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The 2021 Ford Bronco has 218 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2021 Ford Bronco has 218 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 60 complaints, typically surfacing around 7,607 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Bronco (this page) | 218 | 1 |
| 2022 Bronco | 349 | 7 |
| 2023 Bronco | 214 | 5 |
| 2024 Bronco | 69 | 4 |
What the defect is, what it can cause, and the free dealer fix — from the NHTSA campaign record. Check your own VIN before you buy or drive.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Ford Bronco 4DR SUV 4WD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 21,518 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Brake Light issue: Red Brake Light appears when driving over 40 MPH. To fix issue Tube Vacuum had to be replaced. Part# MB3Z 2420 This seems to be an on going issue with 2021 Broncos.
water is leaking from the passenger side roof through the passenger side door airbag when it rains. The passenger side top door airbag is constantly getting wet from this leak as water passes through.
Four hours into a drive today, going down a fairly steep hill @ ~30mph into a 4 point intersection my Bronco lost all power, brakes and steering. I mean it had nothing. We barely made it thru the intersection because the cars coming directly at us slammed brakes. I had no…
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the accelerator pedal however, the engine failed to engage, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. No warning lights was…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Improper air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 218 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Ford Bronco is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2021 Ford Bronco is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 60 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 7,607 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 218 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 7,607 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 60 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 7,607 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 7,607 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 218 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.