Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Ford Bronco problems

Owners filed 100 complaints about the 1996 Ford Bronco with NHTSA between Dec 1995 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (23).

Complaints
100
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
24
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control23
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic18
  3. Visibility13
  4. Electrical system11
  5. Power train9
  6. Engine and engine cooling9
  7. Suspension7
  8. Tires6
  9. Steering4
  10. Air bags3
  11. Structure3
  12. Exterior lighting2
  13. Equipment2
  14. Seat belts2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19951
19965
199717
19988
19997
200011
20015
20024
20032
20043
200516
20063
20075
20084
20093
20103
20110
20121
20131
20140
20150
20160
20170
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

23 reports1 crash18 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD BRONCO. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2012Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10460512

Service brakes, hydraulic

18 reports1 crash
“WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER PUMPED THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE HAD COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. PH THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED AND BURST WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKING FLUID TO LEAK. SCC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2002Service brakes, hydraulicODI 8023986

Visibility

13 reports1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CRUISE CONTROL AND DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERATIVE. EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED. FRONT END IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND PULLS TO THE LEFT. HEAD LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, RADIATOR CAP, AND WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE STRUTS THAT HOLD THE BACK WINDOW AND DOOR DID NOT HOLD, SPRINGS FOR THE BACK DOOR ARE INOPERATIVE. TRANSMISSION NEEDED ADJUSTMENT, BALL IN TRANSMISSION FAILED, VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE, AND UNIVERSAL JOINT WAS REPLACED. DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE. ELECTRICAL SWITCH THAT ADJUSTS THE DRIVER SEAT SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, GROUND CABLE ON THE BATTERY BROKE CAUSING COMPUTER TO BE INOPERATIVE, STARTER SWITCH, SOLENOID, LOCK CYLINDER, CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND TEM SENSOR WERE REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND VENTS DO NOT WORK. *SLC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2002Suspension, Parking brake, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility, Seat belts, Structure, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 8006852

Electrical system

11 reports7 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD BRONCO. SPARKS WERE DRIPPING BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBOR ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH THE GARDEN HOSE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. EVENTUALLY, SEVERAL NEIGHBORS WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WITH GARDEN HOSES AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL AND INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY IN FEAR THAT IT MAY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 130,000. UPDATED 4/28/09 *CN UPDATED 04/30/09.*JB UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 12/10/09.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2009Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10263070

Power train

9 reports1 crash1 fire
“TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF OVERDRIVE, AFTERWARDS HARD SHIFTS IN ALL GEARS AFTER HIGH RPMS. THE FIX IS TO STOP, CUT THE ENGINE OFF AND THE TRANSMISSION RESETS FOR LACK ON A BETTER TERM. WHEN THE BRONCO IS IN OD AND IS JUST CRUSING, NOT IN A PULL, IS WHEN THE OD JUMPS OUT. LIKE ANY OTHER THING IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2018Power trainODI 11110905

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports2 fires
“FIRST MY ENGINE SEEMED TO OVERHEAT A BIT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GRINDING ON SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T STOP.. SOUNDED LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAINS IN MY HOOD. BUT THEN ON OCCASIONS THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS MAKING THE CHAIN SOUND, EVEN WITH MY KEY OUT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW THE THING SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING AND I HAVE NO POWER WHAT SO EVER IN MY VEHICLE. BEFORE WHEN IT FINALLY SHUT OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SPARK. THEN IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THAT WASN'T COOL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10245079
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.