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Model year · Fourth Generation

1990 Bronco

Overdrive automatics take over

The 1990 Bronco phased out the three-speed C6 as AOD and electronically controlled E4OD overdrive automatics defined the range.

This page covers U.S.-market 1990 Broncos. The all-EFI engine family, rear-wheel ABS, TTB chassis and removable rear roof continued. Sources agree on 54,832 units but are less precise about exact transmission build-date and engine pairing boundaries, so the page emphasizes vehicle-level identification.

Why it matters

1990 completed the shift from traditional three-speed automatic hardware toward fuel-saving and electronically controlled overdrive transmissions.

What this page covers

Market: United States; fourth-generation Bronco.

Body styles: Two-door full-size wagon with removable rear hardtop

What changed for this year

C6 phase-out
Historical summaries identify 1990 as the transition away from the three-speed C6 toward AOD and heavier-duty E4OD four-speed overdrive automatics. [1] [2]
Continuity year
No major body redesign is documented; the aerodynamic front end, rear-wheel ABS and TTB chassis continued. [1]

Models and trims

Base, XL, XLT and Eddie Bauer
The established trim ladder continued. Verify factory package identity through certification labels, paint/trim codes and original paperwork. [1] [3]

Engines and transmissions

4.9-liter EFI inline six
The standard 300 six continued at a commonly listed 145 hp and 265 lb-ft SAE net. [4]
5.0-liter EFI V8
The optional 302 continued at a commonly listed 185 hp and 270 lb-ft. [4]
5.8-liter EFI V8
The optional 351W H.O. continued at a commonly listed 210 hp and 315 lb-ft. [4]

Capability and specifications

Historical production
Two historical compilations report 54,832 units. Neither supplies configuration-level Ford data or explicit export scope. [1] [5]
Transmission scope
Exact C6, AOD and E4OD pairing/changeover dates are not fully resolved in the current corpus; identify the installed unit from case, tag, controls and build evidence. [1] [2]

Colors and interiors

Reported paint names
A commercial reference lists Black, Vermilion, Medium Scarlet, Medium Cabernet, Pawnee Tan, Wild Strawberry, multiple blues, white, silver and related choices; verify certification codes because vendor lists may be incomplete. [6]

Options and packages

Automatic selection
AOD and E4OD are not interchangeable labels. Determine engine pairing, electrical controls, pan/case identity and service history on the specific truck. [2]

Safety and recalls

Rear ABS and transmission inspection
Rear-wheel ABS is not four-wheel ABS. Inspect warning operation, brakes, EFI, transmission cooling/controls, TTB, steering, roof seals, tires and corrosion. [1] [2]

Owner and buyer notes

Identify before servicing
Transmission identification matters for fluids, filters, electronics and rebuild parts. Do not order solely from a generic 1990 Bronco listing. [2]

Stories from this year

From hydraulic simplicity to electronic control
The 1990 phase-out sits at an important truck-technology boundary: the long-serving C6 yielded to overdrive and, in E4OD form, electronic shift control. [1] [2]

Sources and footnotes

Bracketed references beside a fact lead to the document that supports it.

  1. Ford fourth-generation Bronco history Manufacturer history and chronology
  2. F150Hub E4OD transmission guide Specialist technical reference
  3. LMR Eddie Bauer Bronco history Specialist package reference
  4. Automobile Catalog fourth-generation specifications Secondary specifications database
  5. Blue Oval Trucks production numbers Specialist historical compilation
  6. AutomotiveTouchup 1990 Bronco colors Commercial color reference; potentially incomplete

See something missing or wrong? Send a correction or source.

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