2023 Ford Bronco Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe windshield wipers that slow down or stop on their own during rain or snow, a problem that comes up at very low mileage and that dealers have repeatedly described as normal operation. Beyond that, complaints cluster around the infotainment screen and rearview camera glitching or going blank, parking brake and brake warnings, and hard-top or glass sealing issues. Many reports arrive within the first few thousand miles, and several concern software or sensor behavior rather than worn parts.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers slow or stop on their own in rain

   • 85 complaints (37%)
   • median 200 mi at 0.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe setting the wipers to low or high in rain, sleet or snow and having them drop to an intermittent pace or stop entirely after roughly half a minute to a minute. Several say they have to keep moving the wiper control to keep the blades sweeping, and some report the blades quit even when the windshield is clearly wet. According to complaints, dealers have duplicated the behavior but told owners it is a designed feature of the wiper motor, and a few say no repair was offered. Often reported at very low mileage, in several cases within the first few hundred miles, and tied to heavy rain, sleet or near-freezing weather.

   What to check: Test the wipers on a wet windshield through a full cycle at low and high speed and see whether they hold their setting for several minutes. Ask the seller whether any dealer has inspected the wiper motor or control and what they said.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving home today in the rain and noticed that regardless of the mode I had my wipers on, they slow down and go into a slow intermittent mode all on their own. After about 35 seconds the wipers start to slow down then after 50 seconds they stop causing a serious safety concern. I was constantly having to adjust the speed of the wipers. This can be very dangerous in poor weather and heavy traffic. There is no rain sensor in my car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11503695, filed 2023-01

   “Wiper control issue - when the wipers are set to the standard slow or fast speed the wipers start to slow down after about 30 seconds and eventually go into intermittent. We have experienced this in the pouring rain, while traveling with children and it makes it impossible to see. We have contacted 2 dealerships, and both were able to replicate the problem and acknowledged it. However, Ford will not acknowledge that there is a problem, and we are told that there is nothing that they can do. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11511803, filed 2023-03
2. 2
   Brakes

   Parking brake and brake system warnings

   • 14 complaints (6%)
   • median 22,995 mi at 1.8 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report a red brake or parking brake warning appearing on the dash, sometimes with messages asking for service, and in some cases the warning clears and returns intermittently. A few describe a hard brake pedal or reduced assist at low speed, and others mention the vehicle creeping or rolling after it was stopped with the brake applied. Complaints say diagnosis was difficult when the warning was intermittent. Reported from roughly 10,000 to 34,000 miles in the sampled complaints, often noticed at startup or at low speed.

   Recall 23V5460001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the brake fluid level sensor connector has been checked and whether any brake or parking brake warnings have been stored. On a test drive, try a stop on a slight slope and confirm the vehicle holds.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Emergency brake failure. I have a very slight slope on my driveway. My car rolled halfway down my driveway. I assumed I did something wrong although I knew I had the car in gear with the E brake on. Two hours later I came back from an errand parked on my driveway was sitting in my car and my car started rolling backwards. The car was off in gear with the E brake on. I videotaped this happening every 20 seconds the car with balance, and roll back an inch or two. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11513648, filed 2023-03

   “Two different times, my brakes have lost power. Both times were at slower speeds while coasting. The first time a car pulled out in front of me (about 50 feet ahead) and even though I was only going about 15 miles per hour I was barely able to stop in time. When I hit the brake pedal it felt rock hard (like when you pump the brakes with the engine off). The pedal did not go to the floor or anything like that. It stayed high in the stroke. No ABS sensation or warning lights. The next time I hit the brakes they worked normally. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11555101, filed 2023-11
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Infotainment screen freezes or goes blank, camera fails

   • 19 complaints (8%)
   • median 48,376 mi at 3.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe the center screen freezing, restarting on its own or staying black after startup, which leaves the rearview camera image delayed, frozen or missing when reversing. Some owners link the behavior to the Accessory Protocol Interface Module, and a few report overheating messages after a related recall repair. Owners say dealers were sometimes unable to reproduce the fault, while others had the module replaced. Reported across a wide mileage range, from delivery mileage into the tens of thousands of miles, and some owners note it happens more in cooler months.

   Recall 26V124000Recall 25V273000Recall 25V3150003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the vehicle cold and confirm the screen boots and the rearview image appears promptly in reverse; repeat a few times. Ask whether any rearview camera or infotainment software recalls have been completed on the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The infotainment system, radio, backup camera has been frozen or does not come on startup of car. This means the backup camera has been frozen or does not come on when in reverse which is a safety issue. This put people and objects at risk when I backup. This has been happening about once a month if not more. In the cooler months it happens more. I have video proof of this happening and have provided this proof to a Ford dealer. I have taken in my Branco multilabel times to get this checked and they have not been able to reproduce this.”

   NHTSA complaint #11586271, filed 2024-05

   “Faulty APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) on 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak at delivery. The APIM allows the Sync4 suite to function properly. Dealer inspected, determined APIM is faulty. Vehicle delivered on 8/14/2023. Sync4 system continually glitches: reverse camera doesn't appear, or freezes, or is on a delay sync4 lets out a high pitch sound all the time turning on 360 degree cameras causes a glitch calls drop screen freezes”

   NHTSA complaint #11552737, filed 2023-10
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Hard top cracks, bubbles, leaks and detaches

   • 8 complaints (3%)
   • median 18,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe cracks, bubbling or discoloration on the molded hard top, water leaking in around the rear glass during rain, and in some cases panels separating or coming loose. Owners report dealers replacing tops under warranty in some cases and declining coverage in others, with one owner noting the replacement top arrived with dents and uneven surfaces. Reported from about 6,000 to 45,000 miles, often noticed after rain or after removing and reinstalling the panels.

   Recall 24V142000Recall 26V4030002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the roof panels and rear quarter glass for cracks, bubbling, paint wear or loose seals, and check the headliner and cargo area for water stains. Ask whether any top or glass recall work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The MIC hardtop is bubbling some at the top and has a line where it looks like perhaps it is assembled on the back panel over the top that is discolored in comparison to the rest of the top. Furthermore, the middle panel is a different color than the rest of the hardtop. It is available for complete inspection upon request. The car has not been inspected by dealer but was bought used and did not show the bubbling whenever it was purchased--but rather it has happened in the months since it was purchased. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11756193, filed 2026-08

   “The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the hard top was detaching. The vehicle was driven to the dealer but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11623137, filed 2024-11, 45,000 miles

Buying note. Check the wiper behavior in wet weather and confirm the center screen and rearview camera work from a cold start, since these are the most frequently described complaints. Also ask for the recall status of the rear shocks, rear glass and camera software, and inspect the hard top for cracks or leaks.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.