• Ford recalls 565,691 sixth-generation Bronco and Bronco Raptor models from 2021 through 2026 over an engine wiring harness defect capable of starting fires.
• Exposed copper circuits inside the wiring loom can short out and ignite fuel vapors, grease, or plastic housings in the tightly packed engine compartment.
• Dealers will inspect the harness and install heavy-duty protective sheathing at no cost, with official customer notifications mailing out August 24, 2026.
The morning sun was barely up when Ford’s Critical Concern Group started pulling apart another Bronco in a Michigan lab. By the time the team finished cataloging the damage, the numbers told a grim story: 565,691 sixth-generation Broncos and Bronco Raptors were about to come off the road.
Worth A Look
The safety campaign covers model years 2021 through 2026 and centers on a manufacturing oversight buried inside the engine compartment. Ford’s factory wiring harness lacks sufficient abrasion protection, so the loom rubs against surrounding components during normal operation. That friction slowly chews through the insulation until bare copper sits exposed to the elements. Once that happens, a short circuit becomes almost inevitable, and the resulting sparks have everything they need to ignite fuel vapors, grease, or plastic housings in the tightly packed bay.
How the Defect Surfaces
Investigators traced the issue back through 15 separate thermal incidents, warranty claims, and legal complaints filed between October 2024 and June 2026. Out of more than 80 Broncos physically inspected, multiple units showed clear evidence of harness chafing on the passenger’s side of the engine bay. Drivers often get a warning before flames appear. A dashboard alert pops up, or smoke starts drifting through the climate control vents. Ford estimates that roughly 1% of the recalled fleet actually carries the defect, but the fire risk justified pulling the entire population in for inspection.
What Owners Should Do Next
Ford dealers will perform a hands-on inspection of the wiring assembly and install heavy-duty protective sheathing over the vulnerable sections at no cost. Official notification letters hit mailboxes on August 24, 2026. Anyone who doesn’t want to wait can punch their 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number into the NHTSA recall portal right now. The campaign carries Ford number 26S55 and NHTSA number 26V468. No crashes, injuries, or fatalities have been linked to the defect so far.
Other Moves Shaking the Auto World
Ford isn’t the only manufacturer dealing with headaches this week. Stellantis pulled 641 units of the 2026 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator for wheels manufactured with thin walls prone to cracking. Federal regulators also shut down a petition to investigate the Tesla Model 3’s emergency door release system, ruling the current latch design adequate. On the production side, Honda confirmed it will pause Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec builds after the 2026 model year because of an EPA certification snag tied to their manual transmissions. General Motors, meanwhile, is lining up a $1 billion U.S. Army order for 10,000 Chevy Colorado ZR2-based infantry squad vehicles, and Ford separately announced Apple Maps will natively integrate into its upcoming $30,000 Universal EV Platform pickup.
