1985 Ford Bronco Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1985 Ford Bronco, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical735.0%
- Fuel system315.0%
- Tires & wheels210.0%
- Engine210.0%
- Suspension15.0%
- Heating & air conditioning15.0%
- Visibility15.0%
- Interior & seats15.0%
- Other / unspecified15.0%
- Seat belts15.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE FAILS TO START AFTER KEY IS IN IGNITION. VEHICLE TOWED. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC PROBLEM WAS IN IGNITION MODULE.*AK *SLC
VEHICLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL.ALSO,VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL TANK SHIELD RUSTED THROUGH AND BEGAN TO LEAK. (1ST VEHICLE ON DOC# 530326)
HAD A GAS LEAK CAUSE BY FAULTY CARBURETOR WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING CRASH INTO CONRETE BARIER I HAVE THE STILL INFLATED TIRE WITH THE TREAD THAT CAME OFF( DOT NUMBER: HYHLF7A069 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW FOR YOUR DATA BASE THAT THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AFTER MARKET, SO FORD HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. ONE TIRE ROLLED THE TREAD RIGHT OFF, SEPARATING RIGHT UNDER THE STEEL BELT. BUT THE TIRE HELD AIR. IT HAPPENED ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD, AT ABOUT 85 DEGREES. I USED THE OTHER 3 TIRES UNTIL THEY HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON THEM WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. HADN'T HEARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE AT THAT TIME SO I DIDN'T REPORT IT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235X15 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE. FIRE COULD BE ELECTICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE LOST CONTROL/SERVED, RESULTING IN ROLLOVER/ACCIDENT/INJURY. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I M SENSOR CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEATER MOTOR/FAN NOT PROTECTED BY VENT SCREEN, ALLOWING PINE NEEDLES TO ENTER SYSTEM, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SEATS OF THE VEHICLE ARE BADLY BROKEN AND ARE DANGEROUS. *MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRAILER HITCH BALL BROKE, CAUSING TRAILER TO DETACH/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)*SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS THE SECOND BRONCO THAT I HAVE OWNED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FAILED. THE BACK OF THE SEAT FALLS BACK. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .