2021 Ford Bronco Sport Reliability
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport has 713 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby Bronco Sport model years (2021–2023), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Bronco Sport's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
713
NHTSA owner complaints
16
Recall campaigns
18
Complaints citing a crash
17
Complaints citing a fire
2021 Ford Bronco Sport complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 model year, filed between 2021 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 212 | 30% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 192 | 27% |
| Engine | 152 | 21% |
| Service brakes | 126 | 18% |
| Unknown or other | 98 | 14% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 64 | 9% |
| Fuel system | 59 | 8% |
| Visibility / wipers | 26 | 4% |
2021 Ford Bronco Sport recalls
16 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2021 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V011000 | Jan 15, 2021 | Powertrain / transmission — driveline / driveshaft | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle. |
| 21V074000 | Feb 16, 2021 | Suspension — front / control arm | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. These vehicles may have been produced with incorrect front lower control arms. |
| 21V075000 | Feb 16, 2021 | Suspension — rear | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The rear suspension subframe assembly may have loose or missing bolts. |
| 21V625000 | Aug 10, 2021 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump / control/drive module | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall. |
| 21V809000 | Oct 15, 2021 | Visibility / wipers — sun/moon roof assembly | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles. The moonroof glass may not have been bonded correctly to the moonroof frame, which could result in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. |
| 21V922000 | Nov 24, 2021 | Service brakes — foundation components / disc / caliper | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of… |
| 22V191000 | Mar 25, 2022 | Engine & cooling — engine / oil/lubrication | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak. |
| 22V859000 | Nov 19, 2022 | Fuel system — fuel injection system | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 24V267000 | Apr 13, 2024 | Electrical system — body control module/bcm | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge. |
| 25V019000 | Jan 17, 2025 | Electrical system — 12v/24v/48v battery | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail. |
| 25V158000 | Mar 14, 2025 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V-267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery… |
| 25V165000 | Mar 14, 2025 | Fuel system — fuel injection system | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 25V442000 | Jun 27, 2025 | Backup camera / back-over prevention — software | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023… |
| 25V467000 | Jul 11, 2025 | Fuel system — fuel injection system | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 25V685000 | Oct 10, 2025 | Equipment — electrical / engine block heater | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack… |
| 26V340000 | May 27, 2026 | Suspension — front / control arm / lower ball joint | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
How the 2021 compares with nearby Bronco Sport years
Verdicts compare these Bronco Sport model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (this page) | 713 | 16 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2022 | 370 | 15 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2023 | 163 | 14 | Engine | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport on the used market
- Median asking price $20,067 at a median 71,367 miles, across 2,401 live US dealer listings in CarWhere's depreciation study.
What to check on a used 2021 Ford Bronco Sport
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 16 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2021 Ford Bronco Sport can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2021 Ford Bronco Sport reliability FAQ
Is the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport reliable?
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport has 713 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby Bronco Sport model years (2021–2023), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Bronco Sport's typical year.
What are the most common 2021 Ford Bronco Sport problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport are electrical system (212), powertrain / transmission (192), engine (152), service brakes (126). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport have recalls?
NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, including 21V011000 (powertrain / transmission — driveline / driveshaft) and 21V074000 (suspension — front / control arm). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport compare with the 2020 and 2022 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2022 has 370 complaints and 15 recalls (avoid). The 2021 has 713 complaints and 16 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2021 Ford Bronco Sport?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Ford Bronco Sport research
Other Ford Bronco Sport model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2021 Bronco Sport, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.