It doesn’t seem like the new Ford Bronco has been out for very long. But that’s because it came out during Covid and we were all distracted and saddened by delays. Now the Ford Bronco has had time to hit the roads to prove how dependable it really is. 

The worst Ford Bronco problems after 40,000 miles 

The team at Edmunds enjoyed a few years with a 2021 Ford Bronco to see how it held up. They spent over years putting 40,000 miles on the odometer. 

It wasn’t all good, though. A few different parts broke. For example, the busted rear cargo door handle broke, so they couldn’t open it. That meant storing things in the back seat instead. But it was fixed under warranty. 

The Bronco lost its 4×4 power for a bit due to front axle engagement failure. After successfully climbing a hill, the Bronco returned to the bottom to climb it again when a 4×4 system temporarily disabled message occurred. 

After visiting three dealerships to fix the problem. Turns out the front axle shafts had broken splines. Both the front axles and the differential had to be replaced. 

The electrical problems caused false warnings about the blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alerts kept occurring. Last but not least, the cargo door window defroster broke and Ford wanted $2,000 to replace the whole window. 

Now the biggest Ford Bronco complaints after 40,000 miles include how loud it is. Regardless of having a soft or hard top, the Bronco is super loud at highway speeds. I can agree that taking the Bronco on the interstate for a few hours makes your eardrums hurt. 

Also, the Bronco isn’t good for short people. After driving a few different models, I disagree. I’m 5’1” and must be used to climbing up into monster trucks and SUVs. 

But someone on the Edmunds team is 5’2” and hated entering and exiting the vehicle due to the 12” ground clearance and poor grab handle placement. 

The last complaint involves how thirsty the Bronco is. They were getting about 16.4 mpg, so refilling this beast got pretty expensive over the years. 

I was getting around 14 to 17 mpg in the Wildtrak Sasquatch depending on my driving style. Flooring it can be irresistible at times. 

Anyways, a loud interior, the tall ground clearance, and fuel bills are the biggest complaints and they don’t seem like dealbreakers. However, a lot of things broke before reaching 40,000 miles.