IllustrationWHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, AND FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER PULLED OVER. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
1988 Ford Bronco
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bronco years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 52 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports21 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
19 reportsTHE VEHICLES ALTERNATOR BURNED UP, CONSUMER REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND COMPLETED WORK THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, HOWEVER THE SECOND TIME THE DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FORD TO HELP IN THIS DEFECT. NLM
96 V 071 00/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A UNDERHOOD FIRE WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY; DEALER/MFR;S NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR REPLACED DUE TO OVERCHARGING. SECOND ALTERNATOR WAS INSTALLED AND THEN HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SHORTLY AFTER, THE SECOND ALTERNATOR AND ITS WIRES HEATED UP AND CAUGHT FIRE, WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.
ALTERNATOR FIRE.
WAS DRIVING AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED TRUCK OVER, OPENED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IT WAS ON FIRE, TOOK TO DEALER AND HE INDICATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL ALTERNATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
GROUND WIRE FIRE.
WIRING HARNESS FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING THE BRONCO STARTED TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND THAN CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE EXPLAIN MORE. *AK
GAS TANK LEAKS.
Official recalls
196V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE91017 · Ford Truck Inconsistent Vehicle Control.
Opened Nov 27, 1990 · Closed Apr 17, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SEE CLOSE RESUME