Ford · NHTSA safety record

2023 Ford Bronco

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

216

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2023 Ford Bronco have filed 216 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2022 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers, named in 89 of them (41%). The typical failure was reported at 10,821 miles, the median across the 22 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 18 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (18)

ENGINE

26V468000 · July 20, 2026

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco and Bronco Raptor vehicles. The engine compartment wiring harness may become damaged and short circuit.
The risk: A short circuit in the engine compartment can create heat or spark, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will install sheathing over the wiring, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S55. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 23, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 565,691 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY

26V403000 · June 24, 2026

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Bronco vehicles. The fender flares may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.
The risk: A detached fender flare can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the fender flares as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 11, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in late August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S47. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 7, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 36,046 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

26V236000 · April 14, 2026

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Bronco vehicles. The transmission to transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines.
The risk: Excessive wear of the transmission and transfer case splines may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmission to transfer case joint and replace the transmission and transfer case as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 15, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 4,922 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

26V124000 · March 3, 2026

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Ford Bronco and 2021-2024 Ford Edge vehicles. The Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) may overheat and shutdown, which can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended.
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: The APIM software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S09. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 849,310 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

25V721000 · October 23, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
The risk: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 28, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 163,256 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

25V685000 · October 10, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 59,006 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

25V455000 · July 7, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
The risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.

Ford Motor Company · up to 850,318 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V273000 · May 14, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco vehicles. The 360-degree view camera may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
The risk: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48. This recall expands previous recall number 23V-598.

Ford Motor Company · up to 128,889 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V315000 · May 9, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,076,138 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER

25V025000 · January 17, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles. The rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external reservoir.
The risk: An external reservoir that detaches from a vehicle can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorbers, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S01.

Ford Motor Company · up to 149,449 vehicles across all model years covered

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK

24V189000 · March 8, 2024

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Bronco 4-door vehicles. The left-side rear door may be opened from the inside of the vehicle when the child safety lock is in the "ON" position.
The risk: A malfunctioning child safety lock that allows a rear door to be opened unintentionally can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the child safety locks and replace the rear door latch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 9, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S15.

Ford Motor Company · up to 9,847 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

24V142000 · February 23, 2024

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Bronco and Bronco Heritage vehicles. The rear quarter glass panels may have been improperly installed to the vehicle hard top, which can allow them to detach.
The risk: Detached rear glass panels may create a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the rear glass panels on Bronco vehicles. On Bronco Heritage vehicles, dealers will replace the rear left-hand removable quarter glass panel. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Bronco owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2024. Bronco Heritage owner letters were mailed June 12, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S10.

Ford Motor Company · up to 7,875 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL

23V546000 · August 3, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco vehicles. The transmission park system may have been damaged during assembly, which can prevent the parking pawl from fully engaging and result in a vehicle rollaway.
The risk: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S44.

Ford Motor Company · up to 2 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

23V379000 · May 26, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk: An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.

Ford Motor Company · up to 29,607 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

23V358000 · May 18, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco vehicles built with the 5-Door body style. The first-row seat belt latch plates may be difficult to access from their stowed position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: Difficulty accessing the seat belt latches may result in occupants not wearing their seat belts, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will add a sliding clip latch stop to the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 14, 2023. Owner letters informing owners that parts are available were mailed on October 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C16.

Ford Motor Company · up to 175,550 vehicles across all model years covered

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

23V283000 · April 20, 2023

Do not drive until repaired

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco and Ranger vehicles. The lug nuts on the driver's side wheels may have been improperly tightened.
The risk: Loose lug nuts may result in wheel detachment while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, retighten the lug nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S17.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,434 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING

23V155000 · March 8, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco Wildtrak and 2022 Bronco Raptor vehicles. Internal damage to the steering gear may require increased steering effort or cause the steering wheel to lock-up.
The risk: A steering wheel that locks-up can result in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S09.

Ford Motor Company · up to 343 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

23V070000 · February 10, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK."
The risk: The inability to secure the vehicle in the park position can result in a rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmissions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S06.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,138 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 216.

VISIBILITY/WIPER 89 41%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 22 10%

POWER TRAIN 20 9%

ENGINE 19 9%

SERVICE BRAKES 16 7%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15 7%

STRUCTURE 13 6%

SUSPENSION 13 6%

BACK OVER PREVENTION 9 4%

SEAT BELTS 7 3%

STEERING 5 2%

VISIBILITY 5 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2023 at 112.

2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR Filed July 31, 2023

1 injured

While driving on a highway at +70 mph, the rear window shattered inward, with such force that it sounded like a shotgun had discharged. I did not stop, because literally thought I may have been shot at. The window shattered with such force that the plastic molding around the rear speakers were sliced by the glass. Thank goodness no one was in the back seat, my wife and I were both covered in glass fragments, including small shards of glass. The Ford dealership stated the glass must have been faulty.

NHTSA complaint 11535522. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING Filed August 11, 2026

1 injured

I was going really slow down an easy dirt road in 4L and all of the sudden the steering wheel spun violently two full turns left in under a second on its own. This threw my right arm off the wheel where it hit the shifter with force leaving a large bruise. Steering system fault warning appeared, the tire position on the camera screen was stuck all the way left, and i could no longer disconnect my stabilizer bar. i turned the car off for 5 minutes then back on and everything was fine. If this steering glitch happened at highway speeds I could have rolled the car and dies. Luckily i was going really slow on a relatively smooth part of the trail when this occurred and it only shook me and my

NHTSA complaint 11756156, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FIRERELATED Filed May 14, 2026

fire · towed · 10,000 miles

The contact owned a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal noise. The contact's boyfriend had pulled over. They discovered an unknown fluid leaking under the vehicle and a spark coming from the engine before the vehicle caught fire. There were no injuries were sustained. The firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. Upon research, the contact related the failure to the fuel injector. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no

NHTSA complaint 11737859, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed December 17, 2025

fire

The vehicle was parked and not in operation when a fire occurred. There was no collision or impact. The fire originated in the vehicle and caused significant damage. Emergency services responded to extinguish the fire. The vehicle had been properly maintained and there were no aftermarket modifications. The cause of the fire is unknown at this

NHTSA complaint 11705690. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY Filed August 11, 2026

The MIC hardtop is bubbling some at the top and has a line where it looks like perhaps it is assembled on the back panel over the top that is discolored in comparison to the rest of the top. Furthermore, the middle panel is a different color than the rest of the hardtop. It is available for complete inspection upon request. The car has not been inspected by dealer but was bought used and did not show the bubbling whenever it was purchased--but rather it has happened in the months since it was purchased. It was found when the top was removed and the bubbling was noticeable when running my hand over it. Note that it is not visible to be seen via picture, and the bubble must be felt. It cannot

NHTSA complaint 11756193, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY Filed July 17, 2026

The MIC hard top component on my Ford Bronco is cracking. I have gotten it replaced twice through Ford for the same issue, but now this is my 3rd top and the issue keeps coming back.

NHTSA complaint 11751149. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed July 14, 2026

2023 Ford Bronco with 7 speed manual transmission. The transmission started grinding while shifting into 3rd gear and occasionally popping out of 3rd gear. This mostly occurred while upshifting and rarely while downshifting. All other gears are operating as normal. While the grinding problem would pop up occasionally around the 40,000 mile mark, it became chronic at 58,000 mile mark (24Jun2026)

NHTSA complaint 11750266. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed July 13, 2026

After making a right hand turn, when the steering wheel recenters for some unknown reason it is turning on the left turn signal. I had noticed it in the past and thought I was wrong, but it continuing to do it.

NHTSA complaint 11749931. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed June 29, 2026

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE IN 2023 BRONCO. What happened is exactly what is described for current recall of the electronic brake booster for 2025 broncos. Mine is a 2023.

NHTSA complaint 11747200. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Bronco

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2025	47	19	—
2024	73	16	—
2022	363	23	—
2021	223	20	—

Other 2023 Ford models

F-150 397 Maverick Hybrid 259 Bronco Sport 151 Mustang Mach E 115 F-150 Lightning BEV 105 Explorer 103 Escape 94 F-150 Hybrid 93

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst