Ford Bronco Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,160 owner complaints and 51 safety recalls on file for the Ford Bronco, across 11 model years (1995–2026). The 2022 model year has the most complaints (380). The most reported problem area overall is visibility/wiper.
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Ford Bronco years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Bronco year: 2021, 2022, 2023. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2022 Bronco: 380 complaints, 23 recalls
- 2021 Bronco: 230 complaints, 20 recalls
- 2023 Bronco: 229 complaints, 18 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1997 Bronco: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 1998 Bronco: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1999 Bronco: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Ford Bronco problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper problems | 175 | 5 | 1 |
| Engine problems | 156 | 6 | 3 |
| Electrical System problems | 152 | 9 | 5 |
| Power Train problems | 104 | 9 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 89 | 5 | 6 |
| Suspension | 81 | 7 | 2 |
| Structure | 78 | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 66 | 5 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 62 | 5 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 56 | 5 | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 55 | 7 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 44 | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 41 | 7 | 5 |
| Visibility | 38 | 8 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 30 | 6 | 5 |
| Air Bags | 25 | 8 | 10 |
| Exterior Lighting | 23 | 6 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 23 | 7 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 21 | 5 | 1 |
| Seats | 21 | 8 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 7 | 0 |
| Wheels | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Tires | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| Equipment | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford Bronco problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2023: visibility/wiper (90)
- 2022: visibility/wiper (65) · engine (52)
- 2021: engine (69)
All Ford Bronco model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Bronco | 9 | 9 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2025 Bronco | 54 | 19 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Bronco | 78 | 16 | — | Unknown or Other | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2023 Bronco | 229 | 18 | — | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2022 Bronco | 380 | 23 | — | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2021 Bronco | 230 | 20 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Bronco | 2 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1998 Bronco | 2 | 0 | — | Air Bags | |
| 1997 Bronco | 1 | 0 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 1996 Bronco | 81 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 Bronco | 94 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | More complaints than other years |
More from Ford: all Ford models · Ford VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Bronco years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2021 (230), 2022 (380), 2023 (229) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Bronco year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford Bronco?
Visibility/wiper, with 175 complaints across 5 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford Bronco have?
51 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.