Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle depressing the brake pedal, heard a clunking noise and on for second the vehicle attempts to move while in park. The contact mention he could hear clunking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken a dealer to be diagnosed, however the diagnoses was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number:25V164000 (Power Train), however the VIN was not included in the recall The manufacturer was not notified on the failure, and they informed him to take the vehicle to dealer. failure mileage was 2,200.
While driving, after a missed downshift that causes engine bogging, the vehicle experiences a loss of engine power. The engine remains running but will not produce usable torque and will not rev above approximately 800 RPM, despite clutch disengagement and selecting the correct gear. Holding the clutch fully depressed does not immediately restore power; instead, after approximately 4 seconds, the engine stalls or cycles/resets, after which normal operation resumes. The condition persists until the vehicle nearly stops, the engine stalls, or the ignition is cycled. This has occurred in traffic and adverse weather conditions and is repeatable."
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a stop, the Engine Auto Start-Stop system failed to engage, and the engine revved significantly, causing the vehicle to move forward unintendedly. The contact stated that the failure persisted while standing on the brake pedal, requiring the contact to shift to neutral(N) or to park(P) to stop the engine. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle nearly moved into oncoming traffic on the first occasion and the vehicle nearly crashed into the rear of another vehicle on the second occasion. The failure also required the contact to steer the vehicle away from another vehicle or to shut off the engine to avoid a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure might be related to a low battery. …
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Pre-Collision System Fault Detected" message was displayed. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that later while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Powertrain Fault Detected - Reduced Power", "Service Engine Soon" and "Brake Fault Detected" messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the brake actuator. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 5,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and flat towing an RV, the Flat-Tow mode inadvertently disengaged and the contact smelled a burning odor permeating the interior of the vehicle with the message "Stop vehicle immediately, excessive temperature detected" displayed. The transmission temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was damage to the transmission and turbocharger due to the Flat-Tow mode not being engaged properly during towing. The contact was informed that the transmission and turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-7086. …
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that upon reversing into the garage, he placed the gear shifter into park(P) and shut off the engine. Upon exiting the vehicle and approaching the home, the contact heard a loud crash and saw that the vehicle had rolled backed into the garage door. The contact initially thought the vehicle was not shifted into park(P); however, upon entering the vehicle, the contact saw that the vehicle was in park(P). The contact stated that two panels on the garage door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 22,700.
my vehicle lost power on the GW bridge in NYC. It has less than 1000 miles and the power, driving at 60 mph just died. To add insult to injury Ford (24hr roadside assistance told me that there were no tow truck available at this time). When my car was finally towed, vis a vie a 3rd party, to the nearest dealership, I was told that because I didnt buy my car there, there was nothing I could do but wait a "few weeks". Ford 24 hr road side assistance really left me out to dry. I wish and am looking for ways to sue them. Luckily, my responsible dealer at Lester Glenn Ford on Rt 35 was able to assist and is making every accommodation to help. Thank goodness for them and their restless souls for helping with this. I literally have less than 1000 miles on the Badlands 2.7 V6, and when this happened, I didnt know what to do. Disappointing. But Lester Glenn is so far amazing at the response.
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the "Powertrain Malfunction - Reduced Power Fault" message was displayed and flickered on and off. The contact that the battery was losing the charge. The contact stated that the battery was at 70% charge. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V683000 (Power Train, Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Related recalls (4)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Bronco vehicles. The transmission to transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmission to transfer case joint and replace the transmission and transfer case as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Fluid/lubricant › Valves/valve body
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Internal › Park pawl
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco vehicles. The transmission park system may have been damaged during assembly, which can prevent the parking pawl from fully engaging and result in a vehicle rollaway.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S44.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmissions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Bronco years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2022 (40), 2023 (22), 1995 (11), 2021 (9) and 1996 (8) model years. Transmission complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2022.
Is there a recall for Ford Bronco transmission problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 26V-236 (automatic transmission, Apr 14, 2026); 25V-164 (valves/valve body, Mar 14, 2025); 23V-546 (park pawl, Aug 3, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Bronco transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 29,000 miles; 80% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (9 mentions), followed by the axle assembly (2).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.