Ford Bronco II Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 205 consumer complaints across the 7 model years of the Ford Bronco II (1984–1990) that have at least 5 complaints. 1988 has the most, with 45. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (51 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Bronco II years →
All Bronco II model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26 | 164,058 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 39 | — | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 45 | 54,606 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 36 | 9,900 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 33 | 89,000 | 4 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 13 | 106,000 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 13 | 111,000 | 2 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system51 26%
- Engine cooling35 18%
- Fuel system25 13%
- Vehicle speed control18 9.3%
- Brakes18 9.3%
- Transmission and drivetrain17 8.8%
- Seat belts17 8.8%
- Body and structure12 6.2%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1985: “The front seal on the a4ld automatic transmission in my 1985 Bronco Ii failed. When this happened the transmission fluid blew back across the exhaust pipe causing a lot of smoke. I have done a lot of research and find that this is a common problem with this vehicle and transmission.”
NHTSA complaint #10013955, filed 2003-04, 106,000 miles1988: “These Bronco Ii's are something else. I just purchased mine. There are minor cracks in the floor in the rear of vehicle, the power steering pressure hose busted and brakes are incredibly hard to use to stop the SUV. I found recall on the 1988 ranger for rear drum brakes that were the wrong size but I cannot find that recall for the Bronco Ii figuring it was made with the same parts would think that the drum size makes it hard to stop the vehicle without pumping. There are a few other problems also but these are the biggest ones I have had so far. …”
NHTSA complaint #10282038, filed 2009-08, 54,606 miles1987: “Bought the bronco and started having problems with it, it started sputting like it was out of gas when it was full(I just put a full tank in it when I picked it up at a friends.”
NHTSA complaint #10110478, filed 2005-02, 9,900 milesOther Ford models
38,918 complaintsFord Explorer
34,637 complaintsFord Escape
27,545 complaintsFord Fusion
22,448 complaintsFord Focus
22,108 complaintsFord Taurus
18,164 complaintsFord Windstar
14,152 complaintsFord Edge
14,107 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology