FaultScore

2021 Ford Bronco engine problems

73 of the 303 complaints about the 2021 Ford Bronco are about the engine — 24% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 8,000 miles.

C

73

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 68 93.2%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 4 5.5%
Exhaust System 1 1.4%

Engine & Cooling across every Ford Bronco year

1988 15 8.4%
1989 17 9.6%
2021 73 41.0%
2022 52 29.2%
2023 21 11.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

PA, PA

ENGINE

Fuel pump.has low pressure therefore making vehicle stop running completely. Has happened twice , once while driving on highway. This is extremly dangerous to have your vehicle just come to complete dead stop in middle.of road. FORD has no remedy to fix and now i am without a car I am paying for since it wont start now.

NHTSA complaint #11754851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lorton, VA

ENGINE

A Safety Recall was issued on the vehicle with no remedy. The recall was in reference to the Engine Intake Valves and stated; "The engine intake valves may crack and break, which could result in loss of motive power and increase the risk of a crash". It also stated, " Prior to losing motive power, an engine malfunction indicator lamp may illuminate in the cluster and the driver may notice that the vehicle is running rough". This issue was the result of Ford manufacturing using a material that had "hardness issues". This all came out prior to the vehicle reaching the end of its warranty mileage. A test was required on the engine at the dealership at which time, the technician determined there was no need to perform the "recall test" (confirmed by video sent to us). On or around Dec. 17th, while my wife was driving the vehicle and entering a gas station, the check engine light came on, and the vehicle began losing power. She parked and immediately contacted the Ford dealership. They advised her to not drive the vehicle and have it towed to the nearest dealership (She was in Pennsylvania picking up our daughter from college). It was determined by the dealership in Pa. that compression in a cylinder was down 5% and the vehicle needed a new engine. We had the vehicle towed back to Virginia and inspected by the dealership who services the vehicle. Parts of the engine were removed for visual inspection at which time a crack intake valve was found, confirming the engine was no good. Also, confirming the issue Ford had stated in its recall. All information and pictures were sent to Ford manufacturing for determination on fixing the problem. Ford has said they will not cover the total cost to make good on their recall because the vehicle was out of warranty (miles were exceeded). How are consumers protected from manufactures taking advantage of mileage? The SAFETY recall was issued long before the warranty ran out. What if my wife had crashed w/ our daughter?

NHTSA complaint #11718771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington Beach, CA

ENGINE

Component or system that failed or malfunctioned: The fuel delivery system, specifically the fuel pump, which is subject to an active safety recall. The recall states that fuel pump failure can result in loss of fuel pressure and flow, leading to engine stall. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How safety was put at risk: A sudden engine stall while driving would result in an immediate loss of propulsion and power, creating a significant risk of collision, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. This creates a dangerous situation for the driver, passengers, and surrounding vehicles due to the inability to accelerate or maintain speed. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center: The defect has been confirmed by the manufacturer through an official safety recall. At this time, there is no repair remedy available. The vehicle has not yet been repaired due to lack of an available fix. Has the vehicle or component been inspected: The vehicle has not yet been physically inspected for this specific failure because the recall remedy is not available. The defect has been acknowledged by the manufacturer as part of the active recall. Warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to failure: At this time, there is no warning indicating when or if the fuel pump may fail. The recall states the failure may occur without warning. No prior warning lamps or messages have reliably indicated when the failure could occur. Additional information: Due to the nature of this defect and the lack of an available repair, I no longer feel the vehicle is safe to operate. The uncertainty of a sudden engine stall has created ongoing safety concerns and financial hardship, as I am responsible for a vehicle that may fail without warning.

NHTSA complaint #11714757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grand Rapids, MI

ENGINE

Ford has 3 safety recalls on 2021 ford bronco and they have no remedy to fix any of them yet. My car stalled out 3 times now because of the low pressure fuel pump failure recall. I was pulling out into traffic and it stalled out while a car was coming at me. The only solution Ford had was to put old parts in the car which I refused. I asked for a loaner vehicle and they said they don’t have any. Recall warning is going on 6 months. I am at a risk and other people are at a risk having my car on the road, tried lemon law and Ford denied me. Nobody feels safe in my car and someone is going to get seriously hurt if this happens at the wrong time.

NHTSA complaint #11705997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cordell, OK Crash

ENGINE

Ford has issued a recall (24S55) stating the Intake valves on the ford bronco with engine2.7L and 3.0L will harden and crack or break and loss of power. I had the same issue in my 2021 Ford Bronco with the 2.3L engine while I was driving in the highway I got a check engine light then it started cutting out horribly so I slowed down to pull off the road through a metal gate that was open with a cattle guard and the engine died as I was turning in and loss power steering trying to turn the wheel back in time I didn’t and ended up side swiping the pole and knocking off my side mirror and damaging my front quarter panel along with the front door. No damage to the solid metal pole. But I took my vehicle to the local ford dealership to see what the issue was and at the time they should have gotten the recall and at least put two and two together and let ford know about the issue in the 2.3L also but they didn’t mention anything about the valve being broken but said it had no compression and the spark plug diode was broke off. I’ve never seen a diode and the diodes ground hook break off on its own it’s always been broken off from being hit by something but they said it needed a whole new engine for $13,000 so I took it to another mechanic since that’s always that dealerships go to answer for everything is it needs a new engine so the new mechanic did the same stuff and also used a bore scope but instead of just saying the cylinder was bad he seen the hole in the valve and said it just needs a new head with new valves so since I needed my ride to be able to get to work and for half the price they tore it down and sure enough the valve was cracked with a hole just as they said and just like the recall (24S55) but had that dealership paid attention to safety alerts and ran the issue up with ford and let them know the same issue had happened in the bronco with the 2.3L engines also I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I’d be putting a 5 star review on their page not a 1.

NHTSA complaint #11679626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Las Vegas, NV

ENGINE

I was notified that there is a safety recall on my vehicle and there is no remedy available. I am concerned because of the issue may cause me to stall and likely crash. This is very concerning . I am not sure why there’s not a remedy. I hope there is soon. Please tell me what can be done as soon as possible.

NHTSA complaint #11675173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bend, OR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact had received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V635000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), 25V025000 (Suspension), 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts for all four recalls were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the rear camera intermittently displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available for NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V025000, 25V315000, and 25V455000. Parts distribution disconnect for NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V635000.

NHTSA complaint #11673354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,000 miles Calle Reinita, PR

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that water was entering the vehicle through the roof. While the vehicle was parked, the vehicle started rolling down the hill. The contact stated that the brake pedal was continuously pumping while being depressed. The contact stated that the brake lights were illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the battery was replaced. The vehicle was returned to the contact with rust and mold throughout the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case and discussed a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.

NHTSA complaint #11672876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boulder, CO

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V635000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) and 25V025000 (SUSPENSION); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11662334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chino, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V025000 (SUSPENSION) and 24V635000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11654482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Parker, CO

ENGINE

24S55/24V635 When will the recall resolution or test be available? Expected q1 has come and gone.

NHTSA complaint #11653564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Austin, TX

ENGINE

Ford has failed to remediate NHTSA#24V635 by the end of "first quarter of 2025" as they had promised. No updates have been issued. What are they doing?

NHTSA complaint #11652976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Center Valley, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V635000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 25V025000 (Suspension); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that there was hydraulic fluid leaking from the vehicle near the rear struts. While driving approximately 35-45 MPH, one fluid reservoir on the driver’s side rear strut detached from the vehicle. The contact continued to drive to an independent mechanic. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that both rear struts were defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. Additionally, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was towed to another mechanic who replaced the struts. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to request a reimbursement. The failure mileage was 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11643846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Granby, MA

ENGINE

When driving on the highway and pressing down on the gas pedal, the bronco immediately stalled without warning. The vehicle gradually slowed down and I was unable to do anything except turn the wheel. I was lucky that there was a shoulder to pull over to. (This time of year there are tons of spots on the highway that there isn't a shoulder to pull over to and could have posed a HUGE safety issue!) Even with the shoulder, large vehicles were driving by at speeds of 80mph with just a few feet of clearance. I was unable to start the vehicle after multiple attempts. Electrical power to the vehicle still worked. I had to call a tow truck and tow us the remaining way to our destination. After several hours (roughly 3 hours) the vehicle was able to start again. I drove to the dealership to have them look at it. They could only tell me that it was a low fuel pressure incident and could not replicate it. They said could just be "bad gas". This same exact incident -vehicle stalling while driving and pressing on the gas pedal, without any warning, has happened two additional times since this major incident. I took it to another dealer to have it looked at again and they said almost the exact same thing. System shows a low fuel pressure event but that they can't replicate it. I believe it could be tied to the NHTSA Action Number PE24019 that is currently under investigation. This is an extremely dangerous issue and wildly unpredictable that could leave me stranded or hit on the side of the road at anytime. Additionally, it's frustrating to see the possible issue under investigation for recall since July 2024 (before any of my issues) and have neither of the two dealerships tell me this information after I specifically asked if there had been any similar incidents reported. I had to do my own research to find this. Please help! Please recall!

NHTSA complaint #11639864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Woodinville, WA

ENGINE

Bronco lost power, crank no start, 24 miles from a maintained road. Left us stranded and required 5 Jeeps to recover vehicle to pavement before having it towed to dealer 172 miles away. Extremely dangerous situation to lose power descending a steep hill and leaving vehicle stranded miles off road in 100+ degree weather. Low Fuel pressure DTC captured, possible loss of fuel pump, several similar reports on [XXX] . Currently at dealership for diag and warranty work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11602482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Downingtown, PA

ENGINE

Week and half ago engine started idling real rough, sputtering, then drove about 100 yds. Engine conked out in middle of intersection and would not restart. Was dangerous because had 3 grandchildren in back seat. Because engine wouldn’t start I had trouble trying to get it in neutral to push vehicle to side of road. Had to walk grand kids back to their house. Got a AAA tow approximately 35 miles to Ford dealer where purchased. There were no warning messages prior to engine failure except the rough idle and sputtering Vehicle was diagnosed as a fuel pump failure, but vehicle is still at dealership over 10 days awaiting parts

NHTSA complaint #11588716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lookout Mountain, TN

ENGINE

2.7 engine failure while accelerating on to a hwy. Loss of acceleration and power. I was unable to get fully off the road. Engine was replaced under warranty only 3,636 miles on car. No warning lights prior to this failure. Once engine failed and started smoking the check engine light came on.

NHTSA complaint #11579108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coopersburg, PA

ENGINE

Four hours into a drive today, going down a fairly steep hill @ ~30mph into a 4 point intersection my Bronco lost all power, brakes and steering. I mean it had nothing. We barely made it thru the intersection because the cars coming directly at us slammed brakes. I had no control and went off the road into someone’s yard, barely missing their fence. It was the scariest thing we’ve ever encountered. My son in the back screaming STOP at the top of his lungs is burned in my brain. What makes all of this worse is that Ford just had it in the shop for 3 days because the week before when they had my Bronco in the shop for yearly inspection/oil change and under their care it had the first symptoms of this issue. I received an app notice of a battery failure AND at their request because of this new issue they wanted my car for a “longer look” the following week. Today was first time driving it since they handed it back to me (I use the valet service that picks up and drops it back to me). Ford could come back and say they will give us a new car and there’s no way I can ever convince my wife to get back in this car. She was absolutely freaked out as the cars coming towards us would have drilled her door. It took Ford 4 hours to come 17 miles to tow us (probably a contractor) to the local Ford dealer that was closed by the time it arrived. We had to Uber to Enterprise and then drive the rental home four hours.

NHTSA complaint #11562143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 16,900 miles Miami, FL

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the accelerator pedal became inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway. The contact was not able to restart the vehicle. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty fuel pump inside the fuel tank and a faulty fuel module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 16,900.

NHTSA complaint #11554216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

New York, NY

ENGINE

good day! Bronco 2021 (VIN [XXX] ) - my engine suddenly broken while driving - i heard some unusual clicks-knocks from the engine side, check engine lamp apperared. i stopped vehicle, look under the hood and saw puddle of oil under the engine (car mileage about 7000 miles). service man said that i should buy a new engine - old one broken with no chance of repair... how can you help me? thanks INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11544214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chicago, IL

ENGINE

Driving on the highway, the check engine light came on. I felt a loss of power in the vehicle, and couldn't accelerate. I was able to pull over put the car in park and turn it off. When I tried to turn it on, there was no power. Had to get it towed to the dealership to replace the engine.

NHTSA complaint #11527004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Belleville, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

When my vehicle was warming up I noticed two plumes of smoke coming from the muffler area. One plume was the tailpipe and the other was shooting straight down from underneath the vehicle. Upon inspection I found a whole in the bottom of the muffler. There is no denting or impact damage near the hole. There is exhaust stains on the muffler ranging from the hole towards the rear of the vehicle. The exhaust stains show evidence that the whole and the exhaust leaking out has been taking place for quite some time. It is obvious the muffler rotted.

NHTSA complaint #11501861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 6,000 miles La Vernia, TX

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the accelerator pedal however, the engine failed to engage, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified, and the contact was scheduled and appointment for the following month. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

NHTSA complaint #11498963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brooksville, FL

ENGINE

Check engine light came on and I took it into the dealership. They found the codes and confirmed low compression in cylinder 6. Was told I needed a new engine.

NHTSA complaint #11492900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Luis Obispo, CA

ENGINE

On December 4, 2021, I was accelerating to get on the freeway when my Bronco started shaking (from the front of the vehicle/under the hood) and refused to speed up. I was thankfully able to pull safely off the freeway into a vacant lot and wait for a tow. The work was completed, but I still had to wait over a month before getting my vehicle back. The entire engine needed to be replaced.

NHTSA complaint #11490607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Niceville, FL

ENGINE

I have reported this prior (complaint number 11481579). Another total catastrophic shut down of the vehicle occurred while my son was driving causing a near miss fatal rear ending on a busy road. The vehicle loses all power and electrical for no reason while being driven. Only after 5-10 min can the vehicle be restarted. I am reporting this story to new agency so I recommend the NHTSA take issue seriously.

NHTSA complaint #11490428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Mateo, CA

ENGINE

In November 2021, I received delivery of my new Ford Bronco 4WD Badlands vehicle. I went for a road trip with my family and friends in my new car. While driving back, the car engine light appeared on the dashboard, along with the service alert, and the car began to make noise. I pulled over and tried to restart the car, but it never started. We were in the mountains, where there was no signal for more than ten miles. We were completely stranded, along with my kids, who were 13 and 16 at the time, and one of my friends' 8-year-old daughter. We were fortunate to be with our friends and he was able to take us to a near-safe area where we could contact Ford and the dealership. After 5 hours of waiting in a safe zone, we received a towing truck. I picked up the car with the towing driver and parked it at a nearly Ford dealership. We had to book a hotel room in the area, and the next morning I went to the local Ford dealership to request an appointment to see the problem, but they said they didn't have any appointments available for another three weeks and insisted I call Ford customer service again. Ford customer service arranged for the same towing company that came last night to help haul the car to my dealership, where I purchased this car. My local Towne Ford dealership was nice enough to inspect and repair the car, but after a few days, I had a similar issue and they suggested that they replace the engine with a new one. The dealership took nearly a month to ship and repair the engine replacement. A few weeks ago, as my family and I were driving from SF to LA, my car suddenly lost power. I kept getting the message, "Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power fault detected," and later, "Service Engine Soon warning," which states that the engine control system has determined that the turbocharger is producing less boost than normal.It was shocking because I was on vacation with my family in LA, and the kids were terrified to even be in the car. this are some experiences

NHTSA complaint #11487253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Englewood, CO

ENGINE

my car went from 50 mph to nothing. lost power. coasted to the side of the road barely avoiding traffic. dark road, sheriff had to sit behind car so I was not rear ended in pitch dark had to be towed to the dealer. one week later dealer uncertain. likely complete engine failure maybe fuel valve less than one year old. 11,000 miles

NHTSA complaint #11485895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

ENGINE

While driving approximately 40 mph the engine just shut off and the car stopped without warning on an extremely busy road. I could not turn the car back on at all and had to have someone help me push the Bronco to the side of the road. My Bronco had only about 3,500-4,000 miles on it and is less than a year old. About 5 months earlier I did hear a strange and very faint tapping noise from the engine right around the wheel base when I drove under 35 mph. About a week or two after I noticed this noise, it then went away. When I was at the Ford dealership getting an additional key programmed for my Bronco, I asked if they had heard of such an issue or if they thought it was something they should look into. They thought it was just a new car working out new car sounds.

NHTSA complaint #11485046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ontario, NY

ENGINE

I was driving about 65mph on a bridge when my engine completely shut down. I barely was able to coast to the end of the bridge and was almost struck by multiple vehicles. This is a new bronco with 3000 miles on it. I see they had problems with this in the 6 cylinder but I have the 4 cylinder and this happened. Also when u got to the side of the road every single warning light in the vehicle went off. There was no warning sign. No previous issue. It just happened out of the blue and I could have been killed because of this. My wife was in the vehicle with me and was terrified. Then it took 4 hrs to get a tow truck to get us using road side assistance. Now I'm out a brand new vehicle for God knows how long and have no transportation.

NHTSA complaint #11483782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2021 Ford Bronco problems

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