https://jalopnik.com/the-feds-are-investigating-ford-bronco-engine-failures-1849014705

just saying.

 

I was a little worried for a moment there but it's the full-size Bronco with the six, I ordered a sport badlands with the four banger as my next daily. As I've said many times on this forum, in my earlier years I drove Fords for a very long time 1980s-1990s and reliability then was very poor. So my expectations are not very high. On the plus side unlike the earlier years this will be new instead of pre-owned. One of my primary reasons I ended up going with Ford is they offered me the best price for my Defender vs others such as Honda and VW who kept low-balling it. Plus they do have a good extended warranty option from what I've heard so I'm adding that and the prepaid scheduled maintenance. Should be a nice enough daily at 400 less payment. It won't have the air suspension or heated windshield but checks the rest of the boxes for me.

 

The Bronco was on my radar when it was first shown but quality has been abysmal. The 2.3 is really the better engine of the two.

 

I'm pretty sure this was the specific vin range problem with a bad batch of valves that were brittle. They cracked and dropped after heat exposure. It's been known for a year or so and NHSTA is finally responding to the complaints.

Ford has been covering it under warranty.

Not really different from the smoked tail light issue with Defenders. Just more dramatic.

That said, Ford has horrendous quality control. Mine was held at the dealer for an airbag light (defective bag) right off the truck.

It was then in service the entire second week we owned it to sort out several other incredibly obvious issues that should have been caught at the factory and at the dealership. Disconnected wires, GOAT mode system disconnected, loose fuses, missing trim parts, camera issues, no wireless charging...

This thing creaks and rattles like an airport shuttle bus but it's fun for now.

 

There was one Bronco that was shipped to a customer with the wrong upholstery on the backseats. That is the level of quality control we are talking about.

 

ahhh yes the Monday morning and Friday afternoon Detroit assembly line - good times

 

... and mismatched tail lights, and a rear gate that had not been painted on the inside. I'm sure there are others. I only know because I was getting a Bronco until I ended up with the Defender, and I think I only knew of the Defender because of the Bronco forum.

I still like the Bronco and if I did hardcore rock crawling I think the Badlands I had ordered would be the thing to get, but I only ordered that because it had a plain black leather interior option, and you could still get all the other bells and whistles. The way they packaged the models was weird. In any case, I think the Defender is actually the vehicle I REALLY wanted, especially with a long road trip coming up - I won't have to worry about being deaf after the drive!