Identified by the automaker as “the Bronco of small SUVs,” the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport is heralded as being “Rugged, capable, and dressed for adventure.” Maybe it is, but for those whose vehicles have major battery problems and loss of motive power, their sense of adventure is more than a little jaded.
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Most Common Problems
The most common complaints reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport relate to the electrical system. Most of these are due to problems with the battery, as well as a considerable number of engine and powertrain complaints. Others are linked to the fuel/propulsion system, latches/locks/linkages, service brakes, vehicle structure, tires, and vehicle speed control.
Additionally, there are four recalls that affect the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport, three of which are due to loss of drive power from an undetected low battery. There is also an open investigation into the issue of loss of motive power that the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened on November 15, 2024.
2024 Ford Bronco Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Electrical System
14
14
Power Train
8
8
Unknown Or Other
8
8
Engine
5
5
Structure:body
4
4
Fuel/propulsion System
3
3
Lane Departure: Assist
3
3
Service Brakes
3
3
Steering
3
3
Exterior Lighting
2
2
Recalls
The first was issued on April 12, 2024, for 456,565 Bronco Sport model year (MY) 2021-2024 and Maverick MY 2022-2023 vehicles. The issue detected was that the body and powertrain control modules might fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge. This, the recall warns, can result in a loss of electrical accessories including hazard lights and might cause a loss of drive power. Either way, it increases the risk of a crash.
The second loss of drive power recall, issued on September 13, 2024, was exactly the same, but only affected another 76 2024 Bronco Sport vehicles.
Then, six months later, on March 14, 2025, a third recall was issued for “loss of drive power from undetected low battery.” This time, 12,833 Bronco Sport (MY 2021-2024) and Maverick (MY 2022-2023) vehicles were recalled, These vehicles had been “previously repaired incorrectly” under the first recall. As a result, “The body and powertrain control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.”
This hardly places confidence in Ford.
The fourth recall, issued on August 9, 2024, affected 86,852 Ford vehicles, including the 2024 Bronco Sport. The warning was that the front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail. This would, of course, reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
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NHTSA Investigation
NHTSA ODI opened a Preliminary Evaluation in January 2024 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles.
It notes the April 2024 safety recall for 456,565 MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles and expanded the investigation to include these vehicles. It refers to the original April 2024 recall that states the loss of motive power is due to sudden degradation of the 12V battery during the drive cycle.
According to completed ODI questionnaires from vehicle owners, after their Bronco Sports were towed to dealerships following a loss of motive power, they were told that there was a problem with the 12V battery. “A battery replacement was the only required repair.”
As of the end of March 2025, the investigation was still ongoing.
As part of the investigation, in November 2024, the ODI opened a Recall Query on the 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles, to assess the effectiveness of the recall remedy.
Battery Failure
Reporting the battery/12V system failure, an owner from Oregon states the problem first occurred two weeks into ownership, when the car had only done 400 miles. The vehicle wouldn’t start and had to be jump-started. Then, the battery does not sufficiently recharge while the vehicle is running and requires a jump start each time the vehicle needs to be started. “This issue has left me stranded on multiple occasions.” The only possible indication of a problem was that the auto stop/start feature did not function when driving, suggesting that “the 12V system does not have sufficient charge.”
An owner from Arizona states that after buying a Bronco Sport on June 27, 2024, by July 15, “the car is completely dead and battery is dead.” He goes on to state that after a charge, the battery works. However, the “battery will need to be replaced.” This was more than two months after nearly half a million Bronco Sport vehicles had been recalled because of batteries failing to charge.
And the problem is not being resolved. On March 11, 2025, an owner stated in a complaint that the auto start-stop feature stopped working after the recall which Ford describes on its website. “The current software for the Body Control Module and Powertrain Control Module is unable to detect — and thus compensate for — the decreasing performance in the life of a 12-volt battery. This could result in the vehicle being unable to restart while using the Auto Start-Stop Technology or stalling while coming to a stop at low speeds.” The owner took the vehicle to a dealership where the “battery was diagnosed at 57%.” There had been no indication that the battery was failing. Furthermore, the “recall reprogram did not resolve (the) issue.”
Bronco Explodes in Flames
In a complaint listed as an electrical system, engine, and fuel/propulsion problem, an owner from Texas describes a horrific experience his son had while driving his six-week-old 2024 Ford Bronco Sport. The car “spontaneously burst into flames” while his son was driving. Bystanders saw smoke and fire around the undercarriage and multiple drivers began honking when they stopped at a red light. He and his sister evacuated the vehicle.
“As they were fleeing to the median of an active highway, the vehicle burst into flames. After several explosions, the vehicle continued to burn and melt until the fire dept extinguished the flames. Prior to spontaneous combustion, there were no symptoms of gas leaks or error messages. Nor were there any fluid leaks. There were no error messages or signs of vehicle distress even while my children were driving and engulfed in flames. If bystanders had not flagged down my son, my children may have still been inside the vehicle when the fire and explosions consumed them.”
The owner was aware when he bought the Bronco Sport that there was an open safety recall for fire risk due to a fuel injection defect in 2022-2023 model years (MYs). However, there were no reported design updates for the 2024 model. Despite this incident, the recall still only relates to the 2022-2023 MYs.
He believes that “both Ford and the dealership knew, or should have known, the 2024 models would have the same defect and fire risk. (It is) disturbing (that) they sold their defective vehicle to my family. The dealership claims no responsibility or obligation to disclose risks. Ford refuses to speak with me given (the) total loss status. My only recourse now is through my insurance. My children remain traumatized by their near death experience.”
Shifting Problems
Powertrain-related problems are varied, but several indicate shifting issues. All these complaints were made to the NHTSA in 2025.
An owner from Florida states that when the car has been driven for more than 20 minutes it has “erratic shifting issues shifting up or down. It is most notable when in stop-and-go traffic. Four times it has given me a wrench on the dash cluster for Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power.” The vehicle suggests the driver contact a dealer. “I pull over as soon as I can, shut the vehicle off, and restart and the wrench goes away. It will then drive normally again. It happened on 8/25/24, 10/5/24, and twice on 3/22/25.”
An owner from a different part of Florida states that the car had done less than 2,500 miles when it failed to go into gear when pulling out on a major highway. “When it did slip into gear, it would only go 10 mph the whole way home. Multiple alerts were sent to my phone.” Additionally, “the dealership said it was a loose wire — after telling me they would replace the car, and 60 sensors went off!”
An owner from Nebraska reports that while his girlfriend was starting the vehicle remotely, it “started rolling out of the garage independently. The vehicle came to a complete stop after crashing into another that was a vehicle parked in the driveway. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the rollaway. The airbags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated.” There was no outcome at the time of the complaint in March 2025.
Your Next Steps
If you think your 2024 Ford Bronco Sport might be a lemon, you can contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems free of charge. A good yardstick to base your assessment on is that when a vehicle is a lemon, the problems will affect your use of the vehicle and its value.
We have helped many car owners reach settlements with automakers and may be able to do the same for you. The law makes Ford pay the legal costs for lemon law cases, ensuring you can seek resolution without financial risk. If you need help, please fill in our online contact form or call our Helpline.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
