2021 Ford Bronco Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 20 NHTSA recalls and 230 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
F
29/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2021 Ford Bronco
The 2021 Ford Bronco shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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20
NHTSA Recalls
20 recalls on record
230
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
6
Crash Reports
3 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Ford Bronco (20)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Ford dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Forward Collision Avoidance: Sensing System: Radar
A misaligned radar module may prevent the vehicle from maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles when adaptive cruise control is active. In addition, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system may react slowly, or not react at all, during a…
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the angle of the cruise control radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332….
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
Improper air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag, free of charge. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on November 24, 2021. A second notice announcing the remedy is available was…
🔧 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Doors: Lock
A malfunctioning child safety lock increases the risk of injury to a child occupant.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the passenger-side child safety locks door child safety lock and latch, and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 28, 2022….
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The SYNC module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 25, 2024. Owners may…
🔧 Air Bags: Sensor: Side Impact
An improperly secured side impact sensor may cause the air bags to unintentionally deploy, or not to deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the side impact sensor attachments and repair, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The SYNC module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2024. Owners may…
🔧 Seat Belts: Critical Fasteners
Difficulty accessing the seat belt latches may result in occupants not wearing their seat belts, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will add a sliding clip latch stop to the driver and front passenger seat belts, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle…
🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will perform an engine cycle test and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service…
🔧 Suspension: Rear: Shock Absorber
An external reservoir that detaches from a vehicle can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear shock absorbers, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
Showing 10 of 20 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2021 Ford Bronco
Based on 230 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Ford Bronco — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Ford Bronco VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2022 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2024, 2025 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Ford Bronco
Is the 2021 Ford Bronco reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Ford Bronco has 20 recall campaigns and 230 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2021 Ford Bronco have?
The 2021 Ford Bronco has 20 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ford Bronco?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Ford Bronco are: Engine, Electrical System, Suspension, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2021 Ford Bronco safe to buy?
The 2021 Ford Bronco has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 20 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Ford Bronco should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Ford Bronco are: 2024, 2025. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2022.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.