Lemon Law Analysis

2022 Ford Bronco Sport

NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data

✓ Reviewed by Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. · Updated June 2026
301
NHTSA Complaints
14
Active Recalls
2-4
Avg. Repair Attempts

The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.

As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 301 complaints against the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2022 Ford Bronco Sport complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.

The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport has generated 301 NHTSA complaints and has 14 active recalls. If your 2022 Ford Bronco Sport has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Ford pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.

Fuel System

High Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Very Strong

Fuel and propulsion system defects can cause stalling, fuel leaks, or power loss — all substantial impairments of use and safety. The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport has generated 32 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong odor inside the vehicle, which made the contact feel ill. The contact associated the odor with carbon monoxide. The vehicle was driven to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.” (NHTSA Complaint #11719904)

Electrical System

High Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Strong

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 28 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel and then disappeared. Additionally, there was a soft, audible chime coming from the rear of the vehicle, and the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems activated the connections despite no known devices being present. The contact was concerned about the electrical system inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722119)

Other Systems

High Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport has generated 27 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I started a Turo business and because of the recall on the Ford 2022 bronco sport I haven’t been able to rent my car out for the last eight months. Turo will not allow you to rent a car that has a recall this recall has been going on for eight months and there is no fix in the near future and it may be until the middle of July until we’ll hear anything else about a remedy to fix this issue with the recall not being ready for another 3 to 4 months this is gonna put me one year of not being able to make any income off of that car and Forde says there is nothing they can do about it. They will not issue a rental car or a car to use in the meantime until this issue is fixed so I have done nothing wrong and as the customer, I am the one that has to lose a years worth of income because of something that Forde can’t fix in a timely manner.” (NHTSA Complaint #11724774)

Brakes

High Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport has generated 25 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “Brake booster failed. Lost brake assist while driving. Car became unsafe to drive immediately.” (NHTSA Complaint #11703637)

Engine

High Claim VolumeSong-Beverly Strength: Moderate

Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 22 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Recurring Safety Defect: Powertrain Cooling System Failure causing Engine Overheating, Coolant Intrusion, and Loss of Motive Power. The vehicle has experienced three catastrophic cooling system failures within a 9-month period, posing a crash and fire risk. Incident 1 (February 2025): Water pump failure caused significant coolant loss. Diagnosed and repaired by authorized dealer under warranty. Incident 2 (June 2025): Vehicle leaked coolant and emitted visible smoke and burning odors from the exhaust. Dealer diagnosed internal turbocharger failure resulting in coolant intrusion into the engine and exhaust system. The catalytic converter was damaged by coolant burn-off and required replacement. This failure kept the vehicle out of service for 38 days. Incident 3 (November 2025): The vehicle engine overheated again while driving, triggering the “Fail-Safe” cooling mode. This resulted in a sudden reduction of motive power (limp mode), creating a collision hazard at highway speeds. The Check Engine light illuminated. Dealer diagnosis confirmed codes P1285 (Cylinder Head Overtemperature) and P05A1 (Active Grille Shutter failure). The manufacturer’s dealer has confirmed the current failure but refuses to acknowledge it as part of the recurring powertrain thermal defect. The safety risk involves sudden deceleration in traffic due to overheating protection mode and potential fire risk from repeated coolant leaks onto hot engine components. The vehicle is currently at the dealer and available for inspection.” (NHTSA Complaint #11703132)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2022 Ford Bronco Sport

The following 14 recalls have been issued for the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport by the NHTSA or Ford. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

Recall 21V625000

Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. Interim notification letters (remedy not available) were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this re

Recall 21V922000

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 21C31.

Recall 22V191000

Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 22S21.

Recall 22V686000

Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: Flickering parking lights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the LED Driver module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 22C22.

Recall 22V787000

Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 22S66.

Recall 22V859000

Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023.

Recall 24V187000

Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 24, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 24S16. This rec

Recall 24V267000

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM

Defect: See NHTSA database for details.

Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 24S24.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 Ford Bronco Sport:

  • 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
  • 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
  • 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Ford to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2022 Ford Bronco Sport qualifies as a lemon under California law, Ford may be legally required to:

  • Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
  • Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
  • Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Ford pays all legal fees if you prevail
  • Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Ford willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2022 Ford Bronco Sport Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Ford a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Ford dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Ford pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Ford a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2022 Ford Bronco Sport Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2022 Ford Bronco Sport as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Ford pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2022 Ford Bronco Sport?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.

Think Your 2022 Bronco Sport Qualifies?

Get a free case evaluation. Ford pays our fees if you win — you pay nothing upfront.

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