2026 Ford Bronco Sport recalls, problems & safety ratings
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport and 8 owner complaints. The most-reported problem areas are unknown or other (5), air bags (1), service brakes (1). It earned a 5-star overall NHTSA safety rating. EPA-rated fuel economy is 23–27 mpg combined, depending on configuration. 1 recall carries a Park It or Park Outside warning.
The 2026 has the fewest owner complaints of any Bronco Sport model year from 2021 to 2026. It has 6 recalls vs. an average of 11.0 per model year.
Recalls 6
Every recall NHTSA lists for the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport. Not every recall applies to every vehicle, so check your VIN. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.
Engine and engine cooling · engine · hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.
Structure · body
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Maverick, F-150, and Bronco Sport vehicles. Certain vehicle joints may be improperly tightened. This can lead to detached parts, unsecured cargo, degraded crash protection, electrical system failure, or a loss of vehicle stability.
Risk: Improperly tightened vehicle joints may lead to a loss of vehicle control, electrical failure, or detached parts, increasing the risk of a crash or fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the vehicle joints or repair and replace the joint retention mechanisms as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications letters were mailed October 19, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 26, 2026.
Suspension · front · control arm · lower ball joint
Problem: 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 to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.
Risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
Equipment · electrical · engine block heater
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Maverick and 2026 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
Risk: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, and inspect and replace the electrical cord if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have an alternative option to replace the engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V343. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 14, 2026.
Air bags · sensor · occupant classification · front passenger
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) unit may fail to correctly detect the presence of an adult or child in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Failure to correctly detect a passenger may result in the air bag not deploying as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant classification sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C19. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Electrical system · instrument cluster/panel
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Bronco and Bronco Sport vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail at startup.
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The instrument panel cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC3.
Common problems
From complaints owners filed with NHTSA. Complaints aren't verified, but patterns across hundreds of owners point to known weak spots.
Most-reported problem areas
By the numbers
Recent owner reports
Issue: Unintended acceleration/loss of Park function & airbag non-deployment: Date of Incident: [XXX] Rental Company: Budget Car Rental Vehicle: Ford Bronco Sport 2026 VIN [XXX] At the [XXX], I slowly entered a parking space and once positioned in the spot, I fully stepped on the brakes and rotated the electronic shifter dial into PARK. Immediately after park was selected,…
We were driving our 2026 Ford Bronco Sport (Badlands Edition) on [XXX] in the [XXX] area of [XXX]. The location was in town and the speed was 45 mph. The day was Friday, XXX, at 5:10pm, when the closed moonroof glass suddently, without any warning, completley exploded. The moonroof exploded upward and pieces of glass flew as it shattered completely. Fortunately, we had the fa…
The contact owns a 2026 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V548000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Safety ratings
2026 FORD BRONCO SPORT SUV N/A 4WD
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for common configurations of the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport.
Bronco Sport 4WD
Auto (S8) · 4 cyl · 2.0 L · Turbo
Regular
Bronco Sport 4WD
Auto 8-spd · 3 cyl · 1.5 L · Turbo
Regular
Bronco Sport Sasquatch 4WD
Auto 8-spd · 3 cyl · 1.5 L · Turbo
Regular
Other model years
Questions
How many recalls does the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport have?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport, most recently for engine and engine cooling · engine · hard parts internal/mechanical (08/25/2026). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Enter your VIN to check whether a recall applies to your vehicle.
What are the most common problems with the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport?
Based on 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported areas are unknown or other (5), air bags (1), service brakes (1).
Is the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport safe?
The 2026 Ford Bronco Sport earned a 5-star overall rating in NHTSA's 5-star safety ratings. It has 1 recall with a Park It or Park Outside warning, so check your VIN.
Is the 2026 a good year for the Ford Bronco Sport?
The 2026 has the fewest owner complaints of any Bronco Sport model year from 2021 to 2026. It has 6 recalls vs. an average of 11.0 per model year.
What gas mileage does the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport get?
EPA ratings for the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport range from 23 to 27 mpg combined, depending on configuration.
Own a 2026 Ford Bronco Sport in South Carolina?
Our mobile mechanics diagnose and fix the problems above at your home, office or fleet lot in Lexington, Columbia and the Midlands, with dealer-grade scan tools.
Related vehicles
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings APIs; EPA fueleconomy.gov. Data retrieved November 2, 2026. NHTSA model names used: BRONCO SPORT, Bronco Sport.