The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday issued a "Do Not Drive" warning to the owners of precisely three Ford Broncos over loose suspension bolts that weren't properly tightened down at the factory. This could allow the front lower control arms to detach from the frame, increasing the risk of a crash.
The problem first came to light when a customer complained to a dealer in April about a loud, audible "pop" noise when turning at full lock. Upon inspection, the dealer discovered all nuts holding the lower control arms to the frame were loose.
How does a Bronco leave the factory with loose bolts? Well, according to the NHTSA's recall report, the Bronco in question failed an alignment test at the plant before being manually approved by someone Ford calls a "Quality Leadership System operator," rather than being re-run through the factory's alignment validation equipment. As such, no one confirmed the Bronco's control arms were properly aligned and bolted to the frame before it left the plant.
Ford says this mistake could've affected a total of four Broncos, making this a very rare problem. One of the affected SUVs, one was fixed prior to the recall being issued, meaning there are three in the field that still need examining.
Despite the small number of Broncos affected, the recall spans both 2024 and 2025 model years. Ford says it's reaching out to owners by phone, email, and mail, instructing them to avoid driving their vehicles. They'll be towed to the dealer free of charge, where a technician will inspect the control arm fasteners and tighten or replace them if needed. The vehicle's alignment will also be checked and corrected, as needed.
If you think you're one of the three remaining Bronco owners with an affected truck, stop driving your car and check your VIN against the NHTSA's database. And check your phone; odds are Ford is already blowing it up telling you not to get behind the wheel.
Source: Road & Track
