- Ford recalls almost 567,000 Broncos from MY21-26 after discovering underhood fire risk.
- Chafed wiring in the engine bay can short-circuit and ignite nearby engine components.
- Investigation found sporty Raptor models are even more susceptible than base models.
The Ford Bronco was designed to tackle rocks, mud, sand, and pretty much anything nature can throw at it. Unfortunately, some examples may also be battling an unexpected enemy from within. Ford is now recalling more than 565,000 Broncos and Bronco Raptors because a damaged wiring harness could spark an engine compartment fire.
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Ford says movement between the engine compartment wiring harness and surrounding components can wear through protective material covering the harness. Over time, that can expose wires and create intermittent electrical shorts capable of igniting nearby flammable materials.
Drivers of 2021 through 2026 model year Broncos may first notice smoke coming through the air vents or warning messages in the instrument cluster before seeing flames emerging from the passenger side of the engine bay. That’s the moment you wished you’d made use of the Bronco’s detachable doors feature.
The recall issue came to light after Ford’s Critical Concern Group launched an investigation into Bronco fire reports. Engineers identified similarities between incidents involving both standard Broncos and the high-performance Bronco Raptor. The company ultimately linked the fires to harness chafing that could expose internal wiring.
Tougher Raptor Is Actually Weaker
In total, Ford identified seven Bronco Raptor fires and eight fires involving regular Broncos that may have started in the passenger side of the engine compartment. During its investigation, the automaker inspected more than 80 vehicles and found evidence of rubbing and wear on some wiring harness coverings. The good news is that the company says it isn’t aware of any crashes or injuries related to the problem.
That investigation also found that the sporty Bronco Raptor’s unique architecture and suspension setup make it more susceptible to harness contact and wear. However, testing showed standard Broncos could eventually experience enough abrasion to expose internal circuits as well, so all types of Bronco – but not the unrelated Bronco Sport – are being rounded up for a dealer visit.
To fix it, those dealers will install additional protective sheathing and abrasion tape on the wiring harness. Owner notifications are scheduled to begin in late August.
