2025 Ford Bronco Front Air Bag Recall (25V396)

Recall 25V396 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2025 Ford Bronco in recall 25V396?

The active vent flap on the passenger side may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Bronco vehicles. The active vent flap on the passenger side may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Is it safe to drive a 2025 Bronco with recall 25V396?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Bronco shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the frontal, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V396?

Recall 25V396 covers 2,272 vehicles: 2025 Ford Bronco.

NHTSA lists 2,272 vehicles in this campaign, built April 26, 2025 to May 12, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Bronco front air bag recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge.

Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C27.

When was recall 25V396 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V396 to NHTSA on June 13, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as October 3, 2025.

This recall was filed 15 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 16 days. If your Bronco was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Bronco is part of recall 25V396?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V396 is open on your Bronco, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 25V396000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Bronco owners do about recall 25V396?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V396000 applies to your Bronco.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Ford dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the frontal happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are Bronco owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 3 of them about the air bags.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the air bags have been filed since recall 25V396 was reported (3) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 52 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 3 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2025 Ford Bronco: 52 complaints in total, 3 about the air bags

A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):

New vehicle sold to me by Paul Miller Ford Mazda, 975 East New Circle Rd., Lexington, KY 40505 with an open, uncured, undisclosed recall regarding vent flap on passenger airbag.

2025 Ford Bronco owner, KY, NHTSA complaint 11685095, filed September 4, 2025

Possible suspension on front driver side caused loss of control of vehicle and separation of front tire from body. Failure of front airbags to deploy despite impact, Recall of front seat or seatbelt entire malfunction caused ejection and death of driver.

2025 Ford Bronco owner, VA, NHTSA complaint 11763792, filed September 12, 2026

Can recall 25V396 make my Bronco a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

An air bag warning light that keeps coming back after a recall repair is worth documenting. Air bag defects are safety defects, and California law can require fewer repair attempts for them.

This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.

Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 21V770000.

For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Bronco went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 25V396