Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 52 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Ford Bronco, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and tires & wheels categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 21 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1995 | 2 | 3 |
| May 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Aug 1995 | 1 | 5 |
| Jan 1996 | 2 | 7 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 8 |
| Apr 1996 | 5 | 13 |
| May 1996 | 2 | 15 |
| Jun 1996 | 4 | 19 |
| Jul 1996 | 1 | 20 |
| Aug 1996 | 1 | 21 |
| Sep 1996 | 2 | 23 |
| Oct 1996 | 3 | 26 |
| Nov 1996 | 3 | 29 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 30 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 31 |
| Jul 1997 | 2 | 33 |
| Sep 1997 | 1 | 34 |
| Oct 1997 | 1 | 35 |
| Apr 1998 | 1 | 36 |
| May 1998 | 3 | 39 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 40 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 41 |
| Dec 1999 | 1 | 42 |
| Aug 2000 | 2 | 44 |
| Sep 2000 | 3 | 47 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 48 |
| Jul 2003 | 1 | 49 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 50 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 51 |
| Dec 2004 | 1 | 52 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
FORD TRUCK INCONSISTENT VEHICLE CONTROL.
SEE CLOSE RESUME
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, AND FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER PULLED OVER. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. *AK
THE ENGINE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *AK THREE ENGINES WERE REPLACED DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING. IN TWO OF THE INCIDENTS, THE CONSUMER'S SON WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT INJURY. BOTH ENGINES FAILED AFTER 50-60 MILES ON THEM. *PH *JB
SIDEWALL BUBBLED OUT IN TWO PLACES.*AK
THE VEHICLES ALTERNATOR BURNED UP, CONSUMER REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND COMPLETED WORK THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, HOWEVER THE SECOND TIME THE DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FORD TO HELP IN THIS DEFECT. NLM
WHILE DRIVNG ABOUT 70 MPH, TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE GOODYEAR WRANGLER AT TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL TRUCK, WHICH FLIPPED AND ROLLED OVER. NOT ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT ON A 1988, FORD, BRONCO. TIRE SIZE 31X10.50R15. NOT SURE OF TIRE MILEAGE. *AK DUE TO THE TIRE FAILURE, 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *SLC
LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FOUND FLAT - SPARE PUT ON AND FLAT TIRE WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE DEALER AT 5110 WEST SAGINAW IN LANSING, MI - TIRE HAD A SPLIT RUNNING COMPLETELY AROUND THE INSIDE SIDEWALL, THE OTHER THREE TIRES HAD THE SAME SPLIT RUNNING COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRE - THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE AND RECOMMENDED THAT THEY BE REPLACED - THE TIRES ALL HAD 8/32 TREAD REMAINING. I FEEL YOU SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE TIRES MADE AT THE DECATUR PLANT - ALSO I CONTACTED FIRESTONE SEVERAL TIME RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THESE TIRES TO TRY AND FIND OUT WANT THE PROPER INFLATION WAS FOR THESE TIRES ON MY BRONCO AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO COULD TELL ME WHAT THE PROPER PRESSURE SHOULD BE SO I RAN THEM AT THE PRESSURES RECOMMENDED FOR THE STOCK TIRES. I FEEL THAT THESE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, BUT THE ONLY CHIOCE I WAS GIVE WAS WARRANTY REPLACEMENT WHERE I HAD TO STILL PAY A PRORATED PRICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: VDYK6TA057 TIRE SIZE: 32X11.5R15 )
I FOUNDED OUT SINCE 1987 FORD HAS A "STRUCTURAL STRESS CRACK"THAT APPEARS IN THE METAL ROOF PART OF THESES VEHICLES.THEY EVEN HAVE A BULLENTIN FOR MAKING REPAIRS BUT NO ONE WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THAT COST $1,100.00 TO HAVE REPAIRED.THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT CAUSED BY USING CHEAP METAL AND ANY REPAIRS SHOULD BE PAIDED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
INFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY, AND PERFORMANCE CONCERNS IF INSTALLED IN FORD A/C SYSTEMS. *TT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION ON THE NEW FLUSH AND FILL TOOL AVAILABLE THROUGH ROTUNDA. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 47 | 19 | 0 | 65.1 |
| 2024 | 72 | 16 | 0 | 62.6 |
| 2023 | 216 | 18 | 0 | 55.5 |
| 2022 | 362 | 23 | 2 | 63.4 |
| 2021 | 222 | 20 | 4 | 66.0 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 81 | 2 | 1 | 63.3 |
| 1995 | 94 | 2 | 1 | 59.8 |
| 1994 | 91 | 5 | 1 | 62.2 |
| 1993 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 55.1 |
| 1992 | 37 | 4 | 6 | 60.6 |
| 1991 | 32 | 2 | 6 | 68.5 |
| 1990 | 56 | 1 | 6 | 60.3 |
| 1989 | 84 | 2 | 2 | 62.2 |
| 1988Viewing | 52 | 1 | 1 | 60.5 |
| 1987 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 56.0 |
| 1986 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 59.7 |
| 1985 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 61.6 |
| 1984 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 70.6 |
| 1983 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1981 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.