2021 Ford Bronco Sport · symptom sheet
Engine overheats or leaks coolant
- 26owner reports
- 55,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Apr 21, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
172 of the 696 complaints on this car are about the engine. 26 of those describe overheating.
Tick what matches of 26 reports
Overheating on other Bronco Sport years
No other Bronco Sport model year has enough reports of overheating for a sheet of its own. See every Bronco Sport year.
What this problem usually is
Most owners in this group notice the coolant before they notice the heat: a reservoir that keeps dropping, a sweet smell, or a bright puddle under the front of the car. Across the vehicles on this site, about four in five of these complaints mention coolant, a leak or a puddle, and roughly two in five mention the temperature gauge or overheating.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the water pump (15 reports) and the coolant hose or reservoir (6 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the engine cover the 2021 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.
All 16 recalls on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 37,000 and 75,000 miles, from the 17 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit a loss of engine coolant from a leak at the coolant pump. This may be due to contamination in the engine's cooling system.
Some 2021-2024 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit water coolant pump leaks. This may be due to contamination in the coolant system.
What owners wrote
“The water pump has been replaced twice already and the water pump needs to be replaced again at 105,000 miles. This will be the fourth water pump this vehicle has. The originally came with, two replacements, and now the one that it needs because it is leaking like the previous three. The turbo charger failed and was burning oil. That was replaced. A month later it is back at the dealership being replaced again”
Filed Apr 16, 2025 · 105,000 miles
“Engine alternator failed at approximately 50,000 miles. The bearing failed and the pulley ultimately sheared off. We own 5 of these vehicles and 3 of the 5 have had this issue. The water pump also failed.”
Filed Oct 11, 2023 · 50,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 26 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Which lights mean pull over now? Warning lights by color and urgency
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 127 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 126 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 107 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 66 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 40 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 37 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 35 reports
- Driveshaft, axle or transfer case problems 35 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 25 reports