NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Ford Bronco. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Going 80 on the fwy. It stared shaking, engine light came on. Immediately go off the fwy as soon as I stopped it died and wouldn’t start.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V124000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was in park(P) and running, the infotainment screen turned black after several seconds. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed. The dealer stated that the failure might be possible with the recall repair and that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
My infotainment screen goes blank when I backup instead of displaying my backup camera. There is an active recall on this but there is no remedy and no estimated remedy date. Ford Motor Company is only prioritizing 2026 model years so they can sell brand new vehicles. They are not trying to fix previous model years. This poses a safety risk that can result in a crash and/or death. Cars are required by law to have a backup camera, so Ford is breaking the law by not fixing this issue.
A couple of times on as well as off pavement when traveling on a decline I depress the brake pedal and it only very softly applied the brakes. I have to press very hard to come to a stop. Much harder than normal. Once (off pavement) they did not work until the third time I pressed them. The pedal just went to the bottom. Normally the steep decline seems to be associated to the issue.
Steering would get stuck when turning, then let loose. Fortunately I didn’t lose control. Happens all the time now when driving. Had the car towed to dealer. They diagnosed failed steering shaft. This Bronco has approx 28,000 miles on it. Ford Motor Company refused to help me pay for the approx $1000 repair. Finally, the dealer worked with a contact at Ford for them to cover most of the cost. Ford wouldn’t consider issuing a recall, or expanding an existing recall for a similar steering problem, which didn’t include my VIN. No warning lights, messages, etc. I consider this a serious defect.
UNKNOWN Windshield wipers will change speeds without driver intervention. While in steady to heavy rain, wipers will slow to intermittent after a few minutes of being on. This is causing visibility issues and safety issues as a result. Very dangerous!
Automatic 10 speed transmission has unpredictable shifting from 1st through 3 gears, offten with long lags between shifts, losing power temporarily, especially from 1st to 2nd gear, and harsh shifting. Sometimes, the 1st - 2nd shift lag happens upon acceleration during merging or in an intersection and that loss of power is critical, requiring an adjustment in throttle position, and when 2nd gear catches, then there is too much power. It is unpredictable. The Bronco has about 35K miles now, but this has happening since day 1. Twice in dealer, twice the tech noted it, and twice the only solution was to clear the adaptive shift control memory. Does not fix the issue.
soy based wire shielding second time that my ford bronco was in the shop for wire fault issues due to critters/animals eating the wires. Ford service agent said he has seen hundreds of vehicles come in with the same issue. This is not a ford problem it is an automotive industry problem. Please investigate
Parked my car overnight, I had the car for 3 days , I came out in the morning and the windshield was shattered, it looked like it burst or exploded outward from inside the car , there was no foul play involved, I checked my cameras etc. I have no idea what caused this but this is a potential safety issue especially if the car was in motion or being driven…
Hood latch sensor alarms hood ajar when hood is actually closed and secure. This issues inhibits the use of remotely starting, or unlocking vehicle. This appears to be a possible recall with the make and year of my vehicle but has never been listed as recall.
I took my Bronco into Michigan City Ford for recall 25V273 repair. Shortly after this the front camera stopped working. I took it back in and they are saying the camera module is M2DZ-19H405-D has gone bad. They are saying this module controls front and rear camera but is not part of the recall. On the internet, there are many examples of the front camera issue after the rear recall repair.
Chronic water leak from roofline obstructing vision and causing confusion while underway
Front differential mounts are cracking and breaking leading to insecure front differential and damage to adjacent suspension and power train components. This is a significant risk to both the driver/occupants and potentially other vehicles on the road. This problem is appearing with increasing frequency on the Ford Bronco forums to the point that Ford now has a TSB out relating to this known engineering failure. It require an extensive repair including rewelding the mounting brackets. There appears to be inadequate guidance to the repairing dealers, however, as there is a large degree of uncertainty as to how to approach executing the weld repair, according to my dealer, Corwin Ford, in Spokane, Washington.
The vehicle was parked and not in operation when a fire occurred. There was no collision or impact. The fire originated in the vehicle and caused significant damage. Emergency services responded to extinguish the fire. The vehicle had been properly maintained and there were no aftermarket modifications. The cause of the fire is unknown at this
On November 30th, 2025 I drove southbound from Milwaukee to Chicago, leaving at approximately 5:30 a.m., on I-41. There was a winter storm warning in effect. Approximately every twenty miles I needed to stop and deice my headlights as light output had diminished to almost zero, resulting in extremely dangerous visibility. I have experienced similar problems in Manitoba and western Minnesota. In these areas, there is often more than fifteen miles before you can exit the highway or find a safe place to pull over. It is not possible to get this problem diagnosed by a dealer. However, it is a common complaint among Bronco (and Jeep) owners. The combination of an upright grill and the low heat output of LED lighting quickly render headlights useless in snowy or icing conditions. No warnings appear; light output simply quickly drops to almost nothing.
Check engine light stayed on, constant. Code run showed cylinder 4 misfire. Bronco still under warranty so took to dealership. Mechanic said coolant was inside cylinder so he requested recommended remedy from Ford and would probably be engine replacement.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V273000 (Back Over Prevention), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The dealer replaced the rearview camera, but the rearview camera software update could not be completed. The dealer replaced the rearview camera a second time; however, the issue persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the software update might have failed due to the aftermarket 2-inch lift that was performed on the vehicle. The contact was advised that a fee would be charged for the lift removal and was informed that the lift removal might not correct the issue. The contact stated that the aftermarket 2-inch lift was a replication of the Sasquatch, 2-3" Lift package that the manufacturer offered. The recall repair was not completed. 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, but no assistance was provided. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that upon inspection the hard top roof, there were several cracks formed on the roof. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was acknowledged, and it was agreed that the hard top would be replaced under warranty. After the hard top was replaced, the contact inspected the new hard top and discovered several dents and uneven surfaces on the roof. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an agent advised the contact to bring the vehicle back to the dealer. The contact was informed that he could inspect the hardtops of the newer vehicles at the dealer lot and if he found a top that he liked, the dealer would swap the hardtop and replace the hardtop. After inspecting approximately 5 vehicles, each vehicle had issues with their hardtops. Upon investigation, the contact discovered General Service Bulletin: 23-7174, which was associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
I have a 2.7l V6 Bronco with an automatic transmission. There is a steep downhill road (22% grade) a couple blocks from my house that ends at a stop sign for a major cross street. I apply the brake pedal to slow down for the stop sign and the Bronco behaves normally and comes to a full stop, but then with no change in brake pedal pressure by me nor any pedal feedback, i notice the Bronco starts creeping forward a few feet, then abruptly stops again. When the Bronco starts creeping downhill and then abruptly stops again, there is no brake pedal feedback or movement, and the engine does not change RPM. The only sound I hear is something that sounds like service brakes releasing pressure then suddenly reapplying full pressure. I compensate by stopping early, so I don’t drift into the intersection, or a vehicle in front of me, or pedestrian. It can startle any pedestrian that starts to cross in front of my “stopped” Bronco and it suddenly starts creeping down on them. I have noticed this for months but have not taken it to a dealer for resolution yet. The problem appears to not happen after I have been driving for a few minutes. Because this is a problem that occurs on hills in the first few minutes of driving, it likely will be hard to demonstrate to a dealership for diagnosis because there are no hills near my local Ford dealership. The incident occurrence date entered below ([XXX]) is just today’s date - this problem has been present for many months, if not since new. Other uses have reported this same issue in online forums: [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
There are reports of Ford Broncos rolling forward under braking, after a full stop. This occurs most often on a hill. To be clear, the brakes are already fully depressed, the vehicle is stopped, and THEN the vehicle suddenly rolls forward while the brakes are depressed, endangering pedestrians and others. This is NOT caused by driver error. Here are some vehicle owner complaints about this issue: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that after opening the driver's side door and then closing the door, the passenger's side hard top fractured into several pieces. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer confirmed that the repair would not be covered for free. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer confirmed that the repair would not be covered. The manufacturer opened a case regarding the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Parking Brake Fault - Service Now" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was informed that further diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,990.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and flat towing an RV, the Flat-Tow mode inadvertently disengaged and the contact smelled a burning odor permeating the interior of the vehicle with the message "Stop vehicle immediately, excessive temperature detected" displayed. The transmission temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was damage to the transmission and turbocharger due to the Flat-Tow mode not being engaged properly during towing. The contact was informed that the transmission and turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-7086. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact was later informed that the manufacturer concluded that the disengagement of Flat-Tow mode was the result of user error. The manufacturer declined to cover the cost of the repair. The contact contested the manufacturer’s findings as inconceivable, stating that the Flat-Tow mode was still engaged after arriving at his destination. The failure mileage was 50,200.
rear tailgate on the bronco gives off a very loud rattling noise when driving
While attempting to back up I was checking my backup camera and it showed that nothing was behind me, as I started to turn while backing up I felt a bump, there was a car right behind me, I couldn’t see it in my mirror and apparently the camera was frozen on my Bronco.
I am sending a complaint as I purchased this vehicle brand new from the dealer in June. They have not been able to give me my vehicle because Ford has not come up with a fix on these two recalls. My complaint is how long does Ford have to make this right? They keep extending the recall dates out from a month or so to now 4th quarter. I am paid for a vehicle that I can't use because of Ford's Delay. I am hoping you all as a government agency will give back some feedback and push Ford to fix the issue a bit more timely.
My vehicle has both cracked and leaking rear shocks as well as issues with the rearview camera and infotainment system. I have gone through two Ford Dealerships to remedy this issue and was told parts are on back order. I attempted to remedy this issue when I first received notification that parts were available in August 2025. When I drive, I can feel the suspension is not providing support and continued use will cause other issues with the vehicle that may not be covered under warranty or the recall. My vehicle will also trigger the collision avoidance feature when there is physical trigger. This has caused my brakes to lock up in traffic.
We have 3 Diono 3QXT car seats in our 2023 Bronco back seat. I noticed today that two of the car seat's vehicle seatbelts were unlatched. The middle car seat and the passenger-side car seat were loose because the securing seatbelt in the Bronco was unlatched. My concern is that one of the car seats activated the seat belt release button in the Bronco. I will monitor my car seats to see if the issue occurs again, but I thought it was important enough to report, in case there are any other similar complaints regarding either the Diono car seat or the Ford Bronco's rear seatbelts.
My vehicle was sitting in a small parking lot at work and the back liftgate glass blew out onto the pavement. It was 95 degrees outside. The liftgate arms and all the shattered glass were on the outside of my vehicle. I called the dealership and was told nothing they could do and they didn't even ask to look at it. I paid out of pocket to replace the glass. Then on January 24th when it was -25 degrees I remote started my vehicle and it ran for about 10 minutes, I went outside to leave for work, got in started my vehicle and looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the leads for the rear defrost were hanging down. I got out of my vehicle to find shattered glass all over my driveway and the liftgate glass arms outside of my vehicle. I called Ford and I called the Ford dealership. No help. Just told they've never heard of this happening. Well, I told them the1st time it happened and this is the second time. Brought to the dealership and no answers. Asked if they reported this and the last incident to ford as it's my understanding they are to notify corporate. Nothing. I asked them to see if there was a short in the rear defrost or any other reason why this is happening. I got a to bad so sad, if ya want it fixed it will be $1700. There are no warnings that this will happen.
Driving down the interstate with cruise control set to 65mph, I went over a seam in the pavement and the vehicle began to swerve violently. I had to fight to maintain control as the TCS kicked in. I was able to regain control, but upon getting home saw the driver's rear shock has blown and lost all the fluid inside. I have contacted Ford over this near crash and they have told me that my only option on this open recall is to wait or pay to fix this myself. The part is available, I can buy it, but Ford is claiming there is no part available and that patience is the best course of action on this safety issue.
After Avis Ford replaced my seatbelt on the driver’s side, my vehicle began to rattle from underneath the same area and in the front. The seatbelt side was serviced twice, and now the car feels unsafe. The dealership refused to re-inspect and told me to fix it out of pocket. I’m concerned this may be a structural or safety-related defect caused by improper repair.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine began to leak air in intake where this is a faulty problem in the previous two models years and is an active recall on them also, 23 Ford Bronco, began to misfire causing to have to get engine replaced
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V273000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that several dealers were contacted and informed the contact that the parts were no longer available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Backing out of the garage then stopping for a minute and putting it in park then in drive afterwards I forgot there was a car behind me in my driveway. After looking in my side mirrors i saw nothing. I hit the vehicle behind me. With the radio on and playing music at no time did the radio lower in sound and the avoidance system sound off. If the avoidance system sounded off the music was louder. I hit the vehicle behind me. I guess i should have turned my head to check behind me but if the sounds were going off it might have helped me to avoid this. I really can't remember either if the camera was on. Usually if the sounds start chirping i look towards the screen. There was no damage to my vehicle only the vehicle i hit. It was my rear spare tire that caused the damage on the other vehicle. I will need to take the family vehicle to get an estimate.
Hello, I previously wrote about this problem under ID#116588898 however i feel as though it did not explain what happened correctly. As I was backing out of my garage, I stopped my vehicle putting it in park. After putting my vehicle in reverse and looking in my mirrors I didn't see anything behind me. (a blind spot) I was on an angle. My radio was on and as I proceeded in reverse, I hit a car that was in my driveway. There was no damage to my vehicle however there is about $3900 damage to the car behind me where the spare tire crushed the trunk lid and rear left qtr. At no time did I hear any warning lights, the radio did not lower, and warning lights and sounds were not doing the job of what they were supposed to do. As I thought about it, I'm not even sure the camera was on. I hope this explains this a little better than ID# 11658898. Sorry for the inconvenience of reporting this twice. If the other can be deleted that would be appreciated.
I am reporting unresolved safety recalls and unreasonable delay in repair for my 2023 Ford Bronco (VIN: [XXX] ). This vehicle currently has two open safety recalls issued by Ford Motor Company • NHTSA Recall 25V721 (issued October 2025) – seat frame defect that may increase injury risk in a crash. There is currently no available remedy, and Ford has notified me that a repair is not expected until April 2027. • NHTSA Recall 26V124 (issued March 2026) – APIM defect that may overheat and cause the rearview camera to fail while reversing, increasing crash risk. In addition, this vehicle has had prior recalls (25V025 and 25V273) that remained unresolved for extended periods. One of these recalls had no available repair for approximately 10 months. These recalls affect critical safety systems including suspension, rear visibility, and seat safety. The delay for Recall 25V721 is expected to exceed 18 months, which I believe is an unreasonable delay for a safety recall repair. Ford has continued issuing new recalls while prior recalls were still unresolved, indicating a pattern of repeated safety defects and delayed remedies. Due to these active recalls, I have been unable to use my vehicle commercially. Rental platforms such as Turo prohibit listing vehicles with open safety recalls. This has resulted in financial losses exceeding 80,000. This situation forces consumers to choose between operating a vehicle with known safety defects or suffering significant financial loss due to lack of repair availability. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether Ford is complying with its obligation to provide timely safety recall remedies and whether delays of this length are reasonable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving a motorhome at an undisclosed speed and towing the vehicle in tow mode, the transmission blew up. The contact pulled over to retrieve sunglasses from the vehicle and became aware that there was an odor of transmission fluid coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no warranty coverage for the failure. The dealer stated that the failure was due to operator error. The vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 10,642.
Rear window defogger electrical connection broke off leaving a connector and wire hanging. this could cause an accident from running over someone or something, since you can't see out of a fogged up window.
Battery suddenly went dead, only 7 months old. And 13k miles.
I am respectfully requesting that MHTAS submit to Ford an alternative Ford parts subsitution to nullify the recall for my Bronco and others to whom this applies. The recall states that replacement parts will not be available until 3rd quarter of 2025. I have been informed by the dealership service manager that these defective rear shocks could be replaced with Ford heavy duty shocks which should exempt the need for a recall. This alternative was submitted to Ford by my dealer and was refused with no explaination.
Factory hard top developing cracks around the corner of the back window on the passenger side. Vehicle is still under the 3-year / 36,000 mile factory warranty. This is the first instance that I have experience with this type of cracking on the factory hard top, and appears to be a known issue to Ford Motor Company since they have issued a General Service Bulletin (23-7004) regarding this type of issue. I am in the process of having the vehicle inspect by local Ford dealership for warranty claim. As a consumer, I do have concern about the long term durability of the hard top or any factory replacements. There are numerous examples of owners that have had multiple hard top replacements under the factory, in some cases 3-4 hard top replacements, prior to exhausting the 3 -year /36,000 mile factory warranty. These cracking issues associated with this hard top can present at different points in the part lifetime; In some cases within a few hundred miles and in others, not until the vehicle has surpassed the factory warranty. Regardless of lifespan, which does appear to be much short than a consumer would expect, The greatest concern I have as a consumer is the potential for this part to suddenly and unexpectedly fail without warning, and potential risk that could have on the vehicles' occupants or other vehicles on the roadway. The inner core of these factory hard tops are made come a cardboard composite material; Ford has stated the cracks are generally cosmetic in nature, but myself, as well as numerous other owners, have concern that with time, if moisture penetrates the hairline cracks, the cardboard may cause unexpected deteriorate enhancing risk for part failure. This gives consumer a false sense of safety and security. Ford should be finding a long term solution to this issue instead of replacing factory hard tops replacements of the same kind that also fail. It is a matter of time before injury or death occurs due to Ford's lack of a long-term solution.
“Check brake system” notification came up on dash screen. Called dealer and scheduled appt. On the way to the dealer at 70mph the brake pedal locked, pedal was incredibly hard to press and I had to kick the brake pedal to engage the brakes. Brake pedal then felt normal, but has been squishy and hard since that point. Car has 40k miles
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V025000 (Suspension); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was bouncing while driving. The contact stated that the failure was more pronounced while driving over potholes or on uneven pavement. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made not aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 14,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Despite many attempts Ford or any of its local dealers will not assist in providing me a remedy for this issue. This is a rental vehicle that has been decommissioned indefinitely due to the recall. Ford and its dealers will not provide me any fair way to trade the vehicle in for one without a recall. They will not provide me any sort of rebate to counter the discount in value I am getting with any dealer.
Ford has issued a recall for my Bronco but states in the recall that the remedy is anticipated to be available Q3 2025 because parts are not available. We rent our car out on Turo to help offset the payments and now it has been unlisted from Turo because of the recall. I am expected to continue making payments to Ford even though they are stating that it will take 5-8 months for the remedy to be available. This is totally unacceptable on Ford’s part, as they should be able to come up with a remedy and/or parts in a more timely manner. A major corporation like Ford cannot simply issue recalls and then in the same breath say that there is no fix on the horizon for it so the consumer must just deal with it.
Right turn signal in front and rear went out
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V025000 (SUSPENSION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufactured had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My vehicle has the 2.7L V6 Ecoboost engine. This engine apparently has a design defect that results in repeated cam phaser failure. My engine recently had cam phaser failure and I had them replaced. A week later I was driving at speed on a highway when my engine completely died. I had to pull to the side of the road and could not restart my engine. I ended up being towed to a dealership and am awaiting diagnosis.
A little over 10000 miles, the "Check Brake System" and "Parking" Brake Lights came on after starting the vehicle. Both Ford and the dealership were contacted and was advised that the coding through the system showed brake fluid level low with possible indication of brake fluid leaking. I asked if the vehicle was safe to drive and neither Ford or the dealership would say either way. The vehicle was taken to the dealership. For the first visit, the vehicle was at the dealership for an entire day and was told by the service advisor there wasn't anything wrong and to take it home. After leaving the dealership, the lights came on again. I took my vehicle to the dealership a second time and it sat there for another two days. Upon picking up my vehicle on the 2nd visit, I was told that the brake fluid level switch needed to be replaced and was resolved. The next day, the light comes on once again while driving. I called the dealership to talk to a service manager and was advised she would have an experienced technician dedicate their time to try and resolve the issue. The vehicle was at dealership for two days and upon pickup of the vehicle was told that the issue was due to an air bubble in the brake line and issue was resolved. I requested that the vehicle be test driven before pickup. Upon five minutes into my drive home, the lights come on once again. I've taken my vehicle to the dealership 3 times now and the dealership has had it for about 6 days during that time without resolution. I've contacted Ford customer service and the representative advised the issue would be documented, but there were currently no recalls for this issue. I've communicated with several other owners of the same vehicle experiencing the same issue without resolution. The lights are accompanied by a loud beeping noise and come on and off constantly making it a distraction when driving, and I am unable to tell if the parking brake is actually on or off since the light is constantly lit.