Ford’s Latest Recall Linked to Fire Risk in 565,000 Broncos
The automaker’s second safety campaign in a week was triggered by a wiring harness defect in Bronco and Bronco Raptor SUVs that ‘may create heat or spark, resulting in fire.’ Ford has recalled nearly 2 million vehicles this month.
Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than a half-million Broncos because of an engine fire risk posed by a faulty wiring harness.
The recall, announced Friday by the automaker, affects 565,691 Ford Bronco and Bronco Raptor SUVs from the 2021 through 2026 model years.
Ford estimates that about 1 percent of the vehicles covered by the action contain the defect. According to the recall notice posted online by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, insufficient abrasion protection on the wiring could result in damage that exposes wires. A potential short circuit “may create heat or spark, resulting in fire,” the report said.
“Following a short circuit,” the NHTSA said, “a driver may notice smoke in their air vents or a cluster warning message prior to observing flames coming from the passenger side engine compartment area.”
The agency said Ford’s recent investigation has documented 15 incidents of “a fire event” that may have originated from the engine compartment wiring harness between October 15, 2024 and June 20, 2026. Eight of those incidents involved standard Broncos, Ford told the NHTSA. Seven involved Bronco Raptors.
No crashes or injuries related to the defect have been reported, Ford said.
The company said Bronco and Bronco Raptor owners affected by the recall will be notified by mail from August 24–28. They can take their SUVs to a Ford dealership, where the wiring harness will be covered with a protective sheathing and abrasion tape at no cost.
The recall was the second issued by Ford last week. On Monday, the company announced that nearly 400,000 other SUVs dating back to 2020 were recalled because of a potential issue with the proper safety restraint of passengers in their second-row seats.
The recall applies to 227,520 Ford Explorers manufactured from 2020 to 2026 and 160,391 Lincoln Aviators made since 2020, including the new 2027 model.
“On affected vehicles,” said the recall notice posted by the NHTSA, “it is possible that the easy-entry seat tip-and-slide switch on second-row outboard seats may intermittently bind or become stuck in the down position. This binding or sticking may result in the seat tipping and/or sliding unexpectedly, potentially while driving,” increasing the risk of injury, “particularly in a crash.”
The agency’s safety recall report advised owners that a button stuck in the down position is one warning sign of a defective switch. In that instance, “the customer may not be able to use the easy entry feature or return the seat to its normal position,” the NHTSA said.
Ford said Explorer and Aviator owners would be notified by mail by the end of the month. The automaker is advising them to bring their SUVs to a Ford dealership, where the bezel around the switch will be inspected and, if needed, replaced for free.
The two recalls add to a growing list of Ford safety campaigns. Earlier this month, the automaker recalled more than 110,000 Mustang and Mustang Mach-E vehicles in separate actions involving drivetrain and windshield-wiper motor defects.
Before last week’s two actions, Ford had already recalled nearly 2 million vehicles since the beginning of July, according to the Detroit Free Press. Those actions included recalls involving transmission defects in certain SUVs and 2020 Ford F-150 pickups, as well as a rear differential pinion-shaft issue that could cause a loss of drive power in more than 110,000 Mustang and Mustang Mach-E cars.
Ford owners can find out if their vehicles have been subject to any recalls online by visiting the company’s recall page or entering their vehicle identification numbers on the NHTSA’s recall database.
For more information, call Ford customer service at 866-436-7332 or the NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.