2021 Bronco Base DIED WHILE DRIVING today

[userdude]

It doesn't lose Brakes and Steering, Just like your old CJ, it just loses all power assist.

The Brakes and Steering are both VERY stiff without assist, but they still work.

People just don't have to deal with these situations nearly as often as they used too. Many folks under 35 have probably never experienced it, so don't know how to react when it happens, and just assume they have no brakes or steering.

Modern vehicles don't have steering locks in them anymore like your old CJ did, So there is literally NO WAY to completely lose steering short of a mechanical failure in the steering column or rack.

Most all vehicles being sold today are like this. Not sure how to educate folks on it short of them experiencing it...

A good friend of mine in college (late 90's) had this pretty little girlfriend who drove a mid-80's (?) Nissan pickup. Always thought it was kind've a cool truck. Then one day I rode in it with her and discovered it had no power anything. She was manhandling the steering and firmly braking.

Then one day he drove it on set (I was a film major) and I had to move it. Dang! It was very hard to steer especially. She may have been tiny, but she could drive a truck.

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[LanceIto]

NEW FEAR UNLOCKED!!!!! I drive up and down a mountain pass daily with my 7 year old daughter. If we were to lose brakes and steering!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!

 

[uncledoodoo]

....... Since I couldn’t steer we just went straight into this guys yard and the grass stopped us.

Not that I don't believe you, but can you explain this part a little more? How would grass stop you? Are you sure that in full panic mode (which is understandable), and it happening so fast, that you are mistaking the manual braking effort finally working with the grass stopping you? Again, I believe you, just trying to get my head around this. Being in my 50s, I've driven cars where the power brakes and steering failed and it suddenly feels like its "locked up", but having driven manual steering/braking cars in my lifetime I was somewhat prepared for it. I would imagine that younger drivers like my chilren's ages (late 20s - 30s), would absolutely be unprepared for the amount of effort it takes to stop or steer a 5K lb vechicle, especially with the added stress of it occurring right at an intersection.

 

[Area51BS]

My hopes are to survive the Bronco and that the Bronco runs for years. I’m getting up there and would like to strip this gen6 of all the BS electronics when the cost to own becomes unworthy. Then install a v8, electronic free braking and steering and turn it into a true off road vehicle. Making it possibly my last.

 

[Montana Bronco]

I find it curious that in the “two” incidents being cited here, in neither case did the drivers even attempt to use the e-brake. And then the B6G crowd piles on claiming e-brakes are worthless. I use my e-brake every single time I park my Bronco (I have a 7MT). The e-brake is in an easy reach spot in an emergency and activate as fast as a manually operated brake would.

I personally fail to understand the hate toward e-brakes, and I don’t understand why people refuse to use them.

 

[Bmadda]

I find it curious that in the “two” incidents being cited here, in neither case did the drivers even attempt to use the e-brake. And then the B6G crowd piles on claiming e-brakes are worthless. I use my e-brake every single time I park my Bronco (I have a 7MT). The e-brake is in an easy reach spot in an emergency and activate as fast as a manually operated brake would.

I personally fail to understand the hate toward e-brakes, and I don’t understand why people refuse to use them.

Have you tried activating it while moving? I tried a simulated panic stop and it would not apply

 

[vrtical]

Just wait until this happens on the side of a mountain to someone 🫣

my braptor shut off mid way up an extremely steep incline on a rock shelf, but I had my foot on the brake and hit the e brake before doing anything else. I had over 3/4 tank of fuel. After I set the e brake I put it in neutral and started back up. First time its done that.

 

[Montana Bronco]

Have you tried activating it while moving? I tried a simulated panic stop and it would not apply

I did in a parking lot. Stopped real good from 10-15 mph. No idea about higher speeds.

My point is they did not even try to activate it.

 

[OscarHTX]

my braptor shut off mid way up an extremely steep incline on a rock shelf, but I had my foot on the brake and hit the e brake before doing anything else. I had over 3/4 tank of fuel. After I set the e brake I put it in neutral and started back up. First time its done that.

Thats scary. I can't imagine you're going down the side of a mountain on a turn and the bronco shuts down on you. I don't think that aluminum rail will stop you

 

[userdude]

I find it curious that in the “two” incidents being cited here, in neither case did the drivers even attempt to use the e-brake. And then the B6G crowd piles on claiming e-brakes are worthless. I use my e-brake every single time I park my Bronco (I have a 7MT). The e-brake is in an easy reach spot in an emergency and activate as fast as a manually operated brake would.

I personally fail to understand the hate toward e-brakes, and I don’t understand why people refuse to use them.

Have you tried activating it while moving? I tried a simulated panic stop and it would not apply

Ace, the awesome guide at the Texas Off Roadeo when I went, spent several minutes discussing how it's a parking brake, not an emergency brake. Common misperception apparently.

I think what most people who remember the lever arm parking brakes think is, at least you can slow down by pulling something. Whether that's really going to stop you in this situation is irrelevant, it's that the absence of it means inferring greater risk in emergency scenarios. Honestly, I think you're screwed regardless, but I digress.

And yes I've had a big ol' heavy ass F-250 4x4 monster truck I used a parking brake on every time I parked it. Except those three times I didn't and it rolled down the driveway. Good thing I got those concrete kerbs installed before I was born! And no one was coming... lol

 

[PWillette]

Ace, the awesome guide at the Texas Off Roadeo when I went, spent several minutes discussing how it's a parking brake, not an emergency brake. Common misperception apparently.

^^This^^ I have not heard of the Bronco "parking" brake being able to be used as an "Emergency" brake like the old school mechanically actuated lever emergency brakes.

 

[BigBendBW]

I just can't wrap my head around the idea that you couldn't use the brakes at all. I understand some people never stopped a car with manual brakes (no assist), but is this a real thing with modern cars? I might have just found the real reason I need to skip my HE order and go with the over-priced (yet manual e-brake) Ineos Grenadier that I had all but wrote off. If this is real, someone needs to sue.

If this was a major issue I can assure you we all would know about it by now. I have almost 20k miles on a few Broncos and nothing like this has occurred and I haven’t heard a word about this anywhere. Things happen and it may be an isolated issue. I’m thankful no one was hurt in this situation.

 

[Ducati1098]

^^This^^ I have not heard of the Bronco "parking" brake being able to be used as an "Emergency" brake like the old school mechanically actuated lever emergency brakes.

It can be used in an emergency in some situations. Not sure how well it works though as I’ve never tried it.

 

[userdude]

It can be used in an emergency in some situations. Not sure how well it works though as I’ve never tried it.

So you gotta pull it and hold it for it to apply braking? Is that even if there's no power?

 

[Sardine]

I'm betting the car didn't actually lose steering and brakes. They just lost power. You can still turn the wheel and the brakes would still work but would take lots of pressure. Under a stressful situation I can see how you would think it doesn't have any of them.

But still, the Bronco losing all power out of nowhere is scary and shouldn't happen. Keep us posted on the situation.

For future reference you can hold down the parking brake in an emergency and it will slow the car down.

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