RoadVitals

1990 Ford Bronco Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Apr 29, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
27%
of 56 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Ford Bronco submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Apr 29, 2004

1990 FORD BRONCO IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. (SAFETY RECALL #96V071000 OF NOV95) FORD DEALER SAID NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AND CHARGED ME $476.00. I CHECKED THE FORD WEBSITE AND THEY ONLY LIST RECALLS FROM JAN96, IS THERE A STAUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON SAFTEY RECALLS AND HOW LONG?

NHTSA ID
10068083
Incident
Apr 27, 2004
Electrical
Filed Jan 14, 2004
Fire reported

1990 FORD BRONCO I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN TO JIM DOYLE FORD ON DELAWARE AVENUE IN KENMORE N.Y, LAST WEEK. THE IGNITION SWITCH BROKE, AND WAS TO BE REPLACED VIA RECALL. THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, AND I SMELLED FIRE.SAW SMOKE. TURNED KEY OFF TO NO AVAIL, IMMEDIATELY RAN IN THE HOUSE, GRABBED FIRE EXTINGUISHER, CALLED FIRE DEPT (CAR WAS PARKED BETWEEN 2 HOUSES) AND RAN OUT AND CUT BATTERY CABLE. AFTER DETERMINING PROBLEM (DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH) I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO JIM DOYLE FORD. THEY OFFERED THE FREE REPAIR, AND CALLED ME STATING THAT SOMETHING INSIDE THE IGNITION COLUMN WAS BROKEN, AND THEY WOULD CHARGE ME 60 DOLLARS PLUS TAX JUST TO DIAGNOSE. I DECLINED, WENT TO THE DEALER, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS JUST HANGING OUT FROM THE HARNESS UNDER THE DASH, THE MECHANIC USED A SCREWDRIVER TO PUSH THE SWITCH AND STARTED THE VEHICLE FOR ME. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BUFFALO KEY AND LOCK, AND THE TECHNICIAN (RON CHASE) FOUND THAT THE INTERNAL MECHANISM IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD BROKEN, AND HE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM SINCE THE DEFECTIVE (RECALLED) IGNITIONS GENERALLY MELT AND WELD THEMSELVES IN THE "START" POSITION, WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO TURN IT OFF IT CAUSES THE RACK AND RODS INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO BREAK, RENDERING THE IGNITION KEY ETC INOPERABLE. THIS IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS RECALLED. FORD STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS SINCE THE ONLY THING COVERED WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH ITSELF. $295.00 LATER, MY IGNITION SWITCH AND INTERNAL WORKS ARE REPLACED, THEY BROKE DUE TO A RECALLED ITEM COVERED BY FORD, AND FORD WILL NOT RE-IMBURSE ME. THIS IS UNFAIR, MY TRUCK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DIRECTLY THE CAUSE OF THE OTHER DAMAGE. PLUS, MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALER SHOP FOR 3-4 HOURS AND I GOT IT BACK IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION (OIL/GREASE ALL OVER IT, SEATS AND DASH COVERED WITH GREASE, STEERING WHEEL COVER TORN OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID
10053151
Incident
Jan 7, 2004
Mileage
102,540 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 10, 2003
Fire reported

1990 FORD BRONCO DESTROYED IN FIRE. SPONTANEOUS FIRE ORGINATED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR UNDER DASH INSIDE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED ON STREET. VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME. VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ID
10000930
Incident
Jan 4, 2003
Mileage
140,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 10, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE THICK FILM IGNITION MODULE IS NOT USABLE UNLESS THE TEMPERATURE IS 70 DEGRESS OR COOLER, OTHERWISE THERE IS AN UNCONTROLLABLE STALL THAT OCCURS, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO TRY AND GET THE PART REPAIRED OR REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID
566622
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 12, 2002

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY SPEED/IN WARM WEATHER/OR ON INCLINES, AND DOWN GRADES. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT FORD HAS NEVER PROVIDED ANY DATA OR SERVICE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM-BY THEIR USE OF DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTED THICK FILM IGNITION MODULE. (TFI PROBLEM) THE VEHICLE WILL CRANK BUT WON'T START. *SCC

NHTSA ID
8011624
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Oct 8, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
733718
Incident
Nov 1, 1991
Electrical
Filed Jun 26, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF THE CAUSE. ALSO, WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT WILL HAVE THE INSURANCE COMPANY LOOK INTO IT. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
864260
Incident
Jun 11, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jun 13, 2000
Fire reported

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY BURNED. OWNER BELIEVED THAT FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AREA. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
863482
Incident
Jun 11, 2000
Electrical
Filed Feb 2, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
718221
Incident
Oct 30, 1997
Electrical
Filed Feb 5, 1998

TURN SIGNALS FAILED DUE TO BLOWN FUSES.

NHTSA ID
529922
Electrical
Filed Jan 26, 1998

RECALL # 96V071000, OWNER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING COLUMN DUE TO RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER STATES THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH STEERING UNTIL AFTER RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED. *AK

NHTSA ID
820904
Incident
Jan 15, 1998
Electrical
Filed Feb 27, 1997
Fire reported

TWELVE HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE ELECTRIAL HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE REAR TAIL, CAUSING THE CHROME BUMPER AND RUBBER STEP TO MELT. *AK

NHTSA ID
808210
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 1997
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT HAND DASH. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE THERE WERE FLAMES OVER THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

NHTSA ID
808223
Incident
Jan 18, 1997
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+2 more
Filed Jul 1, 1996

BATTERY BEING DRAINED.

NHTSA ID
506218
Incident
May 27, 1994
Electrical
Filed Oct 3, 1995
Fire reported

VEHICLE PARKED FOR HALF AN HOUR AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. DIAGNOSIS: ALTERNATOR. TT

NHTSA ID
972839
Incident
Aug 25, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .