2022 Bronco Badlands 2.3 reduced power

[Tsassy]

Has anyone experienced the following and found a fix? Since my Bronco had about 300 miles on it, now 27,000, it has intermittently triggered the service engine light resulting in the turbo only spooling to about 6 or 7 psi. I also get a power train malfunction/loss of power message. This only occurs at around 70 mph or more when going up an incline which causes the turbo to hit 13 or more psi. I can still maintain speed but the rpm’s are much higher. If I am running at say 55 mph up a mountain with the turbo at 13 psi or more, no problem. When this occurs, if I stop and restart the car, the maintenance light goes out and I have full power again. I have a 1,300 pound teardrop camper and it occurs more often when pulling, but again only at higher speeds and going up an incline. I have been to the dealer multiple times and they replaced the number 4 cylinder coil which seemed to fix it for awhile. However, the problem returned while in Montana at highway speeds without the camper. Has been at dealership for a week now and the Service Manager just called and said they can’t fix it and I am putting too much strain on the engine. Can’t believe I can only drive this vehicle at 70 mph downhill or on level ground.

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[Ford Motor Company]

Has anyone experienced the following and found a fix? Since my Bronco had about 300 miles on it, now 27,000, it has intermittently triggered the service engine light resulting in the turbo only spooling to about 6 or 7 psi. I also get a power train malfunction/loss of power message. This only occurs at around 70 mph or more when going up an incline which causes the turbo to hit 13 or more psi. I can still maintain speed but the rpm’s are much higher. If I am running at say 55 mph up a mountain with the turbo at 13 psi or more, no problem. When this occurs, if I stop and restart the car, the maintenance light goes out and I have full power again. I have a 1,300 pound teardrop camper and it occurs more often when pulling, but again only at higher speeds and going up an incline. I have been to the dealer multiple times and they replaced the number 4 cylinder coil which seemed to fix it for awhile. However, the problem returned while in Montana at highway speeds without the camper. Has been at dealership for a week now and the Service Manager just called and said they can’t fix it and I am putting too much strain on the engine. Can’t believe I can only drive this vehicle at 70 mph downhill or on level ground.

Hi there, if you'd like any additional assistance please send over a DM with your VIN and Ford dealer info.

 

[LMF Bronc]

Ford service advisor here. That seems like a pretty unusual concern, running 13 psi constantly even pulling a trailer uphill is quite a bit of boost to maintain and definitely will cause a lot of heat. Have they said what the codes it sets are? Do you have more info on your vehicle- which trans, any mods you've done.

 

[Tsassy]

Ford service advisor here. That seems like a pretty unusual concern, running 13 psi constantly even pulling a trailer uphill is quite a bit of boost to maintain and definitely will cause a lot of heat. Have they said what the codes it sets are? Do you have more info on your vehicle- which trans, any mods you've done.

It’s doesn’t stay that high, but will spike that high for a few seconds when going up an incline. I live near Augusta Ga, so if I drive from here to Memphis Tennessee on i20 for example through Alabama, There is a good possibility it will happen at least once and if pulling my 1300 lb tear drop camper it will probably happen a number of times including before I reach Atlanta. And I don’t consider those to be very large hills. While going up the inclines the turbo psi may spike up a few times with no problem and then at other times, it triggers the maintenance light and reduces turbo psi to not go over 5 or 6. At that point the rpm’s go up in the 3s or even 4s to maintain 70 mph.

I have attached the last print out which seemed to have fixed the problem. I took the camper to Gatlinburg for the Bronco Super Celebration going across the mountain at 70 with no problems. Then drove to Montana last month and no problem until was driving 70 on long stretches of highway with long gradual hills. No camper. Went into power loss several times.

stock 22 badlands 2.3 automatic with Sasquatch package and original tires. No modifications other than ditch lights. Thanks.

 

[LMF Bronc]

What kind of fuel are you running? I'd definitely recommend top tier (national brand- Chevron, Shell, something like that) and if you're running normal you might want to step it up to mid grade or premium especially if you know you're going to be towing in mountainous terrain. That code is a knock code, meaning the knock sensors are seeing too much detonation (ping) and they're not able to control it with timing so it's pulling boost. Not sure why he replaced the coil and plug, it's pretty unclear from his story. Ping can come from several sources- too much timing/boost, poor quality fuel, or even carbon build up in the combustion chambers. It can be beneficial for these engines to do occasional full throttle pulls which can help clean carbon out of the combustion chambers.

 

[Tsassy]

What kind of fuel are you running? I'd definitely recommend top tier (national brand- Chevron, Shell, something like that) and if you're running normal you might want to step it up to mid grade or premium especially if you know you're going to be towing in mountainous terrain. That code is a knock code, meaning the knock sensors are seeing too much detonation (ping) and they're not able to control it with timing so it's pulling boost. Not sure why he replaced the coil and plug, it's pretty unclear from his story. Ping can come from several sources- too much timing/boost, poor quality fuel, or even carbon build up in the combustion chambers. It can be beneficial for these engines to do occasional full throttle pulls which can help clean carbon out of the combustion chambers.

I usually run Circle K or Murphys. Circle K is a large convenience store here. Since it started shortly after the first fill up, I don’t think it would be carbon buildup as the motor had less than 500 miles. You have me wondering if something is causing the Turbo to have to increase PSI too high like the transmission maybe not shifting down when it should. Strange thing is at lower speeds 60 and below it has never done it even in mountains with the turbo spooling up. Makes me wonder if the transmission is in a lower gear at that time. I have only pulled the camper 4 times in over 2 years. It’s the driving at 70 on the interstate without the camper and it happening that is really aggravating. I will try running high test and see what that does. Luckily this isn’t my daily driver

 

[LMF Bronc]

13 PSI isn't all that much- I'll typically get over 20 with wide open throttle. My best advice would be to switch up the fuel and see if it resolves the issue.

 

[Tsassy]

13 PSI isn't all that much- I'll typically get over 20 with wide open throttle. My best advice would be to switch up the fuel and see if it resolves the issue.

I will do that. Is the transmission in a higher gear at 70 or above than it is at say 55 with turbo psi and everything else being the same? The transmission is so smooth I can seldom feel it change. Just wondering if the transmission maybe should be down shifting at higher speed under load and isn’t.

 

[Alanp970]

I towed my lifted Cherokee from Texas to Colorado over the 4th and had no issues running 70+ mph even at over 7,000 ft elevation. I ran 87 octane the entire way. 2.3, auto, 4 door Sasquatch. I’ve seen 18-19 psi on long pulls, never an issue

 

[Tsassy]

I towed my lifted Cherokee from Texas to Colorado over the 4th and had no issues running 70+ mph even at over 7,000 ft elevation. I ran 87 octane the entire way. 2.3, auto, 4 door Sasquatch. I’ve seen 18-19 psi on long pulls, never an issue

Thanks. Something is wrong somewhere.

 

[CoastieN70]

I had a 2019 Ranger that did this occasionally. It was caused by the vehicle not down shifting on a slight grade, usually on an interstate, with me being really light on the throttle.
I would pull over as soon as practicable and shutdown and restart.
I learned to put a little more "foot" into it and it did the trick.

 

[Tsassy]

I had a 2019 Ranger that did this occasionally. It was caused by the vehicle not down shifting on a slight grade, usually on an interstate, with me being really light on the throttle.
I would pull over as soon as practicable and shutdown and restart.
I learned to put a little more "foot" into it and it did the trick.

Thanks. I am thinking something like that might be the issue. I will try that. Am also thinking about putting it in manual mode and downshifting myself. It is just so intermittent. I hate intermittent problems and I am sure the mechanics do as well. Thanks again.

 

[dgorsett]

Thanks. I am thinking something like that might be the issue. I will try that. Am also thinking about putting it in manual mode and downshifting myself. It is just so intermittent. I hate intermittent problems and I am sure the mechanics do as well. Thanks again.

I think @LMF Bronc may be on to something with the fuel thing since he read the codes from your service print out'

Driving in the mountains I've taken to running mine in Sport mode. Even though I don't like Sport in town or on the flats it really helps in the mountains. Keeps it maybe one gear lower both going up and down hill. And since the Bronce doesn't have a tow mode it kinda simulates that.

 

[LMF Bronc]

@dgorsett may be onto something, we've had issues with Ranger's holding too tall of a gear and causing chugging. Lugging the engine too much can contribute to knock as well, higher RPMs and lower boost is easier on it than the opposite. Sport mode, or goosing the throttle instead of rolling into it to cause a downshift might help also. At 13psi I'd be expecting it to drop down a couple gears at least to get into the power band

 

[Tsassy]

I think @LMF Bronc may be on to something with the fuel thing since he read the codes from your service print out'

Driving in the mountains I've taken to running mine in Sport mode. Even though I don't like Sport in town or on the flats it really helps in the mountains. Keeps it maybe one gear lower both going up and down hill. And since the Bronce doesn't have a tow mode it kinda simulates that.

Thanks. I don’t have sports mode but I can shift manually.

@dgorsett may be onto something, we've had issues with Ranger's holding too tall of a gear and causing chugging. Lugging the engine too much can contribute to knock as well, higher RPMs and lower boost is easier on it than the opposite. Sport mode, or goosing the throttle instead of rolling into it to cause a downshift might help also. At 13psi I'd be expecting it to drop down a couple gears at least to get into the power band

The more I think about it, the more I think it is not downshifting. I don’t have sport mode on my Badlands but it’s a 10 speed auto and has manual shift if I want to. I am going to try that the next time it starts having the issue. May happen next week or in a few months. That’s the problem with it being intermittent. Thanks.

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