2025 Ford Bronco Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 2025 Ford Bronco most often describe recall problems, including repairs that waited on parts and vehicles sold with open recalls, and brake problems such as a pedal that goes hard or dead. The other main themes are sudden power loss or delayed throttle response, instrument cluster screens that go blank, and unexpected movement from park or neutral. The model is recent and most complaints list no mileage, while some reports describe headlights icing over in snow and freezing rain.

1. 1
   Other or unknown

   Recall repairs delayed, parts missing, or sold open

   • 13 complaints (23%)
   • median 1,350 mi at 1.3 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe recall repairs that could not be done because the replacement part was not yet available, sometimes after the manufacturer exceeded what the owner considered a reasonable time. Some owners say the dealer would not perform an open recall repair, or that a repair was described as ineffective. Other complaints describe vehicles sold while a recall was open or under a stop-sale, and buyers say they were not told before signing. The only stated mileage here is about 500 miles, and all of these reports were filed in 2025 or 2026.

   Recall 26V124000Recall 26V468000Recall 26V403000

   What to check: Ask the seller to confirm that no recall is open on the VIN before you sign, since complaints describe sales with open recalls. Also ask whether the back-over prevention, engine, and fender recall repairs have been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This vehicle had an open safety recall at the time the dealership sold it to me. The recall existed before the sale and the dealership knew or should have known about it. The dealer submitted loan paperwork and accepted funding but never delivered the vehicle to me. I was not informed of the open recall before signing. This is a safety and compliance issue involving a dealer selling a vehicle with an unrepaired recall”

   NHTSA complaint #11727443, filed 2026-03

   “They have yet to repair this recall even though a remedy has been available. I have asked multiple times at my dealer and they always have a reason they can’t do it. They text me one time and never set the appointment. I have called and called and even went in. I asked at my oil change and at first they said yes but then they said they couldn’t check because “it would take all day and they did not have the time”. I went in at 8:15 or 9:15am. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11752761, filed 2026-07
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes hard or dead, with brake warnings

   • 13 complaints (23%)
   • median 8,100 mi at 1.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe a brake pedal that suddenly becomes hard or travels to the floor, along with brake assist, ABS, or brake warnings that appear while driving. Other reports describe the emergency parking brake engaging on its own while driving, brakes that did not hold while backing, and brakes that locked up during an uncommanded acceleration. Some complaints name an electronic brake booster module that matches recall text for this model year, and some owners say the car had been presented to the dealer for the same problem earlier. These reports list no mileage in the sample, and they were all filed in 2025 or 2026.

   Recall 25V488000Recall 25V823000

   What to check: Check the VIN for open recalls, including the electronic brake booster recalls, and ask the dealer to confirm the software update was applied. On a test drive, check the brake pedal feel, confirm that the parking brake releases fully, and make sure the ABS and brake warnings stay off.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While slowly backing into our home garage, the vehicle accelerated brakes were not working and smashed into the side of the house, put the car in drive to move it. It accelerated forward over correcting and drove into our power box and came to a halt. No brakes were working and the wheels/steering locked up.”

   NHTSA complaint #11711063, filed 2026-01

   “Loss of braking. Note weather was cold in single digits Fahrenheit and midly snowy. I drove my 2025 Ford Bronco that was purchased in Octorber about 20 minutes to drop off my child at daycare. Going into the daycare I turned to Slippery/4A mode. After about 5 minutes inside I pulled out and switched back to Normal/2H mode. Less than half a mile later I got multiple warnings that the brakes, EBB, collision detect, and ABS had faulted, and I should service now. I only had the electronic parking brake available. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11714693, filed 2026-01
3. 3
   Engine

   Sudden power loss or delayed throttle response

   • 6 complaints (11%)
   • median 14,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe sudden loss of engine power or a delayed throttle response, sometimes after a missed downshift or at high elevation. Some report losing all power above roughly 11,000 feet and regaining it after descending, and others describe shaking, a flashing check engine light, and a cylinder misfire. According to the complaints, dealers sometimes found no fault, and in some cases the event was described as an anomaly. The only stated mileage in this group is about 14,000 miles, and the others list none.

   Recall 26V122000Recall 26V343000

   What to check: Check for stored misfire, transmission, or power-related codes with a scan tool, and drive the vehicle at speed and on a grade to test for hesitation. Ask whether the engine and EGR valve recalls listed for this model year have been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When the vehicle is in Eco mode, and an attempt is made to rapidly accelerate in an emergency situation, pressing the accelerator pedal to the floor results in a significant delay before *any* engine response is detected, far beyond what is reasonable for a normal gasoline powered vehicle. In several situations, I was in heavy traffic; traffic in the lane in which I was travelling was relatively slow. I attempted to change lanes into an adjacent lane in which traffic was moving much faster. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11745336, filed 2026-06

   “While driving, after a missed downshift that causes engine bogging, the vehicle experiences a loss of engine power. The engine remains running but will not produce usable torque and will not rev above approximately 800 RPM, despite clutch disengagement and selecting the correct gear. Holding the clutch fully depressed does not immediately restore power; instead, after approximately 4 seconds, the engine stalls or cycles/resets, after which normal operation resumes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11709688, filed 2026-01
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Instrument cluster goes blank or shows wrong readings

   • 7 complaints (13%)
   • typically at 1.1 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe the instrument cluster screen going blank or black at startup, or going dark while the car is being driven. Other reports describe a warning on the digital cluster and a speed reading that moves between 0 and 1 mph while parked. According to the complaints, the screen sometimes returned to normal after a drive, or after the car was left off overnight. None of these reports lists mileage, and all were filed in 2025 or 2026.

   Recall 25V788000

   What to check: Start the vehicle several times, including after it has been left overnight, and confirm the cluster shows speed, gear, and warnings correctly. Ask whether the instrument panel cluster recall has been completed and whether the cluster software has been updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Accident Statement – Instrument Panel Cluster Failure & Collision While driving my 2025 Ford Outerbanks, the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) screen suddenly went completely black without warning. At the time of the malfunction, I was attempting to merge into traffic on my left with my left turn signal activated. Simultaneously, an 18-wheeler in the lane beside me was merging to his right. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11703800, filed 2025-12

   “When starting my commute to work and when returning home, the instrument panel and gauges display would not turn on. After power/engine restart and open/close driver door, I drove off and about 10 minutes into drive the instrument panel and gauges display started working. On the way to work I pulled over and took a photo. On the way home I sat in parking lot at work and videoed trying to get display to work. Vehicle security system was installed the day *after* the display failure, 04/18/2025.”

   NHTSA complaint #11655457, filed 2025-04
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Unexpected movement from park or neutral

   • 8 complaints (14%)
   • median 2,200 mi at 1.3 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe a vehicle that rolled forward after being put in park and struck an object, and a car that went into neutral while being driven without the shifter being moved. A vehicle was described as clunking and attempting to move in park when the brake pedal was pressed at start-up. Flat-towing owners describe the car leaving neutral tow mode or waking up as the 12V battery runs low, with no warning to alert them. Where mileage is listed, the failure is reported at about 2,200 miles, and the other reports give none.

   Recall 25V164000

   What to check: Test that the vehicle holds park on a slope and stays in gear when the brake is pressed at start-up, and check for any transmission or shifter fault codes. For vehicles towed with the wheels down, confirm the neutral tow setting and check the battery voltage, since complaints describe the car waking up when the battery is low.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle was parked in driveway and put into park. After getting out of vehicle and walking into house we noticed the car started to roll forward and by the time we could react the car was picking up speed and rolled into a tree at the end of our driveway. A few days prior while driving 40 mph near our house the car inadvertently went into neutral without notice and without switching the gear shifter and we had to put the shifter back into drive while moving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11673148, filed 2025-07

   “Flat towing a 2025 Bronco behind a 2025 Newmar Dutchstar using a Blue Ox tow bar with Demco AirForce Braking System. Ford has a setting called neutral towing. It allows you to tow behind a motorhome with brake lights, braking, etc. When the Ford is in neutral tow, and in neutral gear, all 4 wheel roll freely and you can tow safely. What's happening is the Ford is waking up out of neutral tow when the 12V battery gets low. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11753632, filed 2026-07

Buying note. Buyers should ask the seller or dealer to confirm in writing that all open recalls for the VIN are complete, especially brake booster, recall parts, and instrument cluster items. A pre-purchase inspection that checks brake pedal feel, parking brake release, the instrument cluster at startup, and smooth throttle response at speed can help show the vehicle's current condition.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 51 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.