, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
1. GENERAL USE OF THE VEHICLE 2. CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. BRAKE FLUID DARK/LEAKING OUT. BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED. 3. I WILL HAVE TO GET A NEW SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #10133371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 105,000 milesEverett, WA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
IN REGAURD TO INVESTIGATION EA 05-005 HEADED UP BY BRUCE YORK; I HAVE A 1996 FORD BRONCO THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH ALSO SHORTED OUT. IT DID NOT RESULT IN A FIRE BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. THE WIRES ARE BURNT RIGHT NEXT TO THE SWITCH AND THE SWITCH IS FULL OF FLUID. I CURRENTLY DRIVE IT AS IS WITH THE WIRES PULLED AWAY BUT EVERY THING IS STILL IN THE TRUCK IF ANY INVESTIGATORS WANT TO SEE IT. I SEE NO MENTION OF THE BRONCO IN THE INVESTIGATION BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS FORTUNATE. NO FIRE
NHTSA complaint #10114678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 131,000 milesPhoenix, AZFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1996 FORD BRONCO, BURNED TO THE GROUND / A TOTAL LOSS. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I WAS HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE THAT I KNEW OF. I HAD A FUEL PUMP PUT IN 4 MONTHS PRIOR FROM MY MECHANIC. THE FIRE STARTED UP FRONT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND MOVED TOWARDS THE REAR. EVERYTHING WAS IN SOME FORM OF MELTED AND OR JUST ASHES.
NHTSA complaint #10108060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 93,000 milesOrlando, FLFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AT APPROXIMATELY 2AM ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2004, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR INFORMING ME THAT MY 1996 FORD BRONCO WAS ON FIRE. WHEN I RAN OUTSIDE, THERE WERE FLAMES "SHOOTING" SEVERAL FEET INTO THE AIR. THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE WAS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FRONT TIRES HAD BLOWN FROM THE HEAT AND THE FIRE HAD MELTED THE DASH AND WAS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE BLAZE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR ARRIVAL. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS (I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES). THE FIRE SEEMS TO HAVE STARTED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SINCE THAT WAS THE AREA WHERE THE FIRE WAS THE HOTTEST. (THE LEAD WHEEL WEIGHTS ACTUALLY MELTED) SINCE THEN I HAVE HEARD QUITE A FEW STORIES OF SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH WITH FORD BRONCOS, EXPLORERS, AND F150 PICK UPS OF MODEL YEARS RANGING FROM 1996 THROUGH 2002. ONE OF THE COMMON ELEMENTS IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THESE EVENTS, ACCORDING TO A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, IS THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLES THAT BURNT HAD FAILED. THAT WAS TRUE WITH MY VEHICLE. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD NOT WORKED FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS OR SO. MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT.
NHTSA complaint #10107948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 116,489 milesOxon Hill, MDFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET VEHICLE OUT OF PARK ONE MORNING AND HAD TO REPLACE A FUSE. JUST AFTER VEHICLE STARTED SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD, AND SAW A FIRE AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A BOTTLE OF WATER. *AK THE MASTER CYLINDER PRESSURE SWITCH AND CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10095360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Horseshoe Bend, IDFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CRUISE CONTROL AND DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERATIVE. EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED. FRONT END IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND PULLS TO THE LEFT. HEAD LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, RADIATOR CAP, AND WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE STRUTS THAT HOLD THE BACK WINDOW AND DOOR DID NOT HOLD, SPRINGS FOR THE BACK DOOR ARE INOPERATIVE. TRANSMISSION NEEDED ADJUSTMENT, BALL IN TRANSMISSION FAILED, VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE, AND UNIVERSAL JOINT WAS REPLACED. DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE. ELECTRICAL SWITCH THAT ADJUSTS THE DRIVER SEAT SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, GROUND CABLE ON THE BATTERY BROKE CAUSING COMPUTER TO BE INOPERATIVE, STARTER SWITCH, SOLENOID, LOCK CYLINDER, CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND TEM SENSOR WERE REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND VENTS DO NOT WORK. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #8006852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #603994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wynantskill, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
REAR WINDOW EXPLODED 4 TIMES DUE TO USE WITH REAR DEFROSTER CIRCUITRY.
NHTSA complaint #809288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.