FORD BRONCO SPORT · model year

2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT

917 NHTSA complaints, 29 crash reports, and 15 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2021FORDBRONCO SPORT carries 917 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 29 crashes, 27 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 BRONCO SPORT is electrical system with 184 filings, followed by power train (137) and engine (123). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 15 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2021 BRONCO SPORT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

917
Complaints
29
Crashes
27
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths
2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

917 filings

Crashes Reported

29 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM184
POWER TRAIN137
ENGINE123
SERVICE BRAKES99
UNKNOWN OR OTHER81
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE43
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM40
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC25
SUSPENSION19
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING15
STEERING14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL12
VISIBILITY/WIPER11
EXTERIOR LIGHTING9
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING9

Recalls (15)

25V44200027/06/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2

22V19100025/03/2022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.

21V92200023/11/2021

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numb

22V85900018/11/2022

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.

25V01900017/01/2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail.

21V07400016/02/2021

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. These vehicles may have been produced with incorrect front lower control arms.

21V07500016/02/2021

SUSPENSION:REAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The rear suspension subframe assembly may have loose or missing bolts.

21V80900015/10/2021

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The moonroof glass may not have been bonded correctly to the moonroof frame, which could result in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle.

21V01100015/01/2021

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.

25V15800014/03/2025

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V-267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.

25V16500014/03/2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.

24V26700012/04/2024

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.

25V46700011/07/2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.

25V68500010/10/2025

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it t

21V62500010/08/2021

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall.

Recent Complaints

20260217FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Recall 25S76 announced on 7/16/25 is still not completed. Ford states parts still not available. After 7 months, there seems to be no sense of urgency on Ford's part or their supplier's part. when will parts be available?

20260211CrashFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V467 involving potential fuel injector cracking and risk of fuel leaking onto the engine, creating a fire hazard. The recall status shows “Remedy Not Yet Available,” leaving the defect unresolved. While driving, the vehicle suddenly displayed an engine overheating warning and immediately entered limp mode, causing abrupt loss of power. The vehicle decelerated unexpectedly and was not able to maintain normal driving speed. This created a dangerous situation in active traffic and required a safety tow. The sudden power reduction could have resulted in a rear-end collision or loss of vehicle control. There were no prior overheating warnings immediately before this incident. The failure occurred abruptly. A warning message appeared at the time of the event, followed by limp mode activation. The vehicle had to be towed to a dealership for inspection. Given that the open recall involves fuel injector cracking and potential fuel accumulation ne

20260211CrashENGINE

This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V467 involving potential fuel injector cracking and risk of fuel leaking onto the engine, creating a fire hazard. The recall status shows “Remedy Not Yet Available,” leaving the defect unresolved. While driving, the vehicle suddenly displayed an engine overheating warning and immediately entered limp mode, causing abrupt loss of power. The vehicle decelerated unexpectedly and was not able to maintain normal driving speed. This created a dangerous situation in active traffic and required a safety tow. The sudden power reduction could have resulted in a rear-end collision or loss of vehicle control. There were no prior overheating warnings immediately before this incident. The failure occurred abruptly. A warning message appeared at the time of the event, followed by limp mode activation. The vehicle had to be towed to a dealership for inspection. Given that the open recall involves fuel injector cracking and potential fuel accumulation ne

20260211CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V467 involving potential fuel injector cracking and risk of fuel leaking onto the engine, creating a fire hazard. The recall status shows “Remedy Not Yet Available,” leaving the defect unresolved. While driving, the vehicle suddenly displayed an engine overheating warning and immediately entered limp mode, causing abrupt loss of power. The vehicle decelerated unexpectedly and was not able to maintain normal driving speed. This created a dangerous situation in active traffic and required a safety tow. The sudden power reduction could have resulted in a rear-end collision or loss of vehicle control. There were no prior overheating warnings immediately before this incident. The failure occurred abruptly. A warning message appeared at the time of the event, followed by limp mode activation. The vehicle had to be towed to a dealership for inspection. Given that the open recall involves fuel injector cracking and potential fuel accumulation ne

20260129SERVICE BRAKES

Since my car hit 40000 miles it has had nothing but issues. I've had it in the shop at least 10 times. My brakes went out while driving with my [XXX] old, I've had loss of power, smell of exhaust in the cabin for the last 3 months and dealership says it can't be fixed, yesterday I had complete engine failure while on the freeway. Stalled and wouldn't start back up for 5 min. The dealership has never fully fixed anything but has only updated the computer system. I feel very unsafe in this vehicle. We still owe on this vehicle so trading it in is not an option since its not even worth the down payment I put down. It has a fuel injector recall that can't be fixed yet due to not having the parts available. What are we suppose to do if we can't drive the vehicle and can't buy a new one. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20260129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Since my car hit 40000 miles it has had nothing but issues. I've had it in the shop at least 10 times. My brakes went out while driving with my [XXX] old, I've had loss of power, smell of exhaust in the cabin for the last 3 months and dealership says it can't be fixed, yesterday I had complete engine failure while on the freeway. Stalled and wouldn't start back up for 5 min. The dealership has never fully fixed anything but has only updated the computer system. I feel very unsafe in this vehicle. We still owe on this vehicle so trading it in is not an option since its not even worth the down payment I put down. It has a fuel injector recall that can't be fixed yet due to not having the parts available. What are we suppose to do if we can't drive the vehicle and can't buy a new one. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20260129ENGINE

Since my car hit 40000 miles it has had nothing but issues. I've had it in the shop at least 10 times. My brakes went out while driving with my [XXX] old, I've had loss of power, smell of exhaust in the cabin for the last 3 months and dealership says it can't be fixed, yesterday I had complete engine failure while on the freeway. Stalled and wouldn't start back up for 5 min. The dealership has never fully fixed anything but has only updated the computer system. I feel very unsafe in this vehicle. We still owe on this vehicle so trading it in is not an option since its not even worth the down payment I put down. It has a fuel injector recall that can't be fixed yet due to not having the parts available. What are we suppose to do if we can't drive the vehicle and can't buy a new one. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20260124FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car check engine light came on, I came home parked the car, in about 5 minutes the cars embarked in flames, the car burned down to the ground. The safety of my entire home (flames caught onto house) and neighbors home was at risk. The burning car was inspected by Fire Chief of Christiana Fire Company

20260124FireENGINE

Car check engine light came on, I came home parked the car, in about 5 minutes the cars embarked in flames, the car burned down to the ground. The safety of my entire home (flames caught onto house) and neighbors home was at risk. The burning car was inspected by Fire Chief of Christiana Fire Company

20260124FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

Car check engine light came on, I came home parked the car, in about 5 minutes the cars embarked in flames, the car burned down to the ground. The safety of my entire home (flames caught onto house) and neighbors home was at risk. The burning car was inspected by Fire Chief of Christiana Fire Company

20260122POWER TRAIN

I am experiencing pulsing and lunging while accelerating and cause loss of power and unsafe driving.

20260121POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was due to the torque converter. The contact was informed that the transmission fluid needed to be flushed and refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to cover 60 percent of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

20260121FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was due to the torque converter. The contact was informed that the transmission fluid needed to be flushed and refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to cover 60 percent of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

20260121POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was due to the torque converter. The contact was informed that the transmission fluid needed to be flushed and refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to cover 60 percent of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

20260121UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LOSS COMPLETE POWER WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP BUT NO POWER. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED TO CHARGE BATTERY IT WAS NOT THAT. HE WAS DUMBFOUNDED ON WHAT HAPPENED. I SAT IN A VEHICLE ON A BUSY ROAD IN RUSH HOUR FOR OVER AN HOUR BECAUSE i HAD NO SAFE PLACE TO GO. NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR, NO NOISES. JUST DIED WHILE IN USE. WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD 48 HRS LATER ITS DRIVING FINE. THEY CANT FIND AN ISSUE. I AGAIN EXPLAINED I LOSS COMPLETE POWER AND WAS PUT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS WELL AS THE FACT THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS IN THE 20S. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT SERVICE WITH NO ANSWERS, THIS IS THE 4TH SERVICE IN LESS THAN 60 DAYS WITH ISSUES. 2 WHERE TRANSMISSION, 1 WAS A GAS VALVE

20260116FireSEATS

My passenger seat heater caught on fire, it was very scary but I was able to put it out with sugar after I pulled over and figured out where the smell was coming from. I took it to my dealer for an inspection but I feel as though they were just trying to cover their side of everything and said “the seat heater did not cause the fire unfortunately”. I am currently in contact with ford and my insurance company. My insurance so far just says they need to investigate more but also that my claim is closed so I’m honestly just at a loss and confused about that and will be reaching out to them again soon. There was no warning at all and I’m glad I caught it when I did because I had glasses cleaner in my passenger side door that is very flammable.

20260114ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle while driving. The contact was unable to determine the location of the sound. The vehicle was taken to the local Auto Zone, where an undisclosed system failure had occurred. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 77,000.

Mileage: 77,000

20260114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle while driving. The contact was unable to determine the location of the sound. The vehicle was taken to the local Auto Zone, where an undisclosed system failure had occurred. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 77,000.

Mileage: 77,000

20260113AIR BAGS

Rear Belt Monitor Fault continues to be an issue. We received this warning light and supposedly had this repaired in October of 2024. The dealership replaced the rear seat belt buckle and reset the codes. This worked for a while but now is happening again. Additionally, we are receiving an airbag warning related to the rear belt monitor. When driving even short distances the warning light appears on screen maybe 5 or 6 times. If a seat belt is disconnected there is no audible warning alert or light to let the driver know that it is not in use. I believe this may be a faulty restraint control module rather than an actual seat belt issue. This is definitely a safety issue regarding restraints and airbags. I've heard of this issue in several Bronco sports, and Mavericks.

20260113ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear Belt Monitor Fault continues to be an issue. We received this warning light and supposedly had this repaired in October of 2024. The dealership replaced the rear seat belt buckle and reset the codes. This worked for a while but now is happening again. Additionally, we are receiving an airbag warning related to the rear belt monitor. When driving even short distances the warning light appears on screen maybe 5 or 6 times. If a seat belt is disconnected there is no audible warning alert or light to let the driver know that it is not in use. I believe this may be a faulty restraint control module rather than an actual seat belt issue. This is definitely a safety issue regarding restraints and airbags. I've heard of this issue in several Bronco sports, and Mavericks.

Compare 2021FORDBRONCO SPORT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT have?
The 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT has 917 NHTSA complaints, 29 crashes, 27 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT?
The 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT?
Yes, the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT has 15 recall(s). The most common affected component is BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT?
The most-complained component for the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 184 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and ENGINE.
Is the 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.