1990 Ford Bronco II problems & reliability
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Ford Bronco II. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 19% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 15% |
| Power Train | 3 | 12% |
| Tires | 3 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 8% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 8% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
| Seats | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl*the contact owns a 1990 ford bronco ii. While driving approximately 35 mph in dry weather, the contact heard a loud clank from the rear of the vehicle. He noticed that the brake rotor failed. When the brake was removed from the rear passenger side, all of the components fell out. Nhtsa campaign id number 98e010000…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jan 11, 2008
“My last two alternators burst into flames. The mechanic who changed the last one said that he "has replaced hundreds" in the last ten years *ak”
Electrical System · filed Apr 19, 2004
“During a cross country trip we experienced severe tire blow out on our left rear tire at 65 mph on georgia highway 70 outside dalton ga. The blow our cause our '90 ford bronco ii to go off the highway and roll 8 times travelling a total of 250 feet. My husband was the passenger and was hospitalized after we came to a…”
Tires · filed Nov 29, 2000
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- VEHICLE ROLLOVER
Defect Petition DP97006 · opened Dec 3, 1997 · closed May 5, 1999
- PARKING PAWL
Recall Query RQ97015 · opened Oct 29, 1997 · closed Apr 1, 1999 · led to recall 91V189000
- FRONT SEAT TRACK FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE92084 · opened Oct 23, 1992 · closed Feb 26, 1993
- WHL SEPARATION/TORQUE LOSS
Preliminary Evaluation PE92029 · opened Mar 16, 1992 · closed Aug 31, 1992
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Ford Bronco II. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Some vehicles may exhibit an audible pinging or creaking noise that may be heard from the driveline when engine torque is initially applied to the driveline. *tt
6603 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1999
Experiencing a whine / buzz type noise in the speakers of the entertainment radio or two-way radio on vehicles with an in-tank electric fuel pump. *tt
99129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 14, 1999
Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt
99816 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 1999
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1990 Ford Bronco II in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1990 Ford Bronco II?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.