What 664 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Early Release

1. While driving my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, Big Bend, ⁠the automatic transmission (Ford 8F35 8-speed automatic) experienced internal mechanical failure. The vehicle lost the ability to engage reverse gear and the check engine light illuminated. Ford authorized dealer Koons Woodbridge Ford [XXX] ) confirmed the failure under Repair Order #38386 with the finding: "VERIFIED CONCERN. THE TRANSMISSION HAS INTERNAL DAMAGE." The vehicle has not been repaired and is currently at the dealership. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?* ⁠Complete loss of reverse gear created an immediate safety hazard the vehicle cannot be moved out of parking spaces, driveways, or roadway positions where reversing is required to avoid a collision or escape danger. The failure occurred without warning during normal vehicle operation. An inability to select a transmission gear while in traffic or a parking situation creates collision risk for the driver, passengers, and surrounding vehicles and pedestrians. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? ⁠Yes. Ford authorized dealer Koons Woodbridge Ford confirmed the failure on May 4, 2026, under RO# XXX. Diagnosing technician: David Ford (Tech ID XXX). Official finding documented on the dealer repair estimate: "VERIFIED CONCERN. THE TRANSMISSION HAS INTERNAL DAMAGE." No repair has been authorized pending Ford Motor Company's goodwill review. *4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?* ⁠Yes. The vehicle was inspected by Koons Woodbridge Ford, an authorized Ford Motor Company dealership, on May 4, 2026 (RO# XXX). Koons Woodbridge Ford is a Ford-franchised service center whose technicians are Ford-certified. The inspection confirmed INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11735594

Faulty valve inside of transmission caused transmission failure. Has been properly diagnosed by ford mechanic. Mechanic said it was nothing I’ve done to cause the problem, it was a faulty part.

NHTSA ODI 11735632

I have 130,000 miles on my 2021 Ford Bronco sport. With no warning I'm unable to put vehicle in gear. I attempt to put the car into drive, then reverse and it will not go. The gear gets stuck in park, but unable to park, The car instructs me to intiated emergency park with many warning lights appearing. when driving it jerks , make grinding noises, and I even lost momentum. Ford said the help line states they have attempted to fix the codes and replace the parts on the inside of the transmission and no luck. Ford recommends a new transmission. I believe the 2021 Bronco sport have a faulty transmission and replacing with another will result with the same issue due to the transmission being a close system it isn't preventable. Many other owners have experienced this very same safety issue and Ford should address ot and be responsible.

NHTSA ODI 11735009

In January of 2026, I took my 2021 Ford bronco sport Outer Banks to the dealership because my car had a wrench light come on and it went into limp mode. Supposedly it was fixed and now it is April 2026 and my car went into limp mode again, it would not shift in the park and would not start and now the dealership is telling me that there’s transmission issues but from what I’ve read, there is clearly been a lot of transmission issues in these vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11735177

There has been a NHTSA recall for AWD module on 2021 and some newer Bronco sports. The letter in reference to this problem dates 4/9/2021 to include only certain VIN at the time based on manufacturing sites. I feel there has been an underestimation of vehicles/parts affected on this recall based on the fact that it included very limited vehicles only 4 month into production. There have been several more known to be experiencing this same exact issues as evidenced by many reviews online by bronco sport owners experiencing the same problem. Specifically detailing the triggering of same codes (mentioned in this letter) leading to faulty AWD module diagnosis and replacement at the owners cost. I have reached out to Ford North America to file a claim and have been told my VIN is not included, without even comparing with specific part serial number. In addition, I have found the part #LX6Z-7P238-AANP as replacement referred in the letter has now recently been replaced with a newer more expensive version with a different name and part number M1PZ*7P238*C. I also find it significant that the old part is still for sale at a now discounted price on ford OEM website as of today. I believe this indicates there are known problems with this original part causing need for an updated replacement. Given this evidence l, I feel it is only fair that Ford acknowledges vehicles with the same problem/part are experiencing these issues and be willing to extend the recall. I have reached out to North American Ford and have a claim #Cxh-07823745-c2n6y4. In hopes that they will do what’s right for this customer and replace at no charge, aware that it is defective. My vehicle is currently at the dealership and I am hoping for a fair resolution. Thank you for your time and attention.

NHTSA ODI 11734924

Since purchasing the vehicle, I have had ongoing issues: a rattling noise when accelerating, a squeaking noise in reverse, and a fuel odor. The fuel injector recall (NHTSA 25V467) is still open, and Ford has not provided a remedy." Keep it simple and focused on the recurring noise and the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11734216

Grinding noises started to occur coming from the back of my vehicle. This only occurs when turning the wheel and driving slowly. I took my vehicle to Ford to get it checked out and they stated that my rear axle differential needed to be replaced. I asked why does this need to be replaced as I have not been in any accidents. They told me that it was due to wear and tear on the vehicle. The car has just hit over 80k miles and no accidents, I have taken great care of this vehicle and get it serviced regularly. I have done some research on this issue with other Bronco owners and it seems like it is a VERY common thing. There are many complaints on Reddit on the same exact issue with their Ford Bronco Sports. Would love for this to be a recall as I do not want my vehicle to just stop out of nowhere on the highway as I was told this is a VERY serious situation that needs to be taken care of immediately, I do not have $2k to get this fixed, with taking care of this vehicle regularly there is no way that this is on my driving or just regular wear and tear. This should be taken care of by Ford as a recall so none of us Bronco Sport owners get hurt or get screwed out of money for an issue that we did not cause.

NHTSA ODI 11734033

The rpm will shoot up to 6 without movement. It doesn’t want to stop or go and it says park is unavailable. There have been many recalls on this vehicle, this is a premature failure and a huge safety concern the resulted in my car being undrivable.

NHTSA ODI 11734139

On December 13, 2025, we drove to Flagstaff, Arizona from Tucson, Arizona, where we live. As we came into town, the Bronco began to lurch and seemed to have difficulty shifting. I managed to make it to the Babbitt Ford service center’s parking lot, where it seized and died altogether. It stayed at Babbitt Ford where they worked on it until February 3, 2026. They replaced the transmission at great expense. On Feburary 3, we drove it home to Tucson. The next day, February 4, it died in the road twice, once in a major intersection. The first time it eventually resarted. The second time it died completely and required a special tow truck because we couldn't even get it into neutral to roll. It was towed to Holmes Tuttle Ford where they kept it for a week but were able to eventually restart it. They had it for 5 days, ran a diagnostic and reset the system. They drove it for over 80 miles and couldn’t recreate the problem. Then on February 25, I drove to Phoenix. While in Phoenix, it again inextricably had trouble shifting, died and wouldn’t start. I then had it towed to Camelback Ford. On March 6, Camelback Ford called and said they ran numerous tests and still can’t pinpoint the problem and the vehicle still won’t start or shift into neutral.

NHTSA ODI 11733302

Transmission failed - vehicle completely lost power alternating with shuddering and full stopping without braking at slower speeds. Vehicle revved at very high RPMs at low speed, and struggled to shift. Sometimes, when shifted into reverse, vehicle would unexpectedly roll forward almost an entire car length. Transmission fully failed on freeway doing highway speeds of 75+ MPH. Full transmission failure has been confirmed by Ford dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11733423

I chose the engine and fuel questions as I believe these would be the issue. While driving on the I 10 east towards [XXX] there are areas on the freeway that you drive upward from a flat freeway service to (up hill). Today 04/22/2026, my bronco sport lost drive power from 65 mph to 45 mph which caused the warning lights of the engine and wrench notifications to come on. It was a little difficult and scary but I was able to get off the freeway safely and park. I looked under the hood and under the car for leaks but there were non found and after about 30 minuets, I got back on the freeway and went back home. Back in July of 2025, I believe their was a recall for the fuel injector system and I think this issue of today is based on that recall. I have not been able to confirm with Ford if this has anything to do with the 2025 recall and I have not seen any repair options. I have however, seen other's reporting the same issue. I don't know if you can doing anything but I wanted to provide my experience of today. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11733128

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions, cold condensation dripped onto the right leg and the floorboard smelled like rotting fish. The contact added that the condensation line should have leaked outside of the vehicle, not inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,450.

NHTSA ODI 11732680

I own a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Base (VIN: [XXX] ) equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost 3-cylinder engine. I am experiencing a complete and repeated loss of engine coolant with no visible external leak. Upon inspection, air bubbles were observed rising through the coolant reservoir when coolant was added, indicating combustion gases are entering the cooling system through a compromised seal. On multiple occasions upon startup, sweet-smelling white smoke has been emitted from the exhaust, consistent with coolant burning in the combustion chamber. The vehicle has overheated as a result of coolant loss. These symptoms are consistent with the known 1.5L EcoBoost cracked engine block or head gasket failure defect affecting 2021 Ford Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Ford Escape vehicles. I have been advised by a ford dealership mechanic that the vehicle is unsafe to drive due to the risk of engine failure and potential engine fire. The vehicle has been parked and is not being driven. I am filing this complaint as a safety concern given Ford’s history of engine fires related to this defect, which was the basis of recall 22S43 and ongoing federal class action litigation. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether an expanded recall or additional consumer remedy is warranted for this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11732849

I brought my car in for an emissions state inspection, I was than told the machine wouldn’t connect to my car and the reasoning being was that the gateway module needed to be reprogrammed. I was aware ford had this issue so I was prepared with paperwork from the customer satisfaction program that states any bronco manufactured at the Hermosillo plant between the dates of February 2020 and October of 2021 was covered under a customer satisfaction program 22N15 to repair the gateway module one time regardless of mileage or years on the vehicle. At first I was lied to and told my car wasn’t manufactured at the Hermosillo factory but upon further investigation with another repair shop simply by verifying my vin number it certainly was manufactured their on the date of September 9th 2021. I explained all this to ford of sayville and ford corporation, but they both denied my claim without any reasoning other than its not part of your vin….I asked could you tell me why and never got an answer besides we aren’t covering the repair. My vehicle meets all the criteria for the known problem that ford distributed this vehicle with, I was forced to pay the $260 for a repair that should be covered by ford plain and simple. I ask that you can please help me resolve this matter and maybe help any future scammed consumers from dealing with the lies of ford. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11731287

The listed safety recall was entered July 16, 2025. To date there is no remedy, parts not available. The Ford app shows no active recalls. I contacted Ford regarding this and they advised there was a temporary, interim fix available since August 2025 but no correspondence has ever been sent. I have been in contact several times with the dealer and was never advised of this interim fix. Ford rep advised some dealers don’t have the equipment for the temporary fix. Ford did have a Customer Satisfaction Program regarding this but I was advised that they would only complete if there was signs of an issue to the high flow injectors. It has now been 9 months since the recall and every time I’ve checked “no remedy/parts not available”!

NHTSA ODI 11730661

Vehicle stutters when accelerating under normal driving conditions, causing uneven acceleration which can be dangerous in a situation where I am merging into traffic or turning from a stop onto a roadway. I believe this may be connected to the fuel injector recall which has been open without repair options since July 2025.

NHTSA ODI 11730553

My 2021 ford bronco sport had a very dangerous issue on April 4th 2026. Nearly run over by a huge semi. Traveling at 70 miles per hour on I- 5 my vehicle had a sudden loss of power and wrench light went on, no prior signs. Semi traveling behind me nearly crashed into semi in the next lane as he slammed on his brakes and veered to the left to avoid running me over. Caused a big problem with the transmission .. Ford dealership now has car. Corning ford, Ca Unsafe to ever drive again with no remedy to fix this deadly problem. Recall 25s76 Powertrain control module. Third time this vehicle had a reset for this recall issue.

NHTSA ODI 11730190

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the infotainment screen went black or displayed a half-operating screen. An unknown warning light was illuminated with the message "Attention Needed - Service Engine Soon" displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and it was determined that Part Number: BE52 needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that an unknown part needed to be replaced after retrieving DTC: P0496. The vehicle was not repaired. While the vehicle was parked, the vehicle hesitated while starting. The vehicle was taken to another dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery charge was lower than 40 percent but did not need to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but within 24 hours there was an unknown warning light illuminated with an audible chime. The contact believed that the failure was associated with the body control module (BCM). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 11729950

I purchased the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport in August of 2025. There were issues after about a week with all kinds of messages of components not working cycling through constantly on the display. The electric brake would engage on its own while parked and had to be shut off before I could go forwards after starting the vehicle. I took it to the dealership where I bought it and after a few days they said it was a batter issue and replaced it at no cost to me. It worked okay for a short time and then I had the same issues and now added to those were it wouldn't start for at least 15 minutes and several tries. Cruise Control could not be used and the turn signals would not work while all of the messages were displaying. The windshield wipers would only work at the highest setting and the rear wipers would not work at all. I took it to another Ford Dealership and they said it was an electrical wiring issue that they found. The High Speed Cam wiring is what they found a break in and they fixed it and cleared the codes. I paid 450 for this repair. Just 4 days later the issues have returned. Messages about components not working, this time the right turn signal would not shut off. I am concerned about the safety issues while driving with my turn signal stuck on. I called the same Ford dealership and they can get it in on Friday so that I can have a loaner car. I just don't feel safe driving the Bronco. I don't have the money to loose on trying to trade it in with these issue. Help!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11729602

The back lift window just shattered while the car was in park heard a loud boom and the weather has not changed temp

NHTSA ODI 11727718

While driving, the vehicle stutters during acceleration, creating hesitation and inconsistent power delivery. This occurs during normal driving conditions and has not improved after being inspected by a dealership. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and remains unresolved. The vehicle was taken in for service, but no effective repair was provided, and the condition persists. There is an active recall related to a potential fuel injector defect, which may cause fuel to accumulate on top of the engine. The recall remedy is currently unavailable. Given the ongoing stuttering and known fuel system issue, there is concern this condition is related. This creates a safety risk, particularly when merging into traffic or accelerating from a stop, as the vehicle does not respond consistently. No warning lights have consistently appeared. The issue continues despite dealership involvement and lack of available recall repair.

NHTSA ODI 11727115

While driving between [XXX] and [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly lost fuel. The estimated miles to empty started to drop rapidly from 70 miles to 50 miles within minutes. At a safe point, I pulled over, there was no pooling of fuel under the vehicle, no other warning lights were issued. I turned around to return to [XXX] , the engine stalled and ran out of gas at mile marker 18 just north of [XXX] . I left the vehicle on the side of the road and walked back to [XXX] . This stretch of road has no cell service. The vehicle was towed to Corwin Ford for inspection. I requested that Recall CSP25S76 be completed on the vehicle, and replace the fuel injectors. The response was that the fuel tank needs to be replaced. They have not provided diagnostic evidence of why. I think this falls under CSP 21S38. Additionally, the catalytic converter was replaced in January under [XXX] and the emissions warranty extension. The vehicle has high mileage, but the purge valve should not have stuck open and this is a known issue with the Ford Bronco Sports. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11726583

Something is happening when I get gas, the vehicle has trouble starting. It often times feels like it's going to die when it idles. Electrical issues have started to occur where I cant switch off the air or my lights wont turn off.

NHTSA ODI 11726646

My car has been stalling at stops and I am unable to fill my car as it will not start so I have to put increments of 10-15.00 at a time they have told me now for over three months that parts were on back order and the recall that can catch my entire car on fire while driving cannot be fixed as their is no fix for it. Multiple issues continue to pile on when the vehicle isn’t even 5 years old

NHTSA ODI 11726118

2921 FORD BRONCO SPORT HIGHWAY 14, Santa Clarita CA Driver noticed another car pointing to the Bronco’s hood frantically. As the Bronco slowed, the driver noticed flames coming out of the sides of the hood on both sides. Driver pulled to shoulder of highway and the driver and passenger VERY QUICKLY got out and moved approx.. 100 feet behind vehicle to safety. Flames very quickly engulfed the entire Bronco. 911 was called by driver. Santa Clarita Fire Department responds in 10 minutes. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. The fire burned for about 30 minutes and COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE VEHICLE Towing/Wrecker company was called to remove destroyed vehicle. Tow truck driver provided transportation of passengers to the Freeway Towing Company in Santa Clarita. Freeway Towing held the destroyed vehicle at their lot. Insurance company took possession of the destroyed vehicle on March 11 and is currently holding it at their location. In January the Bronco owner noticed the check engine light was on and took it to a Ford dealership in California to have it serviced. We have videos of the fire as well.

NHTSA ODI 11726002