Topline
Ford on Friday issued a recall involving more than half a million of its Bronco SUVs, citing a wiring defect that could start a fire in the engine, according to a regulatory filing—another large-scale recall for the legacy automaker in recent months following a record-setting number of notices last year.
The legacy automaker has recalled more vehicles in the U.S. than any other this year.
Getty Images
Key Facts
Ford’s recall covers Bronco models manufactured between 2021 and 2026, including some of its Bronco Raptors, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing on Friday.
The vehicles may include a defect that may cause a short in the engine compartment’s wiring harness, potentially creating heat or a spark that could result in fire, Ford disclosed to regulators.
Regulators said drivers with affected vehicles may notice smoke in their air vents or a cluster warning message before seeing flames from the passenger side engine compartment area.
Ford said it is aware of at least 15 incidents indicating evidence of a fire originating from the engine compartment wiring harness, though the automaker said it was not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect.
Owners will be notified about the recall on Aug. 24, according to regulators, and Ford said they would install a new covering of the wiring compartment for free.
big number
60. That’s how many recalls Ford has issued in 2026, by far the most of any automaker, ranking ahead of Chrysler (24), General Motors (19) and Hyundai (19). Ford issued 153 recalls in 2025, the most ever in a single year, involving 12.9 million vehicles, according to federal data. That was more than the next four automakers, including Chrysler (53), Forest River (36), General Motors (28) and International Motors (26), combined.
key background
Ford’s record-setting pace of recall notices has continued into 2026. The automaker recalled more than 4 million vehicles in February, marking one of the largest-ever in U.S. history, over a software glitch in its top-selling F-series trucks. Another 1.4 million F-150s were recalled in April for a defect that may cause the vehicles to downshift unexpectedly, which regulators said could increase the risk of a crash.