Recall Date: 7/20/2026
NHTSA ID: 26V468
MFr. Campaign Number: 26S55
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Affected Components: Engine Compartment Wiring Harness
Potential Number of Units Affected: 565,691
The population includes both the base Bronco and the higher-output Bronco Raptor. On affected vehicles, relative movement between the engine compartment wiring harness and surrounding components, combined with insufficient abrasion protection on the harness, can wear through the covering and expose the wires inside. Once internal circuits are exposed, an intermittent short can create arcing, and the heat or spark can ignite nearby flammable components. Ford estimates about one percent of the population carries the condition.
Drivers usually get a warning before the worst case. A short circuit may first appear as smoke in the air vents or a warning message in the instrument cluster, before any flames on the passenger side of the engine compartment. Ford's engineering review found that Raptor models are more likely to experience the chafing contact because of their suspension and underhood architecture. However, vibration testing on base Broncos also showed wear that could eventually expose the wiring.
The fix is a protective upgrade to the harness. Dealers will add convolute sheathing with abrasion tape to the engine compartment wiring harness so the covering can withstand the movement without wearing through. The repair is performed at a Ford or Lincoln dealer at no charge to the owner, and because it is physical work under the hood, it requires a dealer visit rather than a remote update.
This recall does not carry a Do Not Drive or Park Outside advisory. Ford planned to notify dealers on July 23, 2026, with VINs searchable the same day, and to mail remedy owner letters between August 24 and August 28, 2026. Because these vehicles were not produced in VIN order, Ford advises owners to confirm coverage by calling Ford's recall line at 1-866-436-7332 or by checking with a local dealer, in addition to the VIN lookup at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
This action grew out of a focused look at fire reports. On June 18, 2026, Ford's Critical Concern Review Group opened an investigation to combine existing workstreams on fire events in 2021-2026 Bronco vehicles. The group found similarities across a set of cases in which owners saw smoke in the vents and flames from the passenger side of the engine compartment while driving, and traced at least some of those fires to that area.
The investigation identified seven Bronco Raptor fires and eight base Bronco fires that may have started on the passenger side of the engine compartment. Inspections of more than 80 vehicles found rubbing or chafing on the harness covering in a small number of them. As of July 13, 2026, Ford counted 15 total incidents with evidence of a fire originating from the harness, drawn from warranty reports, field reports, a customer service report, owner questionnaires, and legal claims, spanning October 2024 through June 2026. Ford's Field Review Committee approved the action on July 13, 2026, and Ford reports no accidents or injuries tied to the condition. Enhanced protective covering was already added in production to address the concern.
For dealers, the scale is the story. A campaign north of half a million units on a single nameplate means a steady stream of eligible vehicles, and a fire risk is the kind of recall owners take seriously once they understand it. The work of getting those owners scheduled is what separates a closed campaign from an open one. For a deeper look at this quarter's recalls, check out our Quarterly Recall Report.
A 565,691-unit recall on a vehicle as popular as the Bronco is significant service-drive volume, but only for the dealers who reach those owners first. A mailed letter competes with everything else in the stack, and the vehicles most in need of the repair belong to owners who have not acted yet. BizzyCar's Recall Outreach product identifies vehicles in a dealer's market with open recalls and books the service appointment automatically through two-way SMS, so the conversation happens on the channel owners actually answer.
That turns an open campaign into scheduled shop hours and puts your dealership in front of Bronco owners before they book somewhere else. Every recall visit also opens the door to the maintenance and declined-service revenue that comes with it. Book a demo.