2023 Ford Bronco: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
218 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
No Bronco year is AVOID, but the 2022 and 2023 are CAUTION at 51 and 60 on 369 and 218 owner complaints, and the 2022's rate of 92.2 complaints per year on the road is more than double the 2021's 45.0. Buy a 2021, which scores 71 on 225 complaints, or a 2024 at 76 on 74, and check the recall history, because every Bronco year has twelve campaigns. Read the full note on the model page. 2023 specifically: 218 complaints on record, score 60/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport and EcoSport: what the first years on record say, including 2023 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 218 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 72.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Steering rack component failure, vague steering, play during steering directional change, Light grinding noise when turning steering wheel.
I was going really slow down an easy dirt road in 4L and all of the sudden the steering wheel spun violently two full turns left in under a second on its own. This threw my right arm off the wheel where it hit the shifter with force leaving a large bruise. Steering system fault warning appeared, the tire position on the camera screen was stuck all the way left, and i could no longer disconnect my stabilizer bar. i tu…
The MIC hardtop is bubbling some at the top and has a line where it looks like perhaps it is assembled on the back panel over the top that is discolored in comparison to the rest of the top. Furthermore, the middle panel is a different color than the rest of the hardtop. It is available for complete inspection upon request. The car has not been inspected by dealer but was bought used and did not show the bubbling whe…
Recalls: 12 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 23V546000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Internal:Park Pawl | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco vehicles. The transmission park system may have been damaged during assembly, which can prevent the parking pawl from fully engaging and result in a vehicle rollaway. |
| 25V455000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving. |
| 23V155000 | Steering | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco Wildtrak and 2022 Bronco Raptor vehicles. Internal damage to the steering gear may require increased steering effort or cause the steering wheel to lock-up. |
| 24V189000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Lock | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Bronco 4-door vehicles. The left-side rear door may be opened from the inside of the vehicle when the child safety lock is in the "ON" position. |
| 25V315000 | Back Over Prevention:Software | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to… |
| 23V070000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to… |
| 25V273000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco vehicles. The 360-degree view camera may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. |
| 25V025000 | Suspension:Rear:Shock Absorber | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles. The rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external reservoir. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Visibility/Wiper89 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Electrical System22 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train20 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine19 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Service Brakes16 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Ford Bronco years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2023 Ford Bronco?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Visibility/Wiper (89 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2023 Ford Bronco a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 60/100, computed from 218 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2023 Ford Bronco's most common problem?
89 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2023 Ford Bronco sit in the Visibility/Wiper group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $490–$1,200 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2023 Ford Bronco cost to run per year?
About $5,570 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,852 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2023 Ford Bronco have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2023 Ford Bronco, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/08/2023. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2023 Ford Bronco really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 218 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 218 NHTSA complaints on record (72.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (58.8/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems