2021 Ford Bronco Sport brakes problems

Related recalls

• Recall 21V922000Nov 23, 2021114,666 vehicles
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: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 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

  Risk: During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 11, 202611,000 miALBrakesEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the vehicle and the vehicle sputtered. The ABS, traction control, engine, seat belt, battery, and other unknown warning lights illuminated, and the messages, "System off to Save Battery - Please turn off to Start…

   NHTSA complaint #11763559 · source
2. Filed Aug 16, 2026KYCrashBrakesElectrical SystemAcceleration & Cruise Control

   Pre-Collision System warning activated unexpectedly. The vehicle then accelerated by itself unexpectedly and the accelerator/throttle was engaged by itself. Breaks were then hard to push and vertically impossible to slow down. At the time, there was no vehicle or obstruction immediately around the vehicle other than a possible box, or small obstruction in the road. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Due to the unexpected activation of the pre-collision…

   NHTSA complaint #11757261 · source
3. Filed Jun 8, 2026108,236 miNYTowedBrakesDriver Assistance & Safety TechTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that the daughter had reported that while in a parking lot, the brakes unintendedly engaged, and then the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The driver immediately applied the brakes to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to duplicate the failure while attempting to park the vehicle. The messages "Power Train Malfunction" and "Reduced Power" were displayed, the power train warning light illuminated, and the parking…

   NHTSA complaint #11742661 · source
4. Filed May 7, 2026COBrakes

   The front and rear brake system has repeatedly malfunctioned across at least 7 dealer visits since 2022 on my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport (VIN: [XXX] ). Brake squealing and grinding (particularly in reverse at low speeds) have persisted despite multiple repair attempts. Ford's own SSM 52515 acknowledges engineering was working on a fix and that rotor resurfacing is "not a guaranteed fix." TSB 23-2308 was performed in March 2024 (caliper bushings/guide pins replaced). In June 2024…

   NHTSA complaint #11736446 · source
5. Filed Jan 29, 2026WABrakesElectrical SystemEngine

   Since my car hit 40000 miles it has had nothing but issues. I've had it in the shop at least 10 times. My brakes went out while driving with my [XXX] old, I've had loss of power, smell of exhaust in the cabin for the last 3 months and dealership says it can't be fixed, yesterday I had complete engine failure while on the freeway. Stalled and wouldn't start back up for 5 min. The dealership has never fully fixed anything but has only updated the computer system. I feel very…

   NHTSA complaint #11714165 · source
6. Filed Nov 28, 202556,000 miMITowedBrakesElectrical SystemSteering

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the message "Faulty Battery and Charging System" flashed on the screen, and the vehicle failed to immediately start. The contact stated that while driving later, several messages, including the messages "Faulty Power Steering" and "Faulty ABS" were displayed, and the vehicle suddenly stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not yet…

   NHTSA complaint #11701887 · source
7. Filed Nov 12, 2025TXBrakes

   On November 11, 2025, my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport experienced a complete brake system failure while driving. The brake pedal suddenly became extremely hard, and there was no braking power at all. The vehicle had to be stopped using the parking brake. This same issue occurred previously in July 2025, when the brake vacuum booster failed and was replaced at the Ford dealership. The problem has now recurred less than six months later. The vehicle is not safe to drive and is…

   NHTSA complaint #11698868 · source
8. Filed Sep 12, 2025TXBrakesSteering

   There is a load moaning sound when backing the vehicle up or making a turn which significantly effects steering and stoping. Ford dealership said that tires were not rubbing body and tie rods were ok. This ford bronco sport only has 25K miles on it and never taken off road. Ford said to live with the sound until it bothered us? They said that it didn't need brakes but a new brake job could possibly fix problem? Independent repair shop said that it wasn't a brake issue but…

   NHTSA complaint #11686962 · source
9. Filed Sep 11, 2025LABrakesElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain

   While driving with my [XXX] son in the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly shut down completely in the middle of the street at a red light. Nothing was functional and we were unable to move the vehicle out of the street. A tow truck came in 3 hours and towed the vehicle to the dealership. The dealership advised that it was the battery which they replaced. When merging lanes on the interstate with oncoming traffic, the gas accelerator would not accelerate to speed up. I had to step…

   NHTSA complaint #11686526 · source
10. Filed Aug 19, 2025TXBrakes

    While driving, the brake pedal suddenly required extreme pressure to stop the vehicle safely. I pulled over and parked in a parking lot. Upon opening the hood, I heard a hissing sound. During inspection, I found that the brake booster vacuum hose had broken at the check valve connection near the brake fluid reservoir. A temporary fix restored brake assistance. With the resulting significant loss of brake assist, I was forced to apply near full body weight on the brake pedal…

    NHTSA complaint #11681611 · source
11. Filed Aug 19, 2025AZBrakes

    Upon starting the vehicle, brakes were extremely hard to press down and barely responded. A great deal of effort was needed to bring the car to a stop at below 5 miles an hour. If I had been driving instead of pulling out of a parking lot, this could have caused a significant accident.

    NHTSA complaint #11681544 · source
12. Filed May 21, 2025NYBrakesDriver Assistance & Safety Tech

    The brakes make a loud and terrible squeeking noise (moan noise) when driving the vehicle in reverse and braking. There is something terribly wrong and may initiate a problem at a later date when driving forward. Ford is aware of the problem and issued TSB22-2326 in August 2022, revised to 23-2041 in February 2023, revised to 23-2308 in October 2023 and revised again to 25-2143 in April 2025. THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DELAYED THE RECALL FOR THREE YEARS NOW THAT ALL 2021 BRONCO…

    NHTSA complaint #11662345 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology