1978 Ford Bronco Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 1978 Ford Bronco. Check your own VIN below.

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5 safety recalls for the 1978 Ford Bronco

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Automatic transmission (power train)

   NHTSA 78V096000 Reported April 28, 1978 61,417 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Some of these vehicles may be equipped with automatic transmissions that were assembled with improperly manufactured cast iron extension housings. The housings have mislocated cast cam plate stops. A mislocated stop may prevent the transmission from locking in the park position when the gear shift selector lever is placed in the "p"…

   Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmission extension housing without charge to owner.

2. Column shift (power train)

   NHTSA 78V035000 Reported February 16, 1978 47,339 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   The shift selector reaction springs may be deformed as a result of improper installation of selector levers during column buildup. Thus the lever may not be able to be moved into the insert detents located in the steering column assembly. This could prevent the "park" gear from being engaged.

   Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the shift selector reaction spring without charge to owner.

3. Wheels

   NHTSA 78V023000 Reported January 30, 1978 17,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Some of the steel wheels on the involved vehicles may have been improperly manufactured. These wheels, over a period of time, could crack in the wheel rim area through normal operation, without prior warning.

   Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wheels on the involved vehicles.

4. Column shift (power train)

   NHTSA 77V185000 Reported October 25, 1977 19,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   On the involved vehicles, the park actuation support plates are defective due to their susceptibility to cracking due to improper heat treatment during manufacture. As a result, fragments from a broken plate can become lodged in the transmission parking pawl mechanism. This could prevent the transmission parking pawl from engaging when…

   Remedy: The dealer will replace the park actuation cam support plates, free of charge, on all affected vehicles.

5. Mid/rear assembly (seats)

   NHTSA 77V129000 Reported August 29, 1977 928 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   On the involved vehicles, build-up of carpet/mat deadener and insulation under the rear seat frame and seat belt anchor tabs may prevent the optional folding rear seat cushion from latching properly. The latch may be only partially engaged and fail to sustain the seat belt anchorage loading requirements of federal motor vehicle safety…

   Remedy: Dealer will install spacer washers at the latch striker attachment to correct the problem, without charge to owner.

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 1978 Ford Bronco. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.

Compare Ford Bronco model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Bronco model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 1978 Ford Bronco

Other Ford models

• F-15037,961 complaints
• Explorer34,566 complaints
• Escape27,430 complaints
• Fusion22,405 complaints
• Focus22,096 complaints
• Taurus18,159 complaints
• Windstar14,158 complaints
• Edge14,065 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.