2021 Ford Bronco engine problems
74 of the 229 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Bronco name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 74 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2022: 51 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2026: 4
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
229 complaints in all about the 2021 Ford Bronco, 4 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Bronco engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I experienced complete motor failure while traveling on the highway near my home. I was able to move across traffic to the shoulder of the highway. The vehicle would not re-start, and a tow service was required to take it to the dealership. They have informed the the motor is blown, and will require complete replacement.
Driving in town at a speed of 30 mph (speed limit 35). Engine dropped a valve. Engine was destroyed internally and locked up. I quickly put the transmission in neutral and pulled off to the side of the street. This could have been a bad accident if it had happened on a highway at speeds. Ford has an issue with these engines.
One of the engine valve rods failed and punched a 3" hole in the engine block. I was traveling about 70 MPH when the engine light came on and the vehicle started to loose power. At the time I was on a major highway and barely had enough time to get off on the shoulder before the engine quit entirely.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired after several weeks.
On November 14th, 2021, the 2.7 ecoboost engine on my 2021 Bronco, with 2744 miles, shut off without warning. I was traveling on the interstate, going approximately 75 mph, with my girlfriend and elderly mother as passengers. The Bronco lost all acceleration and the "service engine" light came on.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 24V635000 HighAug 23, 2024 · 90,736 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine. The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
NHTSA investigations
- EA23002 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 29, 2023 · closed Oct 31, 2024
- On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) granted a Defect Petition (DP22001) and opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22007) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines. Complainants were reporting sudden engine failure while driving resulting in a loss of motive power, often without the abilit…
- PE22007 Loss of motive power due to valve intake failure on Ford Bronco vehicles.opened Jul 22, 2022 · closed Oct 2, 2023
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition dated March 16, 2022, requesting an investigation regarding allegations of defective intake valves in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with the 2.7L Eco-boost (“Nano”) engines. The petitioner alleged these vehicles are experiencing loss of motive power at any highway speeds with no-restart as a result of catastrophic …
- DP22001 Loss of Motive Poweropened May 27, 2022 · closed Jul 28, 2022
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received three petitions on March 17, March 18, and March 29, 2022, which requested a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the valves on model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with the 2.7L Eco-boost engines. The petitioners alleged that MY 2021 Ford Broncos vehicles are experiencing loss of motive power at highway speeds with no-rest…
Trouble codes named on this system
B11DB P0456 P0300 P0301 P0302 P0303 P0304
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 Ford Bronco names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 Ford Bronco?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 74 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (32% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall, 3 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2021 Ford Bronco?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 24V635000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 Ford Bronco?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.