2.3 Bronco Engine fire 😭

[Philly Big Bronco Boy]

Great news update time! Bronco is fixed and back in my possession What started the fire? A bad solenoid. Starter and starter motor had to be replaced. Rollercoaster of a few weeks. Glad it's all been sorted, and repaired in time for the nice weather.

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[mpeugeot]

Today, my bronco’s engine caught on fire while I was driving. Here’s the full story. I was out of state, at the start of a return journey home. The second I turned the car on I was hearing a clicking noise that sounded unusual. It was the first time I heard it. Coming from what sounded like the drivers side. I thought maybe something was stuck in the rim or something so continued. I was on a back round going under 30 miles an hour (speed limit was 30) under five minutes into the drive when all of the sudden I lost all power. Power steering, brakes, every gauge in the car, all screens, completely dark. The brakes were the last thing I noticed were gone as when I pulled off to the side of the road slowly I almost hit a tree when I realized I had no brakes… Then, suddenly all the screens came back on as I was in full stop. Warning started popping up all over. Too many to read through them all (unfortunately none of them have appeared in my ford pass app as I’d really like to read through them all.). At this moment, I noticed smoke coming out of the hood, so I jumped out of the car, popped the hood, and to my horror saw not just smoke but fire. I immediately called 911. By the time the fire company arrived the fire had put itself out. They sprayed down the engine as it was still smoking, and immediately disconnected the battery. It’s been towed off and I am now without a bronco. Funny, two other broncos passed by as it was being towed away. I’ll post an update as I get it into the shop and someone looks at it. Now for the speculation. The fire police were guessing it was electrical? The fire I saw was coming from what appeared to be the driver side near the cylinder closest to the driver seat. There was melted rubber/plastic where a wire connected to the engine in that location. I don’t know what that connection point is. But, am thinking the clicking I was hearing was coming from a piston? No clue.

About the Bronco. Base Bronco, 2021 first year, 2.3L. 20k+ miles. I just paid something like 800 dollars not weeks ago to have the 20k service.
Other notes. Sadly, not the first issue I’ve had as the brakes have gone out when the vacuum brake boost failed. Super sadly, I was on my way home to hang out with my wife as it was our 16 year anniversary. Because this happened after five pm all the rental companies had already closed and my insurance couldn’t get me into a rental until the next day. So, my wife ended up driving 2 hours to pick me up (in her Bronco) and then we road the two hour ride home together. Not how I had hoped to spend the evening of our anniversary. But, good news is the car didn’t blow up I guess and no one was injured.

Hoping it’s not in for repairs too long, it’s almost too down weather! Also super hoping insurance doesn’t total it. Tow truck driver has me a bit anxious.

Did any of the warnings sound like this?



You would think by now that cars would have engine fire warnings.

 

[Philly Big Bronco Boy]

Did any of the warnings sound like this?



You would think by now that cars would have engine fire warnings.

Sadly, no warnings until after I pulled to the side of the road and no fire warnings. It’s been a few months and it hasn’t caught on fire again. just made my final payment and lifted it with the eibach stage 2 coilovers. Here’s a shot mall crawling, and another with a new beer I found.

 

[Philly Big Bronco Boy]

And, just in case it does catch on fire again, added this extinguisher that matches the iconic silver almost perfectly.

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