The Latest Ford Bronco's Airbags Could Hit Too Hard
The 2025 Ford Bronco has just been recalled, and unfortunately, it's for a physical fault that could reduce safety. According to recall documents filed with the NHTSA, 'the active vent flap on the passenger side may prevent the airbag from deploying as intended.' This recall covers 2,272 Broncos, and while it's not good news, owners can at least take comfort in the knowledge that this isn't nearly as serious as the Takata airbag fault that continues to plague numerous unrecalled vehicles from manufacturers around the world, and this air bag is made by a completely different company.
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The Airbag May Not Cushion Impacts Properly
Source: Ford
The NHTSA says that if the active vent flap of the passenger airbag doesn't open during a crash, 'the internal cushion pressure will not decrease as rapidly as designed, resulting in a higher-pressure cushion interacting with an occupant.' In other words, the component meant to safely prevent an occupant's head from hitting the dashboard could well injure them instead. The problem was discovered during routine testing by Michigan-based airbag supplier Joyson Safety Systems, which flagged the issue with Ford. Problems with testing led the supplier to a plastic flange holding the micro gas generator responsible for inflating the airbag in place. This flange may break when the airbag is activated, and this may interfere with the active vent flap.
Over A Quarter Of Broncos Are Affected
Source: Ford
Of the 2,272 Broncos impacted by this recall, only 28% are expected to have the fault. Ford will begin sending interim notification letters on June 28. A second will be sent when the remedy is ready to be installed, but Ford has not provided an estimated timeline for when this will happen. Once the new parts are available, dealers will replace the airbag module at no cost to owners. As we've noted before, Ford has been working hard to overcome quality control issues, and there's still plenty to improve on, but at least this time, it doesn't appear to be something that Ford missed under its own roof. Happily, no warranty claims or customer complaints have been lodged, so the issue hasn't caused any serious damage yet.
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