Engine, Powertrain, and Brake issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2022 Ford Bronco is a sports utility vehicle that received a lot of praise from enthusiasts when it first arrived. The automaker claims it is a model that “comes out on top.” But major problems have emerged for owners ranging from faulty turbo wastegates and brake problems to varied safety issues.
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Owners of the 2022 Ford Bronco have numerous complaints about 12 components or systems in the SUV. A total of 36 complaints are listed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the Bronco and another 20 under the Bronco Sport. Of these, 24 are engine problems, 22 of which are also regarded as powertrain issues. There are a total of 17 brake-related complaints, 4 of which were submitted by Bronco Sport owners.
The alarming fact is that many serious problems have emerged in vehicles that have less than 100 miles on the clock.
Electrical system problems also feature, although more than half of these are also listed as brake issues. Other components and systems that have attracted complaints are airbags, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, the fuel/propulsion system, seat belts, structure, vehicle speed control, and visibility/wiper.
Safety concerns include seat belt buckles not engaging with the latch plate. There is also a complaint that the bolts securing the airbag case were cut/filed down to secure the case in place. Incredibly, the dealer’s comment about the latter complaint was, “You should be happy that you got your order! Don’t worry about an imperfection!”
Additionally, there is a recall due to a child safety lock malfunction. This increases the risk of injury to a child in the SUV.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Steering | |
| Exterior Lighting |
Complaints in these 2 categories range from a damaged oil pan to engines failing for various reasons or quitting because of fuel starvation. An owner from Oregon discovered that his SUV had the wrong oil dipstick and it didn’t measure the oil correctly. “This could risk engine damage by not installing enough oil.”
Another issue that is the source of several complaints is metal shavings or pieces in the engine cavity. An owner from Pennsylvania was alerted to this problem when numerous vehicle alerts were illuminated. These included a powertrain malfunction and “reduce power” instruction. The “dealership mechanic put a camera into (the) engine and can see metal pieces loose in (the) engine cavity.”
An owner from New Hampshire experienced rattling in the engine at about 1,519 miles. The vehicle had been with a Ford dealer for 50 days when he filed the complaint. “They attempted a repair job but the sound was still present. Apparently the engine needs to be either redone or redesigned, and Ford is not really giving any good answers as to even when this may be completed.”
But the most prevalent problem is a turbo wastegate malfunction that renders the Bronco undrivable. Owners report that this prevents the SUV from accelerating.
Why would a brand-new vehicle have a turbocharger wastegate malfunction? It certainly isn’t the result of wear and tear.
A Bronco with only 43 miles on the clock lost all power on the highway while passing a semi-truck. The owner, from Wyoming, states: “This could have caused a wreck if there was someone behind me trying to pass the semi as well.” The dealer confirmed that “the turbo failed on my brand new Bronco.”
An owner from New York reports a powertrain malfunction that resulted in decreased power. There was “no turbocharge activation” and “minimal acceleration,” with the SUV only getting up to 45 mph on the highway. The check engine light went on, followed by the message “turbocharger wastegate malfunction.” This vehicle had 6,500 miles on the clock and was only 4 months old.
Another New York owner states simply: “Engine comes and goes. Wastegate gets stuck.”
Several complaints state that the problems they have experienced have warranted a new engine. Examples include one that was the result of metal shavings in the engine and another caused by a broken piston.
An owner from New Jersey was driving his new Bronco that had only 60 miles on the clock. It started to make “abnormally loud knocking sounds.” It was towed to the dealer “where it was diagnosed with metal shavings in the engine oil and filter.” The dealer performed an oil change and said that the two transmission pumps and the engine needed to be replaced.
An owner from Nebraska states that engine failure occurred when his 2022 Ford Bronco had only 25 miles on the odometer. He became aware of the problem when the low engine oil pressure and check engine light warnings illuminated. “The dealer inspected it and reported that a piston broke and it needs a new engine.”
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There are many different complaints about brakes. These range from the brake light and other malfunctions warnings coming on, to brakes failing intermittently. There is also a complaint about an anti-lock brake fault. According to an owner from New York, “the brakes momentarily give out then come back in (a) non-powered mode which dangerously locks up the wheels when stopping.”
The main complaint, though, is related to flat towing with a motorhome.
Additionally, an issue that Bronco Sport owners are experiencing loud noises that indicate the brakes aren’t working properly.
An owner from Michigan states that the “brakes make a grinding sound at low speed. When in reverse, (the) brakes make a humming sound. This was the same issue that caused a recall of previous models, however, my vehicle is not covered by the recall.” According to the dealer, “we know there is a noise but the brakes are working properly.” But the owner maintains, “the noise is not normal.”
An owner from Florida states that the “engine makes intermittent metal crunching and scraping sounds at low speeds and when braking in stop-and-go traffic.” Sometimes, when the SUV is traveling at between 25 to 30 mph, he can hear the sound constantly.
An owner from Virginia, whose Bronco Sport was only 6 months old, noticed lots of brake dust when reversing. They also made a lot of noise. “The sound is like metal rubbing together and I have only noticed it when backing up. I’ve taken it to the dealership twice, (and) both times I was told it’s the new braking system Ford has and it’s ‘normal’.”
More than half the complaints listed under Service Brakes refer to problems when flat towing. They all say essentially the same thing. While Ford states that the full-size Broncos are flat-tow capable, the braking system times out due to the electronic brake boost being on a timer, an owner from Michigan states. This failure, an owner from Nevada says, “requires the motorhome’s brakes to stop both the Bronco and the motorhome and creates a serious safety issue because:
An owner from Virginia finds that the secondary brake system is inoperable after 15 minutes in tow mode. So, “the vehicle is set up with power assist brakes for the first 15 minutes, then shuts down no matter what power supply is given.” This means that the RV has to do all the braking with no assistance while in tow mode.
An owner from Texas explains exactly what happens to him. “After connecting my Bronco to the motorhome, and using Ford instructions for putting it in the tow mode the following will occur: About 45 mins after turning the ignition off and closing the doors, the EBB (Electronic Brake Boost) in the Bronco shuts down leaving the Bronco without any brake boost. This will leave the supplemental brake system ineffective. When first connecting the Bronco to the motorhome the brake boost is active and the supplemental brake system is functioning properly. After the boost shuts down, the supplemental brake system may not apply enough force to the Bronco brakes to assist in stopping, and the distance required to stop the motorhome and connected Bronco is increased.”
He fears that “if an incident occurs that causes the Bronco to become disconnected from the motorhome while under tow, the automatic braking function of the supplemental braking system may experience the same issue and fail to safely stop the Bronco.”
More than half of the electrical system complaints are combined with brake complaints. But in addition to these, there are several other problems, including this one from an owner in Indiana. “Windows don’t drop down when opening the door, and they don’t rise when closing the door as they used to do.”
Fire is probably the worst thing that owners fear when they discover that there are electrical system problems.
An owner from Rhode Island reports “engine/battery emitted smoke and sulfur odors” that were causing concern that the vehicle might ignite or explode. The owner of a Bronco Sport was the victim of an electrical fire. The vehicle, which had 900 miles on the clock “began smoking and caught fire under the hood for no apparent reason.” The complaint states that the SUV is “likely a total loss” and the “driver was lucky to escape.”
If you believe you’ve bought a lemon, contact Lemberg Law sooner rather than later. You don’t have to mess about with dealers or a manufacturer that doesn’t take your requests for replacement or buy-back seriously. We do that for you, and you won’t have to pay us. The law says that Ford must.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I bought my first bronco sport in June 2023 and have had nothing but problems with it. I had to bring in to dealership as there was a oil low pressure lights on, they changed the switch but still had a problem with the low oil pressure lights on/off.
Translation: I bought a 2022 Bronco Sport Big Ben. I had a problem with the heating, it didn’t heat up, I took it to the dealer and they fixed it. The issue was a damaged water pump. Now since I got it back, there’s a noise in the engine, I’ll have to take her in again. I’m a little disappointed because they don’t give me a rental vehicle when I left it at the dealership last time.
Original: Compre una bronco sport 2022 modelo Big Ben presento un problema con la calefacción la misma no calentaba la lleve al concesionario le hicieron el arreglo lo que tenía era la bomba de agua dañada ahora desde que lo saqué ese día quedo con un ruido en el motor tendré que llevarla nuevamente estoy algo decepcionada por que no me dan un vehículo cuando lo dejo arreglando .
I bought my first bronco sport in April 2022 and have had nothing but problems with it. I had to bring in to dealership as there was squeaking co I g from brakes and ample amounts of brake dust on my tires. Dealership said ‘i need parts for my brakes’ the bronco is less than 6 months old and I bought brand new. How does this happen?
I have 16 open cases on my 2022 Bronco last 8# NLA87713 .MOST COMPLAINS are on the rusted exterior grap rail ( tie down) left side. The storage in Port of Newark did not help the defective part. Other issue Ford deleted the retention harness from parts and dealer installed accessory. They advertised that Bronco over the Wrangler could store offroad removable doors , then deleted the ON BOARD harness parts.The product liability Ms. Clark , General Counsel did not approve due to a door falling off on road and hitting a following vehicle. Dealers now only sell GARAGE DOOR BAGS. So we have to leave the removable doors in GARAGES and break the law buy driving on road, say to beaches with the removabke doors in the GARAGE.