Diagsheet

2021 Ford Bronco Sport · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

  • 105owner reports
  • 41,426median miles
  • $500median quote
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Apr 9, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

206 of the 683 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 105 of those describe dead battery.

Tick what matches of 105 reports

23
33
43
82
8
11

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (97 reports), the alternator (10 reports), the module (9 reports) and the starter (5 reports).

Recalls and investigations

3 recalls on the electrical system cover the 2021 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

25V-685Oct 10, 2025
Equipment:Electrical:Engine Block Heater

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk and remedy
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
25V-019Jan 17, 2025
Electrical System:12V/24V/48V Battery

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail.

Risk and remedy
Risk: Battery failure can result in a loss of electrical accessories, including the hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the 12-volt battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S02. Vehicles in this recall were previously repaired under 24V-267 and will need to have the new remedy completed.
24V-267Apr 12, 2024
Electrical System:Body Control Module/Bcm

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.

Risk and remedy
Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S24.

NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Bronco Sport

RQ24-014opened Nov 15, 2024
Electrical · model years 2021 to 2024

Loss of motive power. Closed oct 10, 2025, led to recall 25V-019.

NHTSA summary
On January 31, 2024, The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24002) to investigate loss of motive power allegations in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. Consumers reported a loss of engine power accompanied by complete electrical system failure either while driving or after stopping at a traffic light or stop sign. The vehicles generally could not be restarted, and the incidents were commonly diagnosed by dealerships to a failed 12-Volt (12V) battery. On April 12, 2024, Ford issued safety recall 24V-267 covering 456,565 MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles. The recall addressed loss of motive power resulting from sudden degradation of the 12V battery during the drive cycle. The recall remedy consisted of software updates to the body control module and the powertrain control module. The updated software aimed to provide warning to consumers when the battery is failing and inhibit certain vehicle functions which can lead to loss of motive power incidents. Additionally, Ford removed the existing 12V Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) as both a service component for the subject vehicles and original equipment for newly built Bronco Sport vehicles (during MY 2024 production), replacing it with a more robust absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery. The same AGM battery had been incorporated into Ford Maverick production in late 2022. Following recall 24V-267, ODI received loss of motive power complaints in v
PE24-002opened Jan 31, 2024
Electrical · model years 2021 to 2023

Loss of motive power. Closed aug 19, 2024, led to recall 24V-267.

NHTSA summary
On January 31, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE24002 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 31 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), with consumers commonly reporting a loss of engine power accompanied by complete electrical system failure which occurred either while driving, or after coming to a stop. The investigation revealed that MY 2021-2024 Ford Bronco Sport and certain MY 2022-2023 Ford Maverick vehicles are equipped with a 12V enhanced flooded battery (EFB), which may experience an abrupt failure during a drive cycle. The failure is the result of an internal corrosion issue, which is influenced by long exposure to high under-hood temperatures. If the sudden loss of 12V battery voltage is not detected by the vehicle’s battery management sensor, the vehicle can experience a loss of power event without providing any warning to the driver. Following a loss of power due to battery failure, the vehicle may be without all 12V accessories including hazard lights and typically will not be able to be restarted. In its March 2024 response to ODI’s information request, Ford provided 367 customer complaints (including field reports, lawsuits, and legal claims) and 1005 warranty claims relating to the alleged defect. When combining ODI and manufacturer failure report data, there are 1,368 unique VINs represented across MY 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. O

What owners paid

24 of the 105 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $201 to $900.

$201$500$900
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 32,468 and 53,000 miles, from the 45 reports that gave a mileage.

221
422
1123
4024
4325
526

What owners wrote

“The battery that came with the vehicle lasted less than 2 years. It was replaced after one day the car just wouldn’t hold any charge. I have the pep boys receipt and record to prove the battery would no longer hold any charge.”

Filed Jan 7, 2025

“When I came to a stop (stop sign) the vehicle's complete electrical system shut down, all went black. I couldn't turn on hazard lights or anything. (seems related to the recall notice). I waited to see if any change occurred, attempted restart, but nothing was operable. I connected a jump start battery and successfully restarted the car... all seemed ok afterward. This seems life endangering as a potential hazard.”

Filed Sep 8, 2024

“Bronco was sitting at a red light and lost all power with no warning. All electrical went down including hazard lights. The bronco would not start back and to to be towed.”

Filed May 9, 2024

“The car completely died with no warning and no electrical systems available at a stop sign. I had to waive traffic around since emergency flashers didn't work. Tried to jump with a jumping station, and a truck with an older battery which didn't work. Only minor clicking and electrical systems turned on. Had to use a car with a brand new battery in order to get car started to drive home <1mi.”

Filed Apr 7, 2024

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 105 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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