Complaint volume
211 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
211 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Ford Bronco, grouped by component category.
211 Total complaints
5 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 5 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?
5 Crash
3 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
12 Towed
2 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Ford Bronco complaint categories?
ENGINE 51
SUSPENSION 19
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12
VISIBILITY/WIPER 12
STRUCTURE 10
BACK OVER PREVENTION 8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
SERVICE BRAKES 8
AIR BAGS 5
211 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Jul 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Whilst traveling at highway speeds on the Jersey Turnpike, black smoke suddenly started emanating from the rear of the vehicle. All power was suddenly lost from the vehicle, with the accelerator pedal being nonfunctional. I was able, even though the vehicle was starting to fill with smoke and leave a trail of smoke behind, navigate across the lanes to the hard shoulder. The engine had of course ceased to run. At this time I exited the vehicle to assess the situation. Upon finding no obvious defects and the smoke having cleared, I reentered the vehicle, to see what the engine would do when the key was turned. The engine would not turn over, with only items running off of battery power. Basically the car was dead. At this time I called a AAA for a tow of the car. Unfortunately AAA can't tow on the New Jersey Turnpike, so a local tow company had to be called, to transport the car to a local exit. After the car was deposited in a car park close by, I then reached out to AAA to transport the car to my local Ford dealer. The Bronco was taken to Stamford Ford, in CT, where after inspection, we were told the car had suffered a "catastrophic failure". The vehicle took over one month before it was returned, as the whole engine had to be rebuilt. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated the front windshield cracked and was repaired by the dealer; prior to the second crack that occurred while driving approximately 35 MPH. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer; however, they diagnosed no failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Jul 2022 | ENGINE | On May 17th At 6,800 miles my motor randomly experienced catastrophic engine failure and has been at the Ford dealership since. The dealership has not told me anything on how or why this happened other than the motor needs to be replaced. The dealer received the new motor on June 22nd. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH he heard a ticking sound coming from the engine and then a grinding sound before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer had not yet diagnosed or repaired the vehicle. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,812. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 2,812 |
| Jul 2022 | STEERING | Within days of buying this 2021 Bronco in April 2022, the power steering and drive modes (e.g., Eco, Sport) stopped working and we got the following error message: [See Steering Assist Fault - Service Required] We called the dealership in Georgia, which is far from our home, and they advised us to take it to one closer to us; the problem would be covered under warranty. We made the first available appointment with the dealership in Havana FL and took our vehicle in on July 11th. We showed the photo saying "service required" and explained that every morning the drive modes don't work and the power steering usually does not work right away. We have to re-start the vehicle to get the power steering to work, but the drive modes don't work until later in the day (usually). We get the error messages shown repeatedly below saying "drive mode not available." Despite the service department at the dealership saying they identified the malfunctioning part, Ford sent us away without approving a warranty repair—citing a policy that because the service personnel could not report a computer code for the part, Ford will not pay to fix it. The problem continues and we continue to provide photos to Ford and ask them to fix this problem for us and for anyone else who is experiencing it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | We were on vacation in Miami, Florida in February 2022 driving in stop and go traffic when our 2021 Ford Bronco with 2.7L Ecoboost engine suddenly shut down. The entire electrical system shut down and the emergency brake was applied. We were unable to start the vehicle with the ignition button or key fob. Traffic was backing up behind us and we couldn’t put our hazards on to let them know we were having vehicle trouble. A pedestrian tried assisting us with pushing the vehicle but due to the parking brake being applied it wouldn’t move. As a last ditch effort I decided to try to start the vehicle through the Ford Pass app. Thankfully, that worked and the vehicle started. We called a dealership in Miami to see if they could look at the vehicle before we traveled on to Key West. They were unable to get us in so we traveled to Key West. The Ford dealership in Key West was gracious enough to look over the vehicle and errors we received on the Ford Pass app. They did not find anything that would have caused the issue. We were just thankful we were on a side road in stop and go traffic when this happened rather than driving on the highway at 70 mph! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |