IllustrationWHILE 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
1988 Ford Bronco
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →52Owner complaints
Model-year median: 8.5
1Recall campaignsView recall details →
1InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1988 Ford Bronco
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 52 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Electrical System: 19 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 12 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 5 reports
- Tires: 5 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bronco years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 2 of 52 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 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports21 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
52 reportsWHILE 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 RECOMMEND…
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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 REPA…
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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
96 V 071 00/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A UNDERHOOD FIRE WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY; DEALER/MFR;S NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
P300.020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE . RIGHT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING OUT CONTROL. *AK
Recall campaigns
196V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
1PE91017 · Ford Truck Inconsistent Vehicle Control.
Opened Nov 27, 1990 · Closed Apr 17, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SEE CLOSE RESUME
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.