Ford Recalls 229,000 Broncos Over Blank Panel Software Issue

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 229,000 Bronco and Bronco Sport vehicles due to a software issue that can cause the digital instrument panel to go blank at startup, potentially leaving drivers without critical safety information and increasing crash risk.

The recall affects 101,002 Broncos and 128,607 Bronco Sports from the 2025 and 2026 model years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Broncos included in the recall were built between May 31, 2024, and November 3, 2025, at facilities including those in the United States and a joint venture in China. Bronco Sports, produced at a plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, cover production from March 7, 2024, to November 3, 2025. Vehicle identification numbers for affected Broncos begin with 1, while those for Bronco Sports start with 3.

The problem arises from a controller area network wakeup interruption during the instrument panel cluster's sleep entry sequence, triggering a memory protection fault that results in a blank display. This condition prevents the screen from showing speed, warning lights, and other essential data until the system reboots. Ford's connected vehicle data suggests 68 percent of...