RecallMyCar

1996 Ford Bronco Recalls, Complaints & Specs

1 safety recall lists the 1996 Ford Bronco, and owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

1
safety recall
81
owner complaints to NHTSA
6 / 23
complaints citing a crash / fire
12–14
MPG combined (EPA)

1 safety recall for the 1996 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. Vehicle speed control

    NHTSA 05V388000 Reported 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.

    Remedy: By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are…

81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Ford Bronco have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 23 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 128,598 miles. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 13 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Transmission jumps out of overdrive, afterwards hard shifts in all gears after high rpms. The fix is to stop, cut the engine off and the transmission resets for lack on a better term. When the bronco”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 12, 2018 · Power train

“Head light dimmer switch/turn signal switch. After head lights have been running for a few minutes, the head lights will begin to flash on/off in either high beams or low beams. I have found the issue”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 22, 2013 · Exterior lighting

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Ford Bronco (Bronco 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined12–14 mpg
City / Highway11–13 / 15–16
FuelRegular
EPA classSpecial Purpose Vehicles
Engine8 cyl, 5/5.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Ford Bronco model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1967 Ford Bronco22
1969 Ford Bronco01
1970 Ford Bronco10
1971 Ford Bronco10
1972 Ford Bronco10
1975 Ford Bronco10
1976 Ford Bronco10
1977 Ford Bronco11
1978 Ford Bronco50
1979 Ford Bronco52
1980 Ford Bronco20
1981 Ford Bronco02
1982 Ford Bronco01
1983 Ford Bronco14
1984 Ford Bronco310
1985 Ford Bronco120
1986 Ford Bronco127
1987 Ford Bronco134
1988 Ford Bronco152
1989 Ford Bronco284
1990 Ford Bronco156
1991 Ford Bronco132
1992 Ford Bronco237
1993 Ford Bronco540
1994 Ford Bronco391
1995 Ford Bronco194
1996 Ford Bronco181
1997 Ford Bronco01
1998 Ford Bronco02
1999 Ford Bronco02
2021 Ford Bronco20230
2022 Ford Bronco23379
2023 Ford Bronco18227
2024 Ford Bronco1677
2025 Ford Bronco1954
2026 Ford Bronco98

Checking a specific 1996 Ford Bronco

How do I know if my 1996 Ford Bronco has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1996 Ford Bronco; your car may already have been repaired under it.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 05V388000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Ford models

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.