2021 Ford Bronco Sport Powertrain (other) Problems

The vehicle now has 69k miles, it started experiencing transmission difficulties at 64k. Local Ford service department say that it needs a new Rear Differential AND and new transmission. This vehicle has never towed anything has a mix of city and highway driving. The local service guy said that there SHOULD be a recall on this because of all the problems they’re seeing. It has been in the shop for 3 weeks while Ford Customer Care determines what financial assistance they’ll provide.

NHTSA ID

11775978

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport 1.5L and Ford Motor Company's handling of recall-related repairs. Beginning October 22, 2025, I repeatedly attempted to have the applicable recall work completed through two authorized Ford dealerships. The programs involved include: • Recall 24S24 – NHTSA 24V267000 • Customer Satisfaction Program 22N18 – NHTSA ID 10233848 Despite multiple dealership visits and Multi-Point Inspections, the work was not completed until November 4, 2026. During this period, my vehicle experienced significant loss of engine power, particularly when traveling uphill and at higher elevations. Powertrain warnings also appeared, creating potentially dangerous driving conditions, especially on highways where maintaining speed is critical. The vehicle is now experiencing a failing turbocharger and other major mechanical problems. My concern is that these issues were overlooked or not properly investigated during previous dealership inspections. Had the necessary work and inspections been performed in a timely manner, these problems may have been identified before my 60,000-mile factory warranty expired. I am now facing substantial repair expenses as a result. I contacted Ford Motor Company's corporate Customer Relations department but was told they could not help. My complaint is not simply about warranty coverage or repair costs. I am concerned about the safety implications of the vehicle's loss of power, the delayed recall work, and whether the recall remedies adequately address the underlying problems. I respectfully request that NHTSA review the recall history, investigate the reported loss of power and engine failures, and determine whether additional safety action or investigation is warranted.

NHTSA ID

11775691

Incident

Oct 22, 2025

I purchased a new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, Model Outerbanks. The vehicle has had regular service at a Ford Dealership. In early October 2026 the Ford Dealership ran a diagnostic on the Bronco Sport and said the Rear Differential Unit (RDU) needed replaced. The estimated cost of the repair and parts was $4,000.00. The Ford warranty on the RDU is 5 years or 60,000 miles. My warranted ran out on September 21, 2026 and my mileage when diagnosed was 64,753. Searching on the Ford Bronco Sport Internet Blog it appears the RDU issued is quite common requiring replacement on Bronco Sports with low and high mileage. It is clear that the RDU is either a bad design or poor product quality. It can be a safety issue given the Ford Dealership suggested I only drive the vehicle locally until the RDU is replaced. Ford agreed to pay about $1900.00 leaving me with an out of pocket cost of $2,062.00. I think this RDU issue is a safety problem and should warrant a recall making the Ford Motor Company fully responsible for the replacement cost of the RDU and libel for any and all injuries resulting from the parts failure.

NHTSA ID

11774747

Incident

Oct 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport equipped with an 8F35 automatic transmission. While driving between 25 and 45 MPH under normal acceleration, the vehicle experienced repeated violent hesitation, jerking, and lunging 4 to 5 times in rapid succession, accompanied by rapid RPM fluctuations between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM. The condition mimics an engine misfire or momentary stall and loss of motive power during acceleration, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of rear-end collision in active traffic. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Ford dealership (Cronin Ford North) on September 30, 2026. The dealership verified and duplicated the complaint on a road test, monitored PIDs, and officially confirmed that the torque converter clutch (TCC) was slipping. Despite confirming mechanical slip, the dealership stated in writing that there were "no relevant articles," overlooking the published Ford Special Service Message SSM 54797 for 8F35 torque converter shudder below 60 MPH. The dealership recommended replacing the torque converter and main control valve body for over $5,200. When the owner declined due to cost, the vehicle was released back into service without answering the owner's written safety inquiry regarding whether the vehicle was safe to operate with verified drivetrain slippage. Additionally, the vehicle has an open safety recall (25S76) for which Ford corporate confirmed no remedy or parts are currently available. The vehicle has not stalled completely, but the severe hesitation and surging persist under normal acceleration. The manufacturer has not provided a resolution.

NHTSA ID

11773873

Incident

Sep 24, 2026

Driving and check engine light came on saying abs system disabled pull over immediately This was a 4000.00 repair for the sensor that should’ve been a recall as there were 5 other broncos repaired with this same issue in the shop during my repair. I was not covered u der warranty because I was 600 miles over power train warranty when this occurred. Please review for possible ford recall.

NHTSA ID

11773657

Incident

Jun 22, 2026

The Bronco Sport was put into drive and would not go like normal, it slowly picked up speed, but every shift between gears was felt. The vehicle drove fine once it hit 55mph. Vehicle was shut off and then would not engage into drive. The drive icon was flashing. The dealer was able to confirm the problem. There were zero warning messages or symptoms prior to the problem. The vehicle had been serviced two months prior and the transmission was functioning in the green according to the dealer.

NHTSA ID

11772107

Incident

Oct 13, 2026

I have a 2021 Bronco Sport 55,000 miles. I have taken my vehicle to the dealer for all maintenance, repairs and advice. My boyfriend mentioned my RPMs are bouncing and they should not. I scheduled at the dealer anticipating a sensor. I learned from the dealer my vehicle requires a new transmission, new rear and new water pump. $15,000. I also learned that in 2009 Ford changed their transmission to an enclosed transmission. This has changed their inspection of the transmission to only include checking the fluid if it has a dip stick. Since an enclosed transmission does not have a dip stick mine was never checked from the factory. I have requested Ford Goodwill assistance which has offered $6,000 toward the rebuilding of the transmission and rear. I am six months out of the time portion of the warranty and under the mileage of 60,000. I have had all of my repairs and checks done by the dealer. I never knew they were not checking the transmission fluid. They explained it saved me $40 to not check it... while it's costing me $15,000. As I check Ai it states this is common. My dealer says it's not common. I have asked for additional assistance as this is a caustrophic loss to me. Having a car 5 years old and needing such repairs is leaving me perplexed. My family has always run Ford and stated they can go 1 million miles yet mine cannot get to 56,000 miles... I actually always bought my teenagers cars around 80,000 feeling they were broke in... I am writing because I want this tracked. Ford broke my repairs into three smaller repairs which caused the Ford Customer Service to be confused as to how/why I was saying $15,000. I feel they are slanting the history by presenting as if my car is three different cars or three different time periods for repairs. Honestly I always avoided cars with replaced/rebuilt transmissions feeling the owner was harsh on the vehicle or thinking it towed or plowed. I only drove this vehicle gently and to work yet failure

NHTSA ID

11770892

Incident

Aug 4, 2026

Rear differential makes grinding noise. Repaired by Ford in 10/24 but grinding has returned.

NHTSA ID

11770265

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the transmission failed to shift into a higher gear. The contact stated that the RPM was high and the vehicle was restarted to continue driving. The messages "Power Train Malfunction" and "Cannot Engage in Park, Turn on Parking Brake" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the lead frame had failed and the lead frame and transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,434.

NHTSA ID

11770167

Incident

Oct 8, 2026

Mileage

97,434 mi

The rear differential went out on my Bronco Sport. Ford has issued a TSB, but has not widely promoted it. I've been told if I drive it, it could have a catastrophic failure resulting in an accident. My vehicle has been sitting at a Ford dealership for 7 weeks now and the part is not anticipated to be released to the dealership for over another month. No loaner was provided either.

NHTSA ID

11769362

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

The rear drive unit (RDU) is the suspected culprit for a harsh rubbing sound which occurs during turns at low speed, typically 20mph or less. Safety is a concern because the manufacturer has identified several issues with this year/model and its RDU, and the concern is contaminated lubricants can cause unseen damage leading to the potential loss of motive power or uneven power distribution. I was lucky to have found the problem before it became significantly worse. Ford has acknowledged the issue in at least three service bulletins I was able to find. No warning lamps or messages, but the shudder started around 40-50k miles.

NHTSA ID

11768732

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

At around 75,000 miles, we noticed a small, occasional transmission shudder. We were told that these vehicles feel like that sometimes. We brought it up again around 100,000 miles. We were told we needed to change the purge valve assembly. We did. It did not help. We took the vehicle to a transmission shop and were told that the torque converter was slipping, and that the transmission needed rebuilt or replaced. We took it back to Ford to confirm. They quoted us for a rebuild. I have seen many other people online with the same issue. Some happening, luckily (I suppose), while still under warranty. These transmissions are failing and no one is doing anything. I now have a transmission repair on a vehicle with only 120,000 miles on it that is going to cost me almost as much as the vehicle is worth. This could be a safety issue if the transmission were to fail in Chicago traffic, or when merging into traffic.

NHTSA ID

11767535

Incident

Sep 28, 2026

Transmission has failed with known issues beforehand. Ford has repaired many of these transmissions free of charge even though they were out of warranty now they are denying my claim because it is 6000 miles out of warranty. However, the transmission has been acting up since we bought it. There are OEM replacement parts available for this transmission that are modified to prevent the type of failure we are dealing with.

NHTSA ID

11767102

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

The vehicle's entire powertrain and transmission system failed completely. The vehicle will not turn on, will not start, and the electronic rotary gear shifter is physically locked out, refusing to shift into Park or Neutral. The transmission assembly component is currently available for physical inspection upon request. The sudden loss of powertrain and electrical control module communication caused an immediate loss of motive power, stalling the vehicle and leaving it completely stranded and un-drivable. The physical lockout of the shifter mechanism prevents rolling or shifting the asset safely, creating an immediate rollaway or crash hazard if stranded on an active roadway. The car was also jerking vilolently in the middle of an intersection almost causing an accident where we would’ve been rear ended. Yes. The failure was formally diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized dealership, Jim Taylor Ford in [XXX], under Repair Order (RO) #XXX. The component has been physically inspected and diagnosed by the certified technicians at Jim Taylor Ford dealership, who confirmed a total internal failure. They have ordered an entire replacement transmission assembly under Ford Part Number LX6Z-7000-F and Fluid XT-12-QULV. Symptoms and warning signs began showing around XXX, starting with minor shift jerking then eventually turning into violent jerking within a few days. The vehicle suffered from electrical system degradation and complete module power loss, which directly aligns with the known failure symptoms of Ford's active Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and battery safety recalls (such as Campaign 24S24). Ford Corporate was contacted but is refusing to cover this catastrophic mechanical destruction under the safety recall mandate due to the vehicle's mileage (118,365 miles), despite the physical damage being explicitly caused by the unaddressed manufacturer safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11764495

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the vehicle and the vehicle sputtered. The ABS, traction control, engine, seat belt, battery, and other unknown warning lights illuminated, and the messages, "System off to Save Battery - Please turn off to Start Engine", "Charging System Service Now", "Pre-Collision Assist not Available", "Front Camera Temporarily Unavailable", "Service Vehicle Soon", and "Check Brake System" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced and the body control module software needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred five months later. The vehicle was taken to another dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The contact stated that fault codes for the battery and alternator were retrieved. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11763559

Incident

Jul 4, 2025

Mileage

11,000 mi

I had recalls for body control module and power train control module calibration updates. i took it to my ford dealership on august 12th, 2026 they had it done with within the day i picked it up. within a week after (i don’t drive my car much just to work mostly) i had an error come up on my dash saying the powertrain control had failed and i was unable to put my car in park. i immediately called the dealership they asked me to bring it back in. they ended up giving me a loaner vehicle and was with out my car for 2 weeks before I called and asked for an update. they said they were so sorry the transmission was compromised and i was going to have to pay $11,500 for a new one. I had never had issues with my transmission before bringing it in for my recalls to be addressed. i am still without my car and figuring out what to do next.

NHTSA ID

11762943

Incident

Aug 12, 2026

Car is failing to pick up speed and shuttering around 20mph to 60mph. Took it to the dealer and they said it’s the transmission. Im currently in talks with dealership about a goodwill repair. I’m at approx 65000 miles and warranty ended at 60000. I previously contacted Ford dealership to complain about the issue before the warranty was up. I was told I would have to pay $149 for a diagnostic on the vehicle so I took it to my repairman and no codes came up. He changed the spark plugs and still it shuttered. So I took it to the dealership and that’s when they told me they think it’s the transmission. There are serveral complaints about this and communications from the manufacturer especially about the shutter and no codes I complained about this when I first bought the car and was told nothing was found. I take care of my vehicle. It’s inspected every year and oil changes and maintenance are done on schedule. I don’t take it to the Ford garage because it is very expensive and a I have a mechanic that I trust. A car with this many miles that is maintained should not need a new transmission and I feel that I my goodwill was paying good money for a car that is not safe to drive. They told me I would have to pay for repairs until I mentioned a goodwill offer. I could see it the car had been driven off road or had a ton of miles but neither of those is true. They gave the car back to me until I hear back from the dealership. They never told me not to drive it. It’s been a week since they diagnosed it. After researching there are several complaints and communications from the manufacturer about this. I can only pray that they will handle this appropriately.

NHTSA ID

11762406

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

My 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is subject to Ford Safety Recall 25S76 / NHTSA Recall 25V467 concerning cracked fuel injectors that may leak fuel and create an under-hood fire risk. This recall was issued in July 2025. Approximately 14 months later, Ford still has not made the final repair available for my vehicle. I had Ford’s interim PCM software update performed by an authorized Ford dealer on December 12, 2025. My repair order specifically identifies the work as “Campaign number: 25S76 POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE PCM SOFTWARE UPDATE.” The replacement parts necessary for the final remedy have never been installed on my vehicle. Ford has repeatedly moved the anticipated availability date for the final remedy. I was previously told September 2026. On September 4, 2026, after spending approximately an hour on the telephone with Ford, I was told it could now be October. I am also concerned about the information Ford is providing to owners through its own app. Despite the fact that the final recall remedy has not been performed on my vehicle, the Ford app currently displays a green checkmark and states “0 active recalls.” There is also no unresolved recall shown in my alert history. This creates the impression that my vehicle has no outstanding safety recall even though Ford confirmed to me that the permanent remedy has not been completed and the required replacement parts are still unavailable. I am concerned both about the approximately 14-month delay in providing a final remedy for a defect involving potential fuel leakage and fire, and about Ford’s consumer-facing system representing that there are zero active recalls after completion of only the interim software update. I am requesting that NHTSA review Ford’s continuing delay in providing the final remedy for Recall 25V467/25S76 and the manner in which Ford is communicating the recall status to owners who have completed the interim software update but have not received the final remedy.

NHTSA ID

11762129

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11758228

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

The vehicle was slowing down after leaving a stop light and within a short distance completely shut down no lights no power nothing wouldnt start to put in neutral so we can get it from the middle of traffic on a 2 lane highway. After about 15 minutes of trying to see what the issues was it turned over and we put the car in gear and pushed ot to the side of the road

NHTSA ID

11757286

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

My transmission is surging at low speeds all the way from takeoff to about 60mph. No engine or transmission codes.

NHTSA ID

11755597

Incident

Feb 9, 2026

ENGINE SPUTTERING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. RECALL IS STILL NOT RESOLVED REGARDING COMPUTER UPDATE AT THIS TIME AND DEALERSHIP SAID NO CODE NO REPAIR FOR OVER A YEAR. NOW I MUST REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE MANY TSB ISSUED FOR THE POWERTRAIN ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11754758

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

When making a slower turn mainly when turning to the right or backing up to the right the RS rear wheel is intermittently locking upor dragging and letting loose multiple times in a row. It does it turning to the left but not as bad. This issue causes the vehicle to not want to drive correctly or want to move especially when at an intersection turning right so I have to give it excessive gas to get it going, this issue also is making it very dangerous when pulling out when on a busier road or highway . I had my Laporte, Indiana Ford dealership check it out and they agree with me on the issue it's having, they said it's the drive internals in the rear end are bad possibly due to a faulty vent tube that lets water and dirt into the rear end causing the fluid to get contaminated, Ford knows about this issue and has a update vent tube. So I'm having to pay For the repairs myself $3000.00 and the dealership said it may take a month to get the parts, I asked them what will happen if I keep driving my vehicle till/if/or whenever it gets fixed their response was it will get worse and eventually detonate and destroy itself. While pulling out onto a busy road that isn't remotely safe! This issue started about two weeks ago around the second week of July 2026 and appears to be getting progressly worse, no warning lights at all came on it started speraticly but is constant now.

NHTSA ID

11753173

Incident

Jul 8, 2026

Continuously when I am driving the vehicle, it will randomly loose acceleration and come to an almost complete stop when driving, including on major interstates.

NHTSA ID

11747377

Incident

Jun 28, 2026

The vehicle was parked in my parking garage and rolled away causing a collision. There were no warning lights indicating an issue. The vehicle is currently sitting at a shop awaiting warranty paperwork for a transmission replacement that was done last year.

NHTSA ID

11746222

Incident

May 9, 2026