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2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport Coolant & Water Pump Leak Investigation
Problem Deep Dive
Lemberg Law is launching a class action investigation into a recurring water pump defect affecting 2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The defect causes the water pump to develop a coolant leak, which can lead to overheating, loss of cabin heat, and potential engine damage.
I’m Sergei Lemberg, a consumer protection attorney who has spent more than two decades representing vehicle owners in lemon law and defect cases. Let me tell you how I came across this one.
With the type of law I practice, I’m regularly talking to vehicle owners, reviewing recalls, complaint data, and TSBs, and running analysis on our in-house data. I was reading through complaints on a later model year Bronco Sport when I came across an owner who had replaced three water pumps on the same vehicle. I knew this had been an issue when the Bronco Sport first came out, but I had assumed it was long sorted out by now. It wasn’t.
So I dug in. I reviewed Ford’s internal service messages, technical service bulletins, and federal recall filings to put together a complete account of this issue. The research and source material are included below.
What’s the Problem with the Bronco Sport’s Water Pump?
On 2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine, the water pump can develop a coolant leak due to contamination in the engine’s cooling system.
Owners report the same symptoms:
- Coolant pooling under the vehicle after parking
- Low coolant warning lights
- Loss of cabin heat
- Engine overheating
- Recurring leaks after prior repairs
Which Vehicles Are Involved?
Based on our research including internal date, complaints and Ford’s technical service bulletins, this investigation currently focuses on:
Ford Bronco Sport (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine
What are Owners Experiencing?
Here are a few complaints I found in my research that highlight this issue
“I noticed my coolant level dropping about a year ago. I would fill up the coolant reservoir and the coolant level would drop within a few days. The issue was from the water pump leaking. I replaced the water pump with an OEM Ford water pump. One year later the coolant level is dropping, and I have the same issue again.”
“The water pump began leaking somewhere around 62,000 miles, however there were no visible signs of a leak and no maintenance warnings appeared on the dashboard. I only know there was a leak because I took my Bronco Sport into the Ford dealership to have other recalls repaired and they advised me to have the water pump replaced as it was leaking.”
“Engine coolant light came on, dial was all the way on H. Water pump ended up having a leak. This is an ongoing issue with Bronco Sports 2021-2024.”
Timeline of Manufacturer Communications
The documentation trail on this issue spans nearly two years and includes seven separate Ford documents, all addressing the same underlying water pump coolant leak.
March 2024 – SSM 52357 (First Acknowledgment)
Ford’s first internal service message identified the water pump coolant leak in Bronco Sport vehicles and directed dealers to flush the cooling system and replace the pump. No formal TSB had yet been issued.
September 2024 – SSM 52949
Ford revised its internal guidance, adding a critical requirement: repeat specific drain-and-refill steps up to ten times to purge trapped air from the system. Ford noted this departed from standard Workshop Manual direction. This step would carry forward into every subsequent bulletin. NHTSA ID10252626 / Manufacturer ID Number: SSM 52357
January – October 2025 — TSB 25-2001, 25-2016, 25-2063, 25-2428, 25-2511 (Four Revisions)
Ford issued its first formal Technical Service Bulletin in January 2025 and revised it three more times through October, adjusting the parts list, service procedure, and labor time with each update. Labor time dropped from 6.6 hours in the first TSB to 3.1 hours by the third revision.
December 2025 – TSB 25-2581 (Fifth Revision, Currently Active)
The most recent bulletin introduced a revised water pump part number, suggesting a design change rather than just a procedure update. Labor time was reduced again to 2.4 hours. This is the version dealers should be working from today.
Is There a Recall for the Water Pump?
At this time, there is no formal safety recall covering the water pump coolant leak defect in the 2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport.
Ford has instead addressed the issue through internal service messages and technical service bulletins. These documents acknowledge the problem and the repair is covered under the vehicle’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, but they are not classified as recalls. Owners are not automatically notified
What Can You Do?
If you own a 2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport and have experienced coolant loss, low coolant warnings, overheating, or loss of cabin heat, here are the steps to take:
- Document every incident with dates, mileage, and conditions.
- Save all repair orders and service invoices.
- Ask your dealer whether TSB 25-2581 has been applied to your vehicle and whether the complete flush procedure was followed.
- File a complaint with NHTSA at www.nhtsa.gov if you feel the issue has not been adequately addressed.
Legal Rights
Depending on your state and the repair history of the vehicle, repeated cooling system failures may involve:
- warranty protections
- lemon law rights
- state consumer protection statutes
- class action litigation
Each case depends on the facts, including repair attempts and time out of service.
Get a Free Case Evaluation
If you own a 2021–2024 Ford Bronco Sport and have experienced water pump coolant leaks, we can help. We will evaluate whether you have a lemon law claim or may be part of our class action investigation. There is no cost and no obligation.
Our firm works on a contingency-fee basis. That means no legal fees unless a recovery is obtained.
If your vehicle has had recurring water pump failures, your experience matters. It may help clarify the scope of this issue and support ongoing consumer investigations.
Sources:
- 2021 NHTSA Complaints
- 2022 NHTSA Complaints
- 2023 NHTSA Complaints
- 2024 NHTSA Complaints
- NHTSA ID 10252626 / Manufacturer ID Number: SSM 52357
- NHTSA ID 11008213 / Manufacturer ID Number: SSM 52949
- NHTSA ID 11012859 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2001
- NHTSA ID 11014140 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2016
- NHTSA ID 11014866 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2063
- NHTSA ID 11023197 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2428
- NHTSA ID 11024520 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2511
- NHTSA ID 11026504 / Manufacturer ID Number: TSB 25-2581
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."
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