Malfunctioning windshield wiper and transmission issues are the main causes of complaints according to our research
Heralded by Ford as the world’s first sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the Bronco has evolved since the first model was introduced to the U.S. market in 1965. Discontinued due to the changing tastes of American consumers in 1996, it made a comeback in 2021. Launching the 2023 model, Ford announced that 1960s Bronco styling now “meets modern capability.” But this doesn’t seem to apply to all elements of the SUV, certainly not windshield wipers. Since the new “modern” Bronco reappeared in 2021, owners have been complaining that their “smart wipers” malfunction in the rain. Complaints also highlight serious problems with the SUV’s transmission.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2021 2022
Between December 30, 2022, and January 25, 2023, 7 owners of the 2023 Ford Bronco laid complaints with the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA). All of them are filed in the Visibility/Wiper category, and all 7 of them relate to malfunctioning windshield wipers. By June 28, 2024, 87 owners had filed Visibility/Wiper or Visibility complaints, most of which were due to major issues with wiper blade malfunctions.
It is also a known problem with the 2022 Ford Bronco and 2021 Bronco, and Ford has acknowledged this in correspondence with dealerships. The other major problem with the 2023 Ford Bronco is due to faulty transmission shifting systems that make grinding noises.
There are also a substantial number of electrical system complaints, though they are varied. Some relate to the brakes and others to cameras and radios freezing.
Other components and systems that are listed in complaints include backover prevention, engine, equipment, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, fuel/propulsion system, seat belts, steering, structure, suspension, tires, vehicle speed control, and the wheels of the Bronco.
Apart from all the complaints, there are 8 recalls that have been issued by Ford. One is an urgent safety recall due to the lug nuts on 1,434 2023 Ford Bronco and Ranger vehicles possibly not being properly tightened. This may result in the wheels of vehicles detaching while driving — so affected owners have been advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed.
Only two, both powertrain issues, relate to current NHTSA complaints. These warn that Ford vehicles, including the 2023 Bronco, might have a loose bolt in the transmission that may cause rollaway. Alternatively, the transmission might be “unsecured” due to damage during assembly.
The others are due to:
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The smart wiper problems so many consumers have complained about started with the 2021 Ford Bronco model — the model that made the great comeback! By April 2022, Ford had issued a technical service bulletin and warned dealerships about the issue as it related to the 2021 and 2022 models.
The company stated that 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles were equipped with a smart windshield wiper motor that is capable of sensing the load of the wiper blades as they move across the windshield glass. As a result of this “operational characteristic/design, the operation may not be what is expected in certain conditions.”
The company also stated that this operational characteristic is a protection feature. As such, it is designed “to prevent damage to the wiper motor in case of overheating, operation with dry windshields, or obstructions to the wiper blade (snow, ice, etc.). In such conditions, the wiper motor will temporarily reduce its speed and/or reduce (the) area of cleaning until the condition is no longer present.”
What this means is that Ford has always been aware that its new-style Broncos with so-called modern capability have a design “characteristic” that affects the way windshield wipers operate. However, they didn’t appear to think it was a problem.
Unsurprisingly, complaints to the NHTSA about the 2023 Bronco windshield wipers all describe the “operational characteristic” that Ford accepts as normal. Owners are concerned about the problem, describing it as a serious malfunction that results in a serious safety hazard.
Descriptions from owners are all very similar. For example:
A major concern is that dealers often can’t find a cause or can’t duplicate the failure. If they take the issue to Ford, they are told this is “a feature for the smart windshield wiper motor.”
An owner from Pennsylvania states, “The windshield wiper controllers are seriously malfunctioning. When switched on, they work for the first minute, then the speed at which they are running changes significantly.” As an example, the complaint describes how on January 20, 2023, the wiper stopped working in heavy rain. “This is a serious safety hazard as I was unable to see and had to turn off the wipers and turn them back on to reset them. I hope this issue is handled rapidly as I have noticed many others have the same problem.”
An owner from Maryland states that the “advanced” wipers “automatically stop wiping when they think the windshield is dry or think the wiper motor may be damaged.” Describing what happens, the complaint goes on to say that when the SUV is traveling in heavy rain the wipers will “automatically switch to Intermittent after about 1 minute.” They stop wiping at a high speed and pause between wipes for several seconds. To keep them going in “heavy, blinding rain you have to keep switching the wipers from Low to High to keep them moving.” Of course, as the complaint states, this is a safety hazard because the driver can’t see through the windshield when it’s raining heavily.
“After reading the Manual it appears this is a ‘feature’ of the new Ford Bronco. This is a major safety issue and Ford should be required to fix the wiper motor on these vehicles. The issue happens on all of the model years – 2021-2023.”
An owner from Michigan states that he and his son have experienced this wiper problem. “It’s like a sensor tells the wipers it’s not raining or snowing hard anymore and it switches it automatically to interval. Very dangerous while driving in traffic in bad weather.”
Many of the complaints listed under Powertrain are, unsurprisingly, due to grinding and scraping noises. These go back to December 2022, though they have evolved over time. The most recent, issued on 21 February 2024, adds the 2024 Bronco model and, once again, specifies a service procedure to correct the condition.
It’s difficult to understand how a serious problem like this could still remain unresolved after so many years.
A complaint lodged in March 2024 states that ever since the owner took delivery of the Bronco, “It has made and continues to make a grinding, (and) scraping sound when the vehicle is in neutral, or the transmission is not engaged. The grinding, scraping sound will occur when driving in first, second, and third gear. If the weather is warm, as it was last summer, it does not make the grinding, scraping sound.” Despite the automaker’s TSBs, this complaint states that the local Ford dealership “agrees that it is an abnormal sound for a vehicle transmission to make.” Interestingly, while Ford refused to help this owner, he reveals evidence that “Ford Motor Company’s response has been very irregular. One friend, in particular, has had his transmission replaced.”
There are many similar complaints, all related to manual transmissions. However, automatic transmissions also have problems.
An owner who states there was “a hard popping sound” was driving a 10-speed automatic transmission at normal highway speeds. “The vehicle began to vibrate harshly and jerk. Upon continued driving it would stall in intersections in traffic like it was going to stop moving then jerk, accelerate, and pause again, multiple times. I have owned the vehicle for about 8 days and it has been in the shop for about 7 of those.
“I was told by the shop that I could continue to drive it or come get it until they are able to further disassemble the transmission, but it doesn’t seem safe to drive a vehicle that feels like it is stalling. It was very dangerous when trying to accelerate in traffic and the vibration during normal speeds felt very unsafe.”
Maybe you have been experiencing issues with your 2023 Bronco windshield wipers or transmission malfunctioning. Perhaps you have a totally different complaint that makes you believe your SUV is a lemon.
Are you aware that every year automakers like Ford buy back, replace, or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ vehicle owners? Additionally, the law makes Ford pay the legal fees for lemon-related legal fees. This means you don’t pay a cent if a lemon lawyer represents you in court.
If you’d like Lemberg Law to assess your 2023 Ford Bronco problems free of charge, call our Helpline or fill out a contact form.
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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