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2021 Ford Bronco Sport: stuck in gear or won't shift

8 of the 716 complaints about the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport describe stuck in gear or won't shift.

owner complaints
8
of this car's complaints
1%
recalls
2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 23 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Stuck in gear or won't shift by model year

  • 2025
    3
  • 2024
    1
  • 2023
    3
  • 2022
    6
  • 2021
    8

What owners say

Filed May 1, 2026 · Transmission · IL

I have 130,000 miles on my 2021 Ford Bronco sport. With no warning I'm unable to put vehicle in gear. I attempt to put the car into drive, then reverse and it will not go. The gear gets stuck in park, but unable to park, The car instructs me to intiated emergency park with many warning lights appearing. when driving it jerks , make grinding noises, and I even lost momentum. Ford said the help line states they have attempted to fix the codes and replace the parts on the inside of the transmission and no luck. Ford recommends a new transmission. I believe the 2021 Bronco sport have a faulty transmission and replacing with another will result with the same issue due to the transmission being a close system it isn't preventable. Many other owners have experienced this very same safety issue and Ford should address ot and be responsible.

Filed May 1, 2026 · Transmission · IA

In January of 2026, I took my 2021 Ford bronco sport Outer Banks to the dealership because my car had a wrench light come on and it went into limp mode. Supposedly it was fixed and now it is April 2026 and my car went into limp mode again, it would not shift in the park and would not start and now the dealership is telling me that there’s transmission issues but from what I’ve read, there is clearly been a lot of transmission issues in these vehicles.

Filed Feb 11, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · PA · crash

This vehicle is subject to the federal safety agency Recall 25V467 involving potential fuel injector cracking and risk of fuel leaking onto the engine, creating a fire hazard. The recall status shows “Remedy Not Yet Available,” leaving the defect unresolved. While driving, the vehicle suddenly displayed an engine overheating warning and immediately entered limp mode, causing abrupt loss of power. The vehicle decelerated unexpectedly and was not able to maintain normal driving speed. This created a dangerous situation in active traffic and required a safety tow. The sudden power reduction could have resulted in a rear-end collision or loss of vehicle control. There were no prior overheating warnings immediately before this incident. The failure occurred abruptly. A warning message appeared at the time of the event, followed by limp mode activation. The vehicle had to be towed to a dealership for inspection. Given that the open recall involves fuel injector cracking and potential fuel accumulation near hot engine components, there is concern that the unresolved recall condition may be related to engine overheating and loss of power. The vehicle remains under an active fire-risk recall, yet no repair remedy is available. Owners are left operating vehicles with a known safety defect and no corrective action timeline. The defect has not been remedied because parts are not available. The vehicle was inspected by a dealership after the overheating event. The primary safety concern is the combination of an open fire-risk recall and a sudden overheating/limp mode event causing abrupt power loss in traffic, creating a serious risk of injury. Due to this open recall with no available remedy, the vehicle cannot be listed or rented on a peer-to-peer vehicle sharing platform, resulting in loss of legitimate income. The vehicle was previously eligible for use, but is now restricted solely because the safety recall remains unresolved without a repair solution. Owners are financially impacted.

Filed Nov 14, 2023 · Transmission · MS

Grinding noise from backend, vehicle went into limp mode and I was not able to accelerate, rpms were bouncing. Was able to cruise the rest of the way home at 40mph. Researching and finding that there were recalls on RDU on certain vehicles but not my particular bronco. I do not take my vehicle off reading. I drive interstate to and from work. Car is 2 years old and RDU should not being going bad other than poor lubrication from manufacturer

Filed Nov 8, 2023 · Transmission · MS

Driving i10 west and my vehicle lost power shifted hard and went in limp mode. Wrench light came on with these warning awd/powertrain, hill assist front end collision unavailable, won’t shift to park

Filed Oct 10, 2023 · Engine · MI

Stopped at Red Light on Southbound Groesbeck Hwy & Martin Rd in Warren, MI and engine and all dash lights went out without warning and could not restart car. Was stuck in middle lane of 50 mph traffic with car stuck in gear and no way to push out of traffic. Very dangerous position to be in. Had to call a local tow truck flatbed to puts skids under all four tires to load on flatbed to move car to Crest Ford dealership at a cost of $140.00

Filed Sep 17, 2022 · Transmission · MO

Vehicle got stuck in gear while traveling on highway. I would accelerate and the RPMs would shoot up but I was losing speed. I had to pull over, turn off the car and turn it back on. Some Ford dealerships told me they won’t even look at the transmission while others have a two week lead time to just look at it. I have no other cars to drive yet may or may not be offered a loaner depending on the problem. This is a huge safety risk because I can’t be going highway speeds and then lose speed and be going 25mph on a 55mph road! I am still waiting to get my car seen and there were no lights that showed on the dash.

Filed Sep 6, 2021 · TX

When turning on the car and getting it into drive, the car does not move as it seems to be stuck in neutral. Once the gear catches, the car does drive. This happens at stop lights, in traffic, red lights, and any time my car has to stop. This occurs with the engine on or off. This car also was bought on 8/17 straight off the truck for the dealership.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)Reported March 14, 2025 · 48,041 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V‑267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge.
Risk
An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 23, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S26.

Recall number 25V158000 · Recall details

Power train: driveline: driveshaftReported January 15, 2021 · 147 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Risk
If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.

Recall number 21V011000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport won't shift

Is stuck in gear or won't shift a common problem on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport?

8 of 716 owner complaints about the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport (1%) mention stuck in gear or won't shift. The model year with the most reports is 2021.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport?

There are 2 recalls and 23 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

Stalling 62Grinding brakes 59Check engine light 49Loss of power 49Won't start 34Transmission failure 32Engine failure 28Fire or smoke 25Jerking 22Shudder 21Fuel smell 16Hesitation 14Overheating 11Start-stop 10Warning lights 10Brake failure 9Collision warning 8Screen failure 8Slipping 8Ball joint 7Battery drain 7Wipers 7Knocking 6Fuel pump 6Misfire 6Backup camera 5Fuel leak 5Windshield crack 5

All model years of the Ford Bronco Sport

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