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1985 Ford Bronco Base

The 1985 Ford Bronco Base is a 5.0-liter with an automatic 4-spd and four-wheel drive. It starts at $12,575 MSRP and is rated at 13 mpg combined.

EPA fuel-economy estimates are 12 mpg city and 16 mpg highway (13 mpg combined).

The Bronco measures 180.4 inches long on a 104.0-inch wheelbase.

Spec Value
Vehicle
Body TypeSUV
PowertrainGas
Price
MSRP$12,575 ($37,982 *)
Engine
Engine Type5.0L 8-cylinder
Displacement5 L
Drivetrain
Drive Type4WD
Transmission
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd
Fuel Economy
City12 MPG
Highway16 MPG
Combined13 MPG
Recommended FuelRegular Gasoline
Suspension
Front SuspensionDana 44 Twin Traction Beam (TTB) independent, coil springs
Rear SuspensionLeaf-sprung Ford 9-inch live axle
Dimensions & Weight
Length180.4 in
Width79.3 in
Height75.5 in
Wheelbase104 in
* Amount adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars

Safety & Recalls

NCAP safety ratings

Not crash-tested by NHTSA for this model year.

Recalls

1 recall on file with NHTSA for the 1985 Ford BRONCO. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Dec 26, 1984 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

METAL BURRS AND SHARP EDGES ON FUEL RAILS MAY HAVE DAMAGED ADJACENT O-RING SEALS DURING ASSEMBLY. THE DEFECT COULD CAUSE FUEL LEAKAGE WHEN ENGINE IS OPERATING.

Remedy: FUEL RAILS WILL BE INSPECTED FOR LEAKS, WETNESS OR SEEPAGE OF FUEL AND, IF NECESSARY, FUEL RAILS AND RELATED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNER.

NHTSA campaign 84V162000

20 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 1985 Ford BRONCO

Owner Complaints

20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1985 Ford BRONCO (3 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 2 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov

Most-cited areas
Electrical System7
Fuel System3
Gasoline3
Engine And Engine Cooling2
Seats2
Tires2
A complaint can cite more than one area.
Most recent complaints
Apr 6, 2001 · Electrical System
“VEHICLE FAILS TO START AFTER KEY IS IN IGNITION. VEHICLE TOWED. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC PROBLEM WAS IN IGNITION MODULE.*AK *SLC”
Nov 21, 2000 · Seats
“THE SEATS OF THE VEHICLE ARE BADLY BROKEN AND ARE DANGEROUS. *MJS”
Oct 27, 2000 · Electrical System
“VEHICLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL.ALSO,VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE.*AK”
Sep 18, 2000 · Tires Crash 1 injury
“TIRE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING CRASH INTO CONRETE BARIER I HAVE THE STILL INFLATED TIRE WITH THE TREAD THAT CAME OFF( DOT NUMBER: HYHLF7A069 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )”
Aug 31, 2000 · Tires
“JUST TO LET YOU KNOW FOR YOUR DATA BASE THAT THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AFTER MARKET, SO FORD HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. ONE TIRE ROLLED THE TREAD RIGHT OFF, SEPARATING RIGHT UNDER THE STEEL BELT. BUT…”

Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.

Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 1985 FORD BRONCO. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.

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