Protecting Your Investment When Your Adventure SUV Stalls
By the Attorneys at the Law Offices of Jon Jacobs | March 2026 | Serving All of California
You bought the Bronco for the adventure. Instead, you got roof leaks soaking your interior, a transmission that grinds and shudders, and a dealer who keeps sending you home with the same problems unfixed. If you own or lease a 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026 Ford Bronco anywhere in California and you’ve been dealing with recurring defects, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to real compensation: a cash settlement, a buyback, or a replacement vehicle. We don’t charge our clients a dime. Ford pays our fees if you win.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The 2022 Ford Bronco carries a reliability score of just 43 out of 100, and the 2021 model scores an even lower 41, both rated “Mixed” and ranking among the worst years for the nameplate. The 2022 model alone has 32 NHTSA recalls and 576 owner complaints on file, including 17 crash-related complaints and 14 fire-related complaints. The 2023 Bronco logs 27 recalls and 295 owner complaints, with 10 crash-related and 5 fire-related complaints.
That is not a minor quality blip. That is a pattern, and California law gives you options when a pattern like that shows up in your driveway.
Common Defects We See in 2022–2026 Ford Bronco Cases
Our attorneys handle Ford lemon law matters across California. Here are the issues that come up again and again:
- Hardtop Roof Leaks: Water intrudes through A-pillars, windshield headers, rear hatch seams, and the gaps between roof panels. Ford issued multiple Technical Service Bulletins to address the problem, but many Broncos have required several rounds of dealer visits before leaks finally stopped, if they stopped at all.
- Transmission Failures and Rollaway Risk: A 2023 Bronco recall (Ford 23S44) was issued because the transmission park system may have been damaged during assembly, preventing the parking pawl from fully engaging and creating a vehicle rollaway risk. A separate recall (Ford 23S06) covering 2022-2023 Broncos addressed a loose bolt that could prevent the transmission from engaging park, even when the shifter showed the vehicle was in park.
- Engine Intake Valve Failure (2.7L V6): Faulty intake valves in the 2.7L engine could snap, drop into the cylinder, and destroy the engine without warning, prompting Recall 24S55 (NHTSA 24V-635) after Ford logged 251 warranty claims.
- Engine Stall / Loss of Power: A recall covering 2021-2023 Broncos was issued for a low-pressure fuel pump that can fail and cause an engine stall while driving, with a remedy still under development as of mid-2025.
- Front Seat Safety Defect: A recall covering 2021-2023 Broncos was issued because the front seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt may be loose or dislodged, potentially preventing proper occupant restraint in a crash.
- Instrument Cluster Failure: Ford recalled 229,609 model year 2025 and 2026 Bronco and Bronco Sport vehicles because the instrument panel cluster may not function properly at startup, potentially failing to display warning lights or vehicle speed, which increases crash risk.
- Electrical System Failures: Fuse box faults, SYNC infotainment freezes, wiper motors that stop working in active rain, and backup cameras that malfunction, some of which have been the subject of multiple separate recall actions across model years.
- Brake Booster Failure (2025 Bronco): A recall was issued for certain 2025 Bronco vehicles because the Electronic Brake Booster module may malfunction while driving, causing a loss of power brake assist and extending stopping distance, especially dangerous when ADAS features are engaged.
What Compensation Can You Get?
Under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, if Ford cannot fix a defect after a reasonable number of repair attempts, or if your Bronco has been out of service for 30 or more days, you may be entitled to compensation. That can mean a full vehicle buyback that returns your down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and registration fees or a cash settlement that puts money in your pocket. Every case turns on its own facts, and our job is to get you the best outcome for your specific situation.
We don’t charge our clients a dime. Under California law, Ford is required to pay your attorney’s fees when you prevail, so you pay nothing out of pocket to have our firm in your corner from the first call through resolution.
What You Should Do Right Now
- Save every repair order from every dealer visit.
- Track the dates your vehicle was out of service. Thirty cumulative days is a threshold worth knowing.
- If Ford has told you a part is unavailable or a remedy is “still in development,” document that in writing.
- Call us for a free case evaluation. We serve Bronco owners statewide across all of California.
Fee Case Evaluation
We go after the manufacturer to pay our fees as part of you settlement when we win. Visit lemonbuyback.com to get started. California consumers only.
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This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results vary based on individual facts. Contact our office to discuss your situation.