So far, most Ford Bronco owners, both the new and existing ones, are interested in the issues that are common to Ford Broncos. Issues like hardtop scaling, engine seizures, and some other common ones are on this list.
According to a forum thread, many Ford Bronco owners had a couple of things to say about the common issues this vehicle has. Some issues they had experienced directly like hill assist error and hardtop latches while others were a result of hearsay. A person on the forum claimed to have heard about the different problems Bronco owners face and this served as a discouragement to him from getting a Bronco.
Different complaints and problems like the soft top breaking tabs on windows, windshield breaking or cracking, hardtop issues, hoses, and bolt issues, issues with the paint job, and so on. According to this person, these issues might have seemed quite little and unproblematic but absolutely not worth the risk as they could lead to a bigger problem later on.
Some other statements on the forum thread claimed that first-year models of vehicles usually have problems that are way over the top. While some other statements claimed that they know a couple of Bronco owners who have not faced any of the issues written above. So, can we say that it is a matter of Ford not consistently building the Bronco to be reliable?
Ford Bronco Problems You Should Know About
Powertrain and Engine Problems on a Ford Bronco
Engine problems are one of the common issues that Bronco owners face ranging from causes like fuel starvation to a damaged oil pan. According to research, a 2022 Bronco owner discovered that his vehicle wasn’t measuring oil correctly because it had the wrong oil dipstick, and having the wrong oil dipstick can cause damage to the engine because enough oil will not be installed into your vehicle.
Fuel starvation is another reason why an engine could get damaged and is also an issue of the Ford Bronco. Only two studs are usually used by Ford to attach the 300ci carburetor and as time goes on, the carburetor rocks which leads to failure of the gasket that it sits on and thereby causes poor fuelling. For this type of problem, the solution is quite easy – simply replace the gasket and ensure the nuts are tightened to the required torque.
Bronco owners have also had to deal with engine failures which were caused as a result of valve issues. It was the common problem of the standard V6 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine for the Bronco Wildtrak. There were many reports from Bronco owners about their engine suddenly stopping and refusing to come on even before reaching 5,000 miles. The cause of this was that the valves in their Bronco had broken and destroyed the engine head and/or block.
This problem usually led to these Bronco owners getting a new engine and it was traced to a bad batch of valves that were used during Bronco’s production run (the first few months), according to a Bronco forum. The engines that are most likely to have valvetrain failures were made between July and October 2021.
Lastly, another powertrain problem is the constant complaints of pieces or metal shavings in the engine cavity. One example of this problem is a Bronco owner I’m Pennsylvania who realized this problem after a couple of other problems sprung up from it. Problems like powertrain malfunction and when the mechanic put a camera into the engine, he could see loose pieces of metal in the engine.
Problems Related to Faulty Turbo Wastegates
Another common problem of the Ford Bronco is the ones related to faulty turbo wastegates which is a little surprising because a new vehicle having a turbocharger wastegate malfunction is not a result of wear and tear. A couple of Broncos with inline dour 2.3-liter EcoBoost engines have had turbocharger problems which usually happened in the first 100 miles.
This problem is not actually a result of turbo failure but the result of the internal wastegate failing. The internal wastegate controls the boost pressure and once it starts to malfunction, Bronco owners will have to deal with issues like low boost, powertrain malfunction, reduced performance, engine light issues, etc.
One experience is that of a Bronco which only had 43 miles and lost power on the highway. This was very dangerous as the Bronco was passing a semi-truck and it could have led to a major accident if there was another vehicle behind the Bronco. Keep in mind that the Bronco was brand new and the turbo failed.
Another experience is that of a two-week-old Bronco which had only gone 150 miles over three days. On the fourth day, a check engine light came on while the owner was on the highway and it ended up being a powertrain malfunction. The next day, after a little check-up, a wastegate malfunction was added to the list of problems.
Electrical System Problems
The complaints most Bronco owners have of problems with their electrical system are usually combined with brake issues which are quite serious. But apart from that, Ford Bronco owners have other electrical problems. For example, one complained about the windows not rising when closing the door and not dropping when opening the door like they used to.
There have also been concerns about a fire erupting or the engine exploding due to these electrical problems. A Bronco owner reported that his engine was emitting sulfur odors and smoke which lead to fear that it would’ve exploded. Another Bronco owner was a victim of a fire caused by electrical problems – the fire started under the hood of the vehicle for no reason.
Broken Tie Rods
Broken tie rods are a common problem of sixth-generation Ford Broncos and are usually caused by intense and treacherous off-roading. Broken tie rods leave a car useless because it disrupts the connection between the steering wheel and the steering rack.
Ford Broncos are extremely impressive vehicles when it comes to off-roading activities like extreme trails and rock crawling but it is always advisable to upgrade your tie rods if you are going for bigger wheels and tires for more treacherous off-roading activities.
The Bronco has an independent front suspension known as IFS but unfortunately, it is not as robust as the solid axles that dedicated off-roaders make use of. So, it gets easily stretched. Lastly, the poor off-roading technique is another reason why tie rods fail in Ford Broncos.
Hardtop Issues
Yes, we saved the popular issue associated with Ford Broncos for the last and that is the problems with hardtops. Hardtop issues are the most common issues with Broncos as there have been numerous complaints of cosmetic issues and quality. This problem led Ford to replace their hardtops with updated versions but even with that, Bronco owners still report problems with their hardtops.
There are so many issues that Bronco owners have encountered including rattles and squeaking noises, corners breaking off, water leaks, panel gaps, rubbing against body panels, rough edges, and mismatched colors. According to some experiences, one Bronco owner had problems with its MIC 2.0 hardtop as it was starting to delaminate. The hardtop was a November 2021 build date.
Another Bronco owner complained about how his roof has been leaking from different places like the aux switches. According to this Bronco owner, the roof has never looked right even after six months of purchasing the Bronco.
The newer MIC hard tops do not have as many issues as the old ones but Bronco owners still have complaints of manufacturing defects and fit and finish problems. So, one cannot exactly run away from hardtop issues with the Ford Broncos. These babies are not so durable and extremely fragile and could easily crack if they are manhandled.
Conclusion
There are other issues on the list of common problems that Bronco owners face but the ones written above are quite popular. On Ford forum threads, one can easily see the different problems Bronco owners have faced and how they dealt with them – ranging from mild to serious.
Broncos are fantastic vehicles, but just like other vehicles, they have problems. Having an idea of the common problems Bronco owners face will help prevent them as new or exciting Bronco owners.
