2021 Ford Bronco Sport power train 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.”

“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…”

“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.”

“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.”

“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…”

“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.”