Complaint volume
217 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Ford Bronco Complaints
217 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Ford Bronco, grouped by component category.
217 Total complaints
6 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
6 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, suspension, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 6 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 6 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 39 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 25,774 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, suspension, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Ford Bronco?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Ford Bronco
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Ford Bronco complaints?
6 Crash
3 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
13 Towed
2 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Ford Bronco complaint categories?
ENGINE 51
SUSPENSION 19
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14
VISIBILITY/WIPER 12
STRUCTURE 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9
BACK OVER PREVENTION 8
SERVICE BRAKES 8
AIR BAGS 5
217 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The Axle Tubes are held to the center differential with 3 x Plug Welds per side. The plug welds on our axle are weeping oil and do NOT appear to be properly welded. Upon online comparisons this is a known issue and is resulting in catastrophic failures. Ford claims that "weeps" are NOT covered under warranty. A weep in this location/situation means that the welding process was sub-standard and compromised. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | BACK OVER PREVENTION | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that he received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V165000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN tool showed no recall associated with the VIN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | Sync 4 system has a critical issue that Ford has not fixed and is a known issue in many sync 4 systems. This causes the system to reboot at random times and reload. This includes being black and not working for many minutes so the rear camera and cross traffic do not function at all. This is a safety issue as with most SUVs the rear is a huge blind spot. Ford has not been able to update my system with a recall issued for safety concerning a different issue and the rear view camera. Ford will not replace the unit until they have sent out an update that is unknown release date. I have spoke to Ford reps and two dealerships and all refuse to fix the radio to allow for normal function. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2023 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The wipers shut off on their own during heavy rains. Need to be turned on and off to get to activate. I took it to dealer and they said Ford said it is normal. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2023 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | When driving in light, moderate, and heavy rain, the wipers fail to operate properly causing a loss in visibility and significant risk of accident. Specifically, when the wipers are on the fast intermittent, slow constant on, or fast constant on, they operate as expected for 45-80 seconds after which the wipers begin to slow down and stop. The wipers must be physically turned off and back on the make them work again, only to have the issue continue to occur after another 45-80 seconds. While driving at freeway speeds in moderate rain, this issue has caused numerous dangerous situations where my visibility has been reduced significantly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | SEAT BELTS | My toddler in his car seat while we were driving, reached over and grab the seatbelt that was closest to his car seat with his hand. As we were driving, he pulled the seatbelt as far out as he could, so that the locking mechanism was activated. After he pulled the seatbelt all the way out, he had wrapped around his neck and let go of it, and the seatbelt ended up tightening around his neck. Luckily, he was able to tell me what happened and I was able to pull off and grab the seatbelt and keep tension on it so it wouldn’t get any tighter around his neck. We had to call the fire department to cut the seatbelt off because the seatbelt was locked and getting tighter and we could not get it off his neck neck. As I called 911 I had to hold the seatbelt away from his neck from getting tighter, when the fire department got there their only option was to cut the seatbelt strap in order to remove it from his neck. Thankfully, quick thinking and holding the seatbelt away from his neck allowed me to be on the phone with 911 and when they got here allowed me to hold it away from his neck to keep it from choking him and potentially him turning blue from no oxygen. The seatbelt strap did leave a red mark on his neck from being wrapped around. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | Ford has a recall for rearview camera issues. They say my VIN# is not included yet I have the same problem After backing up in 4-Low has ended, the back camera stays on when moving forward. The recall notice that I am not suposed to need is 22C27. I have experienced this in the off roading in Colorado. To reset the camera, I have to move to a safe spot, shut off the engine, and restart. the camera resets to normal until I back up in low gear again. Talked to someone at the Ford custome service was told over and over again I was not included. Asked about reporting my problem and they would not. So giving you the info..;. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 6,000 |
| Dec 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | This issue occurs anytime the wipers are used, including rain, snow, sleet, etc.. The issue has been present from day 1 of ownership and continues to this day. Wipers are turned on to any setting. After approximately 1 minute, the wiping will stop completely, then start wiping at approximately 4sec intervals (15 cycles per minute). This pace is almost always inadequate to provide unobstructed visibility. This pace does not meet the mandated requirements of FMVSS 104 section S4.1.1.3 (20 cycles per minute) and thus means the vehicle should deemed non compliant for on road use until corrected. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | POWER TRAIN,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 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that after replacing the windshield wipers a crack formed on the bottom passenger’s side corner of the windshield. The contact stated that the crack then spread up to the top corner of the window shield. The contact stated he called the local dealer who informed him they were unable to repair the vehicle due to not having the part available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact stated that he called his insurance company who then referred him to Safelite. Once the contact called Safelite they scheduled a repair appointment; however, they delivered the wrong windshield for the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned that the quality of the windshield was poor and could cause severe injuries in the event of a crash. The approximate failure mileage was 1,200. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,200 |
| Sep 2022 | SUSPENSION | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was lopsided due to the driver's side front suspension measuring 38.25 inches from the ground while the passenger's side rear suspension measured 40.5 inches from the ground. The contact was concerned that in the event of a tire blowout, the weight distribution would cause a rollover. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty suspension that needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle performed as designed per the factory package. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 9. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9 |
| Sep 2022 | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ENGINE | Engine failed and replaced under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | On 2 separate occasions over the past 3 days the vehicle has lost total operability. All functions, lights, locks, etc cease and are unable to simply restart the vehicle. The first occurrence was on a busy highway in poor weather conditions causing a near accident/collision. It appears some electrical malfunction shits off all working of the vehicle only to recover 5-10min later. A brake failure signal was shown on second occurrence. This is a definite life-threatening defect needing prompt investigation and remedy. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ENGINE | Very rough idle, rpm’s bounce and do not stay smooth at all. Have 10,000 miles, has run rough since purchase. Getting worse as we accumulate miles. Will be taking to dealer very soon. Not throwing a code or light yet, but obviously something is wrong. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Aug 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The speed of wipers is not fast enough. In moderate rain on high the wipers do not clear window fast enough. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ENGINE | July 15, 2022 - lost power on I80 during heavy traffic. I had to pull to the side as I could not accelerate. Luckily it restarted and I was able to get home. I took it in for service at the dealership the next day (engine light did not come on until the next morning). I was told it was an issue with the catalytic converter and parts were on backorder but it was safe to drive until the part came in. 3 days ago, on Saturday July 30th, I was in my driveway getting to leave and my Bronco wouldn't start, it turned over briefly and then died. The engine made a loud 'knocking' noise and then complete silence. This was a Saturday so they couldn't schedule a tow until until Monday, its been at the dealership for 2 days and they are waiting to hear back from an engineer. I know it's covered under warranty but I think a recall should be issued before someone dies. I was driving about 60-65 mph when I lost acceleration. There was construction ahead but thankfully, it happened before an off ramp. If it hadn't happened in that spot, I wouldn't have had a shoulder to pull over to. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Kepts getting hills stop brake malfunctioning anti collusion failures ant lock brake failure | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |