2021 Ford Bronco Sport
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Ford › Bronco Sport › 2021
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
16 recalls name the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Newest first.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.
A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
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.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
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 December 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 (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the engine control software. In addition, dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel rail assembly and fuel injectors, free of charge. As an interim repair, dealers will update the engine control software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 29, 2025. Second letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S76. This recall expands and replaces previous recall numbers 22V-859, 24V187, and 25V165. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-859, 24V187, and 25V165 will need to have the new final remedy performed once it is available.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A…
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V-267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.
An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 23, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S26.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S21.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail.
Battery failure can result in a loss of electrical accessories, including the hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the 12-volt battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S02. Vehicles in this recall were previously repaired under 24V-267 and will need to have the new remedy completed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.
An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S24.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S21.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The moonroof glass may not have been bonded correctly to the moonroof frame, which could result in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle.
A detached glass panel can become a road hazard, and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the moonroof glass date code and replace the glass, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S46.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall.
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. Interim notification letters (remedy not available) were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S38.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. These vehicles may have been produced with incorrect front lower control arms.
An incorrect lower control arm may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a rollover crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front lower control arms, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S03.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The rear suspension subframe assembly may have loose or missing bolts.
Loose or missing bolts may affect the vehicle's handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash. It could also reduce the vehicle's performance in a rear impact crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear suspension bolts, and secure or replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S04.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport equipped with an 8F35 automatic transmission. While driving between 25 and 45 MPH under normal acceleration, the vehicle experienced repeated violent hesitation, jerking, and lunging 4 to 5 times in rapid succession, accompanied by rapid RPM fluctuations between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM. The condition mimics an engine misfire or momentary stall and loss of motive power during acceleration, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of rear-end collision in active traffic. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Ford dealership (Cronin Ford North) on September 30, 2026. The dealership verified and duplicated the complaint on a road test, monitored PIDs, and officially confirmed that the torque converter clutch (TCC) was slipping. Despite confirming mechanical slip, the dealership stated in writing that there were "no relevant articles," overlooking the published Ford Special Service Message SSM 54797 for 8F35 torque converter shudder below 60 MPH. The dealership recommended replacing the torque converter and main control valve body for over $5,200. When the owner declined due to cost, the vehicle was released back into service without answering the owner's written safety inquiry regarding whether the vehicle was safe to operate with verified drivetrain slippage. Additionally, the vehicle has an open safety recall (25S76) for which Ford corporate confirmed no remedy or parts are currently available. The vehicle has not stalled completely, but the severe hesitation and surging persist under normal acceleration. The manufacturer has not provided a resolution.
Driving and check engine light came on saying abs system disabled pull over immediately This was a 4000.00 repair for the sensor that should’ve been a recall as there were 5 other broncos repaired with this same issue in the shop during my repair. I was not covered u der warranty because I was 600 miles over power train warranty when this occurred. Please review for possible ford recall.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle intermittently failed to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that fuel was not reaching the engine. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that there was no open recall on the VIN. The vehicle was no longer driven due to the safety issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
The Bronco Sport was put into drive and would not go like normal, it slowly picked up speed, but every shift between gears was felt. The vehicle drove fine once it hit 55mph. Vehicle was shut off and then would not engage into drive. The drive icon was flashing. The dealer was able to confirm the problem. There were zero warning messages or symptoms prior to the problem. The vehicle had been serviced two months prior and the transmission was functioning in the green according to the dealer.
Vehicle had rough idle. Loss power. Loss engine coolant and oil and started pouring large amounts of white smoke from exhaust.
I have a 2021 Bronco Sport 55,000 miles. I have taken my vehicle to the dealer for all maintenance, repairs and advice. My boyfriend mentioned my RPMs are bouncing and they should not. I scheduled at the dealer anticipating a sensor. I learned from the dealer my vehicle requires a new transmission, new rear and new water pump. $15,000. I also learned that in 2009 Ford changed their transmission to an enclosed transmission. This has changed their inspection of the transmission to only include checking the fluid if it has a dip stick. Since an enclosed transmission does not have a dip stick mine was never checked from the factory. I have requested Ford Goodwill assistance which has offered $6,000 toward the rebuilding of the transmission and rear. I am six months out of the time portion of the warranty and under the mileage of 60,000. I have had all of my repairs and checks done by the dealer. I never knew they were not checking the transmission fluid. They explained it saved me $40 to not check it... while it's costing me $15,000. As I check Ai it states this is common. My dealer says it's not common. I have asked for additional assistance as this is a caustrophic loss to me. Having a car 5 years old and needing such repairs is leaving me perplexed. My family has always run Ford and stated they can go 1 million miles yet mine cannot get to 56,000 miles... I actually always bought my teenagers cars around 80,000 feeling they were broke in... I am writing because I want this tracked. Ford broke my repairs into three smaller repairs which caused the Ford Customer Service to be confused as to how/why I was saying $15,000. I feel they are slanting the history by presenting as if my car is three different cars or three different time periods for repairs. Honestly I always avoided cars with replaced/rebuilt transmissions feeling the owner was harsh on the vehicle or thinking it towed or plowed. I only drove this vehicle gently and to work yet failure
Rear differential makes grinding noise. Repaired by Ford in 10/24 but grinding has returned.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the transmission failed to shift into a higher gear. The contact stated that the RPM was high and the vehicle was restarted to continue driving. The messages "Power Train Malfunction" and "Cannot Engage in Park, Turn on Parking Brake" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the lead frame had failed and the lead frame and transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,434.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 46,427, and at the time of the vehicle registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 74,310.
The rear differential went out on my Bronco Sport. Ford has issued a TSB, but has not widely promoted it. I've been told if I drive it, it could have a catastrophic failure resulting in an accident. My vehicle has been sitting at a Ford dealership for 7 weeks now and the part is not anticipated to be released to the dealership for over another month. No loaner was provided either.
I have had issues dating back to when I first got the car with rough idling and it turning off while idling. Most recently about 2 weeks ago experienced inability to turn the car on after fueling with gas. Rough idling and turning off while idling were also associated with gas filling. I took this car to Ford dealership multiple times. Check engine light came on associated with EVAP leak code. Ford dealership unable to diagnosis. I took to an independent mechanic who diagnosed in 10 minutes it is an EVAP purge valve malfunction and that likely this had been defective for some time. I reported this to ford and they refuse to compensate for this. I have seen multiple reports online of same issue with other ford bronco sport dealers. This failure seems abnormally premature and defective design. Concerning it results in loss of power of the vehicle as well.
When I drive this car there is a carbon monoxide smell leaking into the vehicle. It also sputters when accelerating or shifting. And the windshield wipers random start.
The rear drive unit (RDU) is the suspected culprit for a harsh rubbing sound which occurs during turns at low speed, typically 20mph or less. Safety is a concern because the manufacturer has identified several issues with this year/model and its RDU, and the concern is contaminated lubricants can cause unseen damage leading to the potential loss of motive power or uneven power distribution. I was lucky to have found the problem before it became significantly worse. Ford has acknowledged the issue in at least three service bulletins I was able to find. No warning lamps or messages, but the shudder started around 40-50k miles.
UNKNOWN THE VEHICLE HAS A VERY STRONG ODOR COMING FROM VENTS IT SMELLS LIKE FUEL OR GAS. It feels like it is about to lose power. It stresses me out driving it and no one can fix it!!
My vehicle is subject to open NHTSA recall 25S76 regarding a fuel injector that may crack and cause fuel to accumulate on top of the engine near hot surfaces, creating a fire risk. This recall was identified months ago, but Ford has stated parts are not currently available and no repair date has been given. I have not received any further communication or updated timeline since the recall was issued. In the meantime, my vehicle has also been experiencing intermittent jerking during acceleration between approximately 40-50 mph, which I am concerned may be an early symptom of the injector issue described in this recall. I am continuing to drive the vehicle because no remedy is currently available, but I am concerned about the extended delay in providing parts for a safety recall involving a known fire risk. I am requesting that NHTSA review the length of this delay and Ford's plan for remedying affected vehicles
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle lost automotive power while driving and while stopped and idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after refueling, the vehicle required several restarts before continuing to drive. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the battery was prematurely draining and that the EVAP was clogged, and that the battery and EVAP needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, a warning light illuminated, indicating a rear seat belt monitoring fault. There was an audible alert. The orange SRS symbol was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was associated with Customer Satisfaction Program: 24N08 (Driver’s Side Seat Buckle Replacement). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the front driver’s side buckle, seat belt, and air bag SRS light needed to be repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer was aware of the issue. The manufacturer was contacted by chat and by phone. The contact was awaiting guidance from the manufacturer about the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000
Continue to have major safety concerns over this car. Had new issue of car not starting after refueling. Brought it in to dealership on Friday 9/25 and check engine light indicated EVAP problem code. Dealership at first refused to evaluate EVAP telling me was not related. Then then found a clogged hose but did not repair the EVAP and on 09/28 my check engine light came back on again. I called dealership and ford corporate still with no plan as they say they will not cover repair or rental. This is in light of having had the car turn off spontaneously while driving as recent as December. I am very concerned this may be linked to fuel injector recall which has no remedy and do not feel safe driving this car.
At around 75,000 miles, we noticed a small, occasional transmission shudder. We were told that these vehicles feel like that sometimes. We brought it up again around 100,000 miles. We were told we needed to change the purge valve assembly. We did. It did not help. We took the vehicle to a transmission shop and were told that the torque converter was slipping, and that the transmission needed rebuilt or replaced. We took it back to Ford to confirm. They quoted us for a rebuild. I have seen many other people online with the same issue. Some happening, luckily (I suppose), while still under warranty. These transmissions are failing and no one is doing anything. I now have a transmission repair on a vehicle with only 120,000 miles on it that is going to cost me almost as much as the vehicle is worth. This could be a safety issue if the transmission were to fail in Chicago traffic, or when merging into traffic.
Transmission has failed with known issues beforehand. Ford has repaired many of these transmissions free of charge even though they were out of warranty now they are denying my claim because it is 6000 miles out of warranty. However, the transmission has been acting up since we bought it. There are OEM replacement parts available for this transmission that are modified to prevent the type of failure we are dealing with.
After refueling car the car will not start after several attempts. Brought into ford dealership they said they cannot locate issue. They said have a small EVAP leak but would not repair unless a large leak and this would not cause an issue, but online this is exactly the cause of this problem. Additionally now 3rd battery to replace in only 5 years and they claim this is normal. In the past this car has spontaneously turned off while driving as well.
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, around 10:30 am, as I was backing out of my garage, wit the speed of 3 to 4 miles, when I back into the street, luckily, there were no other cars on the street, my house is closed to an intersaction and the oncoming cars had a red light on the other side, I lost control of my car and the car spinned around. Fortuntely, I was able to stop the car and get it out of the harm way. When I got out of my car, I notices a lot of metal balls and grease on the street. I then reasearhed on the web and found out this was caused due to a defect caused by ball joint seapration. I then reserched to find if there were any recalls from the manufacture regarding this issue and there was one dated in June of 2026, with a recall number from Ford (26S36) as well as one from NHTSA. The defect was that front lower control arm ball joint my not have been fully seated or sealed or secured into the wheel knuckel during factory assembly, which can cause the joint to separate and disconnect the streeling knukle from control arm This morning I contacted Ford, they informed that based on my VIN, my car was not included in that recall. I cannot understand their logic that how they can determine by the VIN that which car may have defective parts installed without visually inspecting the call. My research showed sometime the car manufacturers understimate the recall issues, for their own purposes. I found it unethical and irreaponsible respond from Ford. This could have catastrophic had this happened while I may have been driving on a busy street, and worse yet on a freeway at a higher speed.
The contact owned a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Before starting the vehicle, the contact noticed an unknown fluid leaking near the front driver's side tire and detected a fuel odor inside the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, another driver alerted the contact that the rear tire was on fire. Unknown messages and warning lights appeared two minutes before the vehicle caught on fire. The contact pulled over and exited the vehicle before the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames and then got into the other driver's vehicle. The Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to tow yard and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The contact stated that the engine had previously been replaced in 2025 due to smoke under the hood. Two weeks prior to the fire, the dealer performed an oil change, and oil was leaking from the vehicle afterwards. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer two days later and was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
On 9/15/26, while actively driving with my child, the monitor screen suddenly turned black and an error message of "Vehicle Network Communication Error", a few seconds later my dashboard turned black, no display messages, speed limit, or manual gauges were working and that too went blank; blinkers did not work when trying to use them. Luckily I was a short distance from where I was traveling to and when we arrived I turned off my car to see if i restart it, it would reset my car. It did not work. My car did not turn on, did not crank- the light on my start button just flashed rapidly. It was not until after my husband later arrived he disconnected the negative battery terminal and let it stay disconnected for 20-30 minutes and it then restarted. Case #CXH-09342591-W5K1G2 was filed with Ford Customer Relations, but they said further information regarding the case would likely not be provided to me as an update.
The vehicle's entire powertrain and transmission system failed completely. The vehicle will not turn on, will not start, and the electronic rotary gear shifter is physically locked out, refusing to shift into Park or Neutral. The transmission assembly component is currently available for physical inspection upon request. The sudden loss of powertrain and electrical control module communication caused an immediate loss of motive power, stalling the vehicle and leaving it completely stranded and un-drivable. The physical lockout of the shifter mechanism prevents rolling or shifting the asset safely, creating an immediate rollaway or crash hazard if stranded on an active roadway. The car was also jerking vilolently in the middle of an intersection almost causing an accident where we would’ve been rear ended. Yes. The failure was formally diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized dealership, Jim Taylor Ford in [XXX], under Repair Order (RO) #XXX. The component has been physically inspected and diagnosed by the certified technicians at Jim Taylor Ford dealership, who confirmed a total internal failure. They have ordered an entire replacement transmission assembly under Ford Part Number LX6Z-7000-F and Fluid XT-12-QULV. Symptoms and warning signs began showing around XXX, starting with minor shift jerking then eventually turning into violent jerking within a few days. The vehicle suffered from electrical system degradation and complete module power loss, which directly aligns with the known failure symptoms of Ford's active Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and battery safety recalls (such as Campaign 24S24). Ford Corporate was contacted but is refusing to cover this catastrophic mechanical destruction under the safety recall mandate due to the vehicle's mileage (118,365 miles), despite the physical damage being explicitly caused by the unaddressed manufacturer safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
On January 31, 2024, The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24002) to investigate loss of motive power allegations in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. Consumers reported a loss of engine power accompanied by complete electrical system failure either while driving or after stopping at a traffic light or stop sign. The vehicles generally could not be restarted, and the incidents were commonly diagnosed by dealerships to a failed 12-Volt (12V) battery. On April 12, 2024, Ford issued safety recall 24V-267 covering 456,565 MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles. The recall addressed loss of motive power resulting from sudden degradation of the 12V battery during the drive cycle. The recall remedy consisted of software updates to the body control module and the powertrain control module. The updated software aimed to provide warning to consumers when the battery is failing and inhibit certain vehicle functions which can lead to loss of motive power incidents. Additionally, Ford removed the existing 12V Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) as both a service component for the subject vehicles and original equipment for newly built Bronco Sport vehicles (during MY 2024 production), replacing it with a more robust absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery. The same AGM battery had been incorporated into Ford Maverick production in late 2022. Following recall 24V-267, ODI received loss of motive power complaints in vehicles that had previously received Ford’s software-based remedy. Consumers reported that they did not receive warnings related to the 12V battery or the vehicle’s electrical system before the loss of power. On November 15, 2024, ODI opened Recall Query (RQ24014) to assess the effectiveness of the 24V-267 recall remedy. On January 19, 2025, Ford issued recall 25V-019 covering 272,817 MY 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles. The new recall addressed the same hazard as 24V-267 but required replacement of the existing 12V battery with an AGM battery as the remedy. Ford reported that following the opening of RQ24014, it evaluated several field-returned 12V batteries, and determined that EFBs produced by battery supplier Camel potentially contained internal manufacturing defects causing loss of motive power. Ford further concluded that the software updates provided in the 24V-267 recall remedy were unable to detect battery failures quickly enough to avoid loss of motive power. Vehicles previously within the scope of recall 24V-267, but outside of the scope of recall 25V-019, are equipped with EFBs produced by a different battery supplier (Clarios). When recall 25V-019 was issued, Ford had not identified any Clarios EFBs exhibiting the same failure mode as the Camel EFBs. In light of Ford’s recall action, ODI is closing this Recall Query. The agency will continue to monitor loss of motive power complaints in Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with Clarios EFBs and reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
On January 31, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24002 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 31 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), with consumers commonly reporting a loss of engine power accompanied by complete electrical system failure which occurred either while driving, or after coming to a stop. The investigation revealed that MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and certain MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles are equipped with a 12V enhanced flooded battery (EFB), which may experience an abrupt failure during a drive cycle. The failure is the result of an internal corrosion issue, which is influenced by long exposure to high under-hood temperatures. If the sudden loss of 12V battery voltage is not detected by the vehicle’s battery management sensor, the vehicle can experience a loss of power event without providing any warning to the driver. Following a loss of power due to battery failure, the vehicle may be without all 12V accessories including hazard lights and typically will not be able to be restarted. In its March 2024 response to ODI’s information request, Ford provided 367 customer complaints (including field reports, lawsuits, and legal claims) and 1005 warranty claims relating to the alleged defect. When combining ODI and manufacturer failure report data, there are 1,368 unique VINs represented across MY 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. One of the VOQs submitted to NHTSA reported a minor rear-end collision resulting from a loss of power event. Included within Ford’s complaints were a reported single-vehicle collision and a vehicle fire which occurred following a loss of power event at a traffic light (fire cause and origin was not determined). Additionally, across ODI and manufacturer data, there were 12 allegations of either acid leaking from the 12V battery or smoke emitting from the battery area within the engine compartment. On April 12, 2024, Ford submitted recall 24V267 for MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and certain MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles (total population 456,565). The recall remedy provides updated calibrations to the body control module and powertrain control module. Ford indicated that the update will result in improved detection of 12V battery state of charge during drive cycles and will provide notification to the driver if the battery significantly degrades while driving. Additionally, Ford has replaced the EFB with an absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery as both a service component for the subject vehicles and as original equipment for Bronco Sport vehicles with production dates beginning in mid-March 2024. The warranty claim rate for peer vehicles equipped with an AGM battery is substantially lower than that for the subject vehicle population. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.