The demand for SUVs has been on the rise in the automotive industry around the world. But the SUV these days are more focused on being comfortable and easy to drive. There are few SUVs like the Ford Bronco that carry the proper rugged SUV feel without worrying about the terrain. The Ford Bronco is known for its extreme off-road capabilities. However, the best part about the Ford Bronco is that it does not get uncomfortable on concrete roads either. The 2022 Ford Bronco marks the debut for Raptor trim in the Bronco lineup. Ford Bronco received a complete redesign last year which brought many useful technologies for off-road driving conditions. The removable roofs and doors allow you to bring as much sunlight as you want inside the cabin. The 2022 Ford Bronco competes against the likes of the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota 4Runner.
2022 Ford Bronco Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recalls, and Which Year to Avoid
Updated on: April 8, 2022

Senior Editor
2022 Ford Bronco Complaints and Problems
The Ford Bronco entered its sixth generation with the release of the 2021 Ford Bronco. The current model year of the Bronco continues the same car with some small changes and introduces the new Raptor trim level. There are no new complaints about the 2022 Ford Bronco as of now. However, there were many complaints reported by the owners of the previous model year of the SUV. The complaints remain relevant to the current model of the car as it shares the same mechanicals. You need to wait to see if Ford has fixed all those problems in the 2022 Bronco. If they are not fixed, we might start to see the complaints about the current model year of Bronco shortly.
Engine Problem
- Engine failure problem: Many owners of the 2021 Ford Bronco has experienced something that you can call the worst nightmare as the owner of any vehicle. We do not need many words to explain to you that the engine is the most crucial component of any vehicle. You never want to face engine issues as you might even not be able to drive your car at all. But in the case of the Ford Bronco, the engine of the vehicle completely failed while driving. The problem was reported by multiple owners of the car so it is not the case with any particular unit of the car. One of the owners said in his complaint that he was driving his Bronco on the highway at 80 MPH when the vehicle suddenly started shuddering. The engine light and several lights on the vehicle went off after the event. The engine stopped responding and died. The problem is quite similar in other cases too where the vehicle died while driving or at a stop sign. As an owner, you can expect that Ford fixes the issue and it does not repeat with the current model year.
- Starting problems: Few owners have reported Ford Bronco starting problems. The problem was reported when the vehicle was in hot weather conditions. There are some complaints on various forums reporting that the vehicle won’t start when it is out in the hot weather for a long time. One of the owners reported that when he took the vehicle to the service station, they were unable to recreate the problem resulting in no solution either.
Exterior Problem
- Soft-top problem: The Ford Bronco comes in either a hardtop or soft top variant. It allows you to remove the roof completely when you wish to get some extra sunlight. But there are many compromises with the soft-top variant. You already know most of them and people are usually comfortable with them while buying the soft-top variant. However, the major challenge is that when you are buying a vehicle from a brand like Ford, you at least expect good durability. The owners of the Ford Bronco have reported durability issues with the soft-top of the vehicle. One of the owners of the current generation Bronco reported that the top is ripping and shredding apart. It is causing unbearable and distracting road noise while driving the vehicle. The vehicle mileage at the time of reporting the problem was 65,000 miles. It is again a problem that might cause problems during long-term ownership.
- Hardtop problems: The Ford Bronco hard top issues are one of the most commonly discussed problems about the Bronco on the internet for quite a long time. The 2021 Bronco hard top issues were reported by multiple owners of the SUV only a few weeks after taking the delivery. The owners of the car have reported build-quality-related issues with the removable hardtop of the vehicle. According to the complaints reported on various forums, the strands of fiberglass stuck out of the roof panel. Some owners also reported that the headliners on the roof started to peel off within a few days of delivery. There are also other areas where you can find some poor finishing levels. Fortunately, Ford is trying to fix the problem with the existing vehicles and we are expecting that the future units will not have the same problem.
Structure Problem
- Water leakage in the cabin problem: There are many complaints related to the Ford bronco roof leak problem on the NHTSA website. The owners of the Bronco reported that water gets in the cabin during rain from the passenger’s side A-pillar. It passes through the area where the airbag marking is located. That is a common problem in multiple units of the Bronco. Ford needs to address this problem as it might cause big damages in the long run.
Category |
Number of complaints |
---|---|
Visibility |
1 |
Fuel Propulsion System |
0 |
Improper working of safety features |
3 |
Engine and Electric System |
13 |
Miscellaneous Concerns |
5 |
2022 Ford Bronco Recalls
The 2022 Ford Bronco did not receive any recall so far. The production of the car was already delayed so the waiting period for the 2022 Bronco increased quite a lot. Since it reached the owners pretty late and Ford is still busy solving the issues with the previous model year of the car, the current model of the Ford Bronco did not get a chance. There were two recalls for the last model year of the Ford Bronco. You can at least expect that these two problems should not be there with the 2022 Ford Bronco. Again, nothing is for sure here and you can only wait to see if the existing problems are already resolved. There might be recalls in the future if there are existing or new problems.
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
December 16, 2021 |
21V982000 |
Radar module misaligned |
A misaligned radar module might 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 might react slowly, or not react at all, during a pre-collision assist braking event. |
2 |
October 1, 2021 |
21V770000 |
Passenger airbag might deploy improperly |
During passenger airbag deployment, an airbag vent could open prematurely and result in an improper deployment. |
Which model year of the Ford Bronco should you avoid?
The Ford Bronco is one of the favorite cars in North America when it comes to an off-road SUV. Its off-road prowess makes it one of the most capable vehicles in the segment. The Ford Bronco is not only a great off-road machine but also offers pretty good driving manners on the road which is a rarity in the segment. All this makes it a great choice when you are out in the market for a used vehicle for your off-road adventures. You can find a good deal on a used Ford Bronco. But we recommend you to stay away from the fourth generation of the Ford Bronco including 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 model years of the Ford Bronco. You should also try to avoid the Ford Bronco models with four-cylinder engine options as they usually have more problems compared to the bigger V6 engine option models.
Should you buy the 2022 Ford Bronco?
The 2022 Ford Bronco brings a more modern Ford Bronco that comes with many useful features making it even more comfortable on rough terrains. The interior feels spacious and there is lots of headroom inside the cabin. The new Ford Bronco also looks more fresh and modern without messing with its identity. There are multiple powertrain options to choose from depending on your needs. There is also a new Raptor trim for the 2022 Ford Bronco that will bring some extra features and more power. It also brings some additional off-road hardware to the vehicle. There were some problems with the previous year of Ford Bronco and they also include some serious ones like engine failure problem. But Ford is responding pretty well to fix all the problems. The 2022 Ford Bronco is a great all-around SUV that can counter some extreme terrain with utmost comfort.