The Feds Are Investigating Ford Bronco Engine Failures

2022 Ford Bronco WildtrakImage: Ford

While it hasn’t been discussed much, more than a few Ford Bronco owners are having trouble with their 2.7L V6 EcoBoost engines. Not anything simple like lower than reported fuel economy ratings or oil leaks. Serious problems. Engines are failing, and no one knows why. Owners want answers and now the NHTSA is looking into what’s going on with the Ford Bronco’s engine troubles.

The engine problems are widely known in the Bronco owner world thanks to posts on everything from owner forums to Facebook. Several owners even contacted FordAuthority.com back in January about the problem. The issue surrounds the 2.7-liter twin-turbo Ecoboost V6. Before the debut of the Bronco Raptor, this was the most powerful engine you could get in a Bronco. It makes 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. While owners are experiencing engine failure, they’re happening under different, random circumstances.

One owner’s engine failed after spending a couple of hours plowing through sand dunes. He received a trailer brake system fault alert on the vehicle’s screen, but the dealer told him the engine actually seized. Ford sent an engineer down to take a look and found that “cylinder 6 had a dropped valve.” A replacement was performed under warranty.

Another owner posted a video on Reddit of the failure. He said he was simply driving normally when a “check engine light came on and started flashing. Strong smell of fumes/exhaust started coming into the cabin and bronco started shaking.”

And there’s a growing list on the Bronco6g owners forum of the engine failures. As of May 31st, 50 Bronco owners who have reported engine failures. All at low miles with many engines on the list having less than 5,000 miles; others under 3,000. Ford is aware of the problem, with a spokesperson telling The Drive at the end of April that any owners affected will be covered by the vehicle’s warranty.

But that’s not enough for some owners. In an investigation opened on May 27th, a series of petitions were sent to the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation. Just over 30 owners complained directly to the agency about the engine failures. While this in no way means a recall is happening, this has the potential to affect thousands of vehicles.