Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 45 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports14 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
45 reports
54,606 miles · Aug 28, 2009
Service Brakes, HydraulicStructure
THESE BRONCO II'S ARE SOMETHING ELSE. I JUST PURCHASED MINE. THERE ARE MINOR CRACKS IN THE FLOOR IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE BUSTED AND BRAKES ARE INCREDIBLY HARD TO USE TO STOP THE SUV. I FOUND RECALL ON THE 1988 RANGER FOR REAR DRUM BRAKES THAT WERE THE WRONG SIZE BUT I CANNOT FIND THAT RECALL FOR …
Read full complaint
THESE BRONCO II'S ARE SOMETHING ELSE. I JUST PURCHASED MINE. THERE ARE MINOR CRACKS IN THE FLOOR IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE BUSTED AND BRAKES ARE INCREDIBLY HARD TO USE TO STOP THE SUV. I FOUND RECALL ON THE 1988 RANGER FOR REAR DRUM BRAKES THAT WERE THE WRONG SIZE BUT I CANNOT FIND THAT RECALL FOR THE BRONCO II FIGURING IT WAS MADE WITH THE SAME PARTS WOULD THINK THAT THE DRUM SIZE MAKES IT HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PUMPING. THERE ARE A FEW OTHER PROBLEMS ALSO BUT THESE ARE THE BIGGEST ONES I HAVE HAD SO FAR. THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE REPLACEMENT MAKES THE POWER STEERING COME BACK. THERE IS ALSO A SPUTTERING NOISE MADE BY THE ENGINE WHEN TAKING OFF FROM STOP SIGNS OCCASIONALLY MAKING THE VEHICLE NOT ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BUT HAS YET TO AFFECT THE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10282038
Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2009
Suspension
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD BRONCO II. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL ONLINE DESCRIBING THE SAME FAILURE; HOWEVER, N…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD BRONCO II. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL ONLINE DESCRIBING THE SAME FAILURE; HOWEVER, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 89V109000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING) ONLY PERTAINED TO THE 1989 FORD BRONCO II. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #10260801
Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2004
StructureCrashInjury
88 FORD BRONCO II ROLL OVER
NHTSA ODI #10060847
Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicStructureCrashInjury
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND CROSSED OVER A PATCH OF SAND WITH THE WHEEL TURNED, CAUSING A ROLLOVER. ROOF OF VEHICLE COLLAPSED IN FRONT, INJURING DRIVER, COMPOUND BREAK OF COLLAR BONE AND OTHER MINOR INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMEN…
Read full complaint
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND CROSSED OVER A PATCH OF SAND WITH THE WHEEL TURNED, CAUSING A ROLLOVER. ROOF OF VEHICLE COLLAPSED IN FRONT, INJURING DRIVER, COMPOUND BREAK OF COLLAR BONE AND OTHER MINOR INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #886986
Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2001
TiresInjury
LEFT REAR (BRIDGESTONE ROADHANDLER T 215/75 R15 100S TUBELESS STEEL BELTED RADIAL (M+S-T06R-DOT ICHF P2A 186) (M+S 82415 DOT) TREADED 2-PLY POLYESTER AND 2-STEEL/SIDEWALL 2 PLY POLYESTER TIRE, BEARING TIRE #186, TIRE SEPARATED,THE TREAD CAME LOOSE FROM THE CASING,CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL,VEHICLE OVERTURNED 3 1/2 TIMES,TIR…
Read full complaint
LEFT REAR (BRIDGESTONE ROADHANDLER T 215/75 R15 100S TUBELESS STEEL BELTED RADIAL (M+S-T06R-DOT ICHF P2A 186) (M+S 82415 DOT) TREADED 2-PLY POLYESTER AND 2-STEEL/SIDEWALL 2 PLY POLYESTER TIRE, BEARING TIRE #186, TIRE SEPARATED,THE TREAD CAME LOOSE FROM THE CASING,CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL,VEHICLE OVERTURNED 3 1/2 TIMES,TIRE WAS INSPECTED AND DETERMINED BY AN EXPERT TO BE MFG DEFECT INVOLVING ADHESION AND MISALIGNMENT OF THE TOP BELT TO THE BOTTOM BELT.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)*JB
NHTSA ODI #560706
Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK TFI IGNITION MODULE AND STARTOR FAILED. *YH
NHTSA ODI #869223
Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2000
Parking Brake
PARKING PAWL
NHTSA ODI #728825
Mileage unknown · May 5, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control
WHILE DRIVING THE BRONCO GAS PEDAL STUCK, CAUSING THE BRONCO TO ACCELERATE TO A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. BRONCO WENT OVER 7,000 RPM'S. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER FOUND THE THROTTLE BODY TO BE STUCK. VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
NHTSA ODI #861509
Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility
BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED I WAS TOLD THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WRE CHANGED ALONG WITH SOME OIL GASKETS. I TOK THE VEHICLE TO MY FATHER HE CHECKED AND THE OIL NOR THE WIPERS WERE CHANGED. I WENT BACK AND WAS SENT TO A DIFFERENT GARAGE TO HAVE THESE THINGS DONE. LATER THAT WEEK I REPORTED OTHER THINGS AND WA…
Read full complaint
BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED I WAS TOLD THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WRE CHANGED ALONG WITH SOME OIL GASKETS. I TOK THE VEHICLE TO MY FATHER HE CHECKED AND THE OIL NOR THE WIPERS WERE CHANGED. I WENT BACK AND WAS SENT TO A DIFFERENT GARAGE TO HAVE THESE THINGS DONE. LATER THAT WEEK I REPORTED OTHER THINGS AND WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN COME BACK WITH THINGS I THOUGHT WAS WRONG. THE NEXT WEEK I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE OTHER GARAGE TO HAVE A FUEL PUMP PUT ON IT. I CALLED THE DAY BEFORE MY THIRTY DAYS WAS UP TO INFORM THEM I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET I WAS THEN INFORMED THE WARRANTY ONLY COVERED OIL PARTS OF THE ENGINE. WHEN I BOUGHT THE BRONCO I WAS NOT TOLD ONLY THE OIL PARTS OF THE ENGINE I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #720410
Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
AN EXHAUST LEAK MELTED PLASTIC FUEL LINES AND STARTED FIRE UNDER VEHICLE BURNING LINES AND ALL ELECTRICAL WIREING UNDER VEHICLE, THUS CAUSING SHORTING OF MANY RELAYS IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
NHTSA ODI #716102
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
4
DP97006 · Vehicle Rollover
Opened Dec 3, 1997 · Closed May 5, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
PETITIONER ALLEGED BRONCO II SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 1983-1990 WERE DESIGNED WITH HANDLING AND STABILITY DEFECTS
PE92029 · Whl Separation/torque Loss
Opened Mar 16, 1992 · Closed Aug 31, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
EA90042 · Throttle Sticking
Opened Aug 31, 1990 · Closed Dec 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA89013 · Rollover Propensity
Opened Feb 9, 1989 · Closed Oct 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
SUMMARY:THE BRONCO II IS INVOLVED IN MORE FATAL SINGLE VEHICLE, FIRSTEVENT ROLLOVERS COMPARED TO ANY OTHER CLOSED BODY UTILITY VEHICLE (WITHOR WITHOUT NORMALIZING VEHICLE POPULATIONS AND EXPOSURE).===
1988 Ford Bronco Ii Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year