- Ford issued a recall for 565,691 Bronco and Bronco Raptor models from the 2021–2026 model years because of the potential for a fire in the engine bay.
- According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the engine wiring harness could short-circuit, creating a spark.
- Ford will request that owners bring their Bronco to a dealership to have convolute sheathing with abrasion tape added to their vehicle’s engine compartment wiring harness.
Ford issued a recall for more than half a million vehicles in the Bronco and Bronco Raptor lineups. Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that Ford is recalling 565,691 Bronco and Bronco Raptor SUVs from the 2021–2026 model years.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
According to the NHTSA documents, the recall is necessary because the engine compartment’s wiring harness may short-circuit, creating a spark and potentially causing a fire. The documents report that insufficient abrasion protection on the wiring harness can allow movement between the harness and nearby parts to expose internal wires. Should that happen, the freshly exposed wires may short intermittently, creating arcs and potentially causing a fire in the engine compartment.
According to the recall paperwork, a short circuit in the engine bay may lead to smoke coming from the cabin air vents. Drivers may also be notified of the issue with a warning message on the cluster. The recall documents show that at the time of filing, Ford was aware of 15 incidents involving a fire that may have started with the engine compartment wiring harness.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified and urged to bring their Bronco to a Ford dealership to have it serviced. Dealer technicians will install convolute sheathing with abrasion tape to the wiring harness to prevent chafing and mitigate the risk of future short circuits. Dealer notifications have already begun, with Ford planning to notify owners between August 24 and August 28. Customers concerned that their vehicle may be included in the recall can check on the NHTSA website.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
