AI Damage1987 Ford Bronco II: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Ford Bronco II filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 36
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 22% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 17% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 3% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (22% of all).
- Fuel system: 8 complaints (22% of all).
- Seat belts: 6 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.9 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle lunged forward while in park when first starting out, narrowly missing a person, and hitting a brick wall. Please describe details.
The consumer had an accident and the seat belt didn't catch, causing him to hurt his back. Please describe.
Vehicles rear abs braking system at 26,000 on wet road right rear wheel locked-up 2 times spinning truck out of control.flipped over on its top. Tt
While driving at 20mph driver hit tree to stop because brakes failed. Tt
My ford bronco ii, 1987, went up in flames. It was leaking gas, the smell was really strong and all of a sudden there was a burst of flames. While I was driving it .
The vehicle failed to start. The mechanic replaced the coil, ignition switch, battery, exhaust system and also a tune was performed on the vehicle, however the vehicle caught on fire, it was determined a wire was not grounded correctly.
While driving on the interstate at about 55 mph a cloud of smoke came from under the vehicle. When pulled over and hood lifted I noticed a fire on driver side of engines.
Ignition module malfunctioned, causing vehicle to stall unexpectedly which almost caused a crash. Had module replaced 3 times. Common problem. Please provide further information.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Bronco II has 17 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 36, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Ford Bronco II?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, fuel system, seat belts. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (33%), seat belts (17%), brake failure (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Ford Bronco II?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Ford Bronco II from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.