2022 Bronco Clutch and shifting problems

[NatureBoy]

So what are you gonna do about this friend?

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[Tricky Dick]

I just saw this and thought you could appreciate and/or commiserate. It's impressive really.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Yes this is real. Ford is rejecting warranty replacement of the failed clutch and transmission on my 2022 Bronco Big Bend manual transmission. Bronco has 4500 miles on it. Clutch is "burnt up" according to dealer. They claim this only happens with abusing the vehicle. My Bronco has not been abused and only driven off road at the beach.

Anyone else having transmission and Clutch issues? Did Ford reject your claim?

Good afternoon. Can you please send over a private message with your VIN and the name/location of your local Ford dealer? I would like to look into your Bronco's situation on my end.

 

[vrtical]

Thats 10x worse than anything I have pulled out of my race cars the last 20 years and thats full out racing stuff. Excessive heat caused by clutch slipping. Organic clutch disks cannot take that kind of abuse. Now if its fluid contamination obviously that would be a bigger issue. I havent looked at the manual boxes in the Bronco but usually you see more front pump seal failures on autos. I don't think I have ever seen manual transmission fluid get into the bellhousing area, but like I said I don't know the design.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Absolutely abused. How that has caused a trans failure I don't understand. If a seal is bad, replace the seal. I see no indications of transmission failure from the photos shown. To me the grease looks like it's from the throw-out bearing. When they get hot the puke out the grease. I doubt the trans leaked causing the slippage.

 

[Raptor911]

I just don't understand this thread BUT the OP wants to know why Ford is denying warranty and then he admits >> I let a guy use it and while he was driving it at the beach is when the clutch failed.

Here's an analogy >> I have no idea who shot my neighbor with my gun BUT strangely enough my neighbor was shot right after I let a stranger borrow my gun.

Bronco6g >> CRAZY TOWN

Here's some advice, DO NOT discuss warranty issues on a public forum and then provide evidence that Ford can use against you.

 

[flip]

Especially if it was towed off the beach......

 

[68 galaxie]

I just know that Ford used spring seals back in the day and when they got hot the seal would spin inside out . Once they cooled the spring would spring back into the original seal. It’s unusual that the transmission seal leaked fluid ,even if the clutched failed. I know they no longer use the spring seals . But looking at the photo there seems to be a lot of grease / fluid

 

[flip]

I just know that Ford used spring seals back in the day and when they got hot the seal would spin inside out . Once they cooled the spring would spring back into the original seal. It’s unusual that the transmission seal leaked fluid ,even if the clutched failed. I know they no longer use the spring seals . But looking at the photo there seems to be a lot of grease / fluid

I replaced a gob of E4OD front pump and convert hub seals back in the day for this. This is why I a huge proponent for bigger trans coolers.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

thank you. see these pics. that's before it was pulled apart. is this what you would expect to see when a clutch burns up?

I am still thinking that is liquefied grease from the throw-out bearing. I would expect to see a lot more fluid if the seals were melted.

 

[flip]

I remembered I took photos of the transmission casing before they pulled it apart. see the pics. you can see fluid leaking.

OK so this is interesting and could make the argument that the input shaft seal failed, got oil on the clutch causing the failure. Ford Focus/Fiesta DPS6 had this problem early causing failures so it's not impossible or improbable. The question is what happened first?

If this were in our shop and weren't able to 100% able to say the leak didn't happen first causing the clutch to fail, I'd probably cover it sans any other convincing evidence. My gut says the dude driving when it failed likely caused it but Ford tells us to give the customer the benefit of the doubt when there's a lack of proof to decline coverage. Ultimately, we're supposed to use our experience, document the findings and repair process so we get paid by Ford.

Bad deal but I think there is/was some evidence that could be used to support the leak first theory to cover the repair. If it was written up, documented correctly, the repair would probably go through without issue but there's a small possibility Ford could call the part and charge the repair back but that would be rare if the writeup was solid.

 

[1970AMCAMX]

I don't see how this should be used against a warranty claim. let's remember that this vehicle was designed for off road use. it's even advertised by Ford being used in soft sand conditions. A Bronco being driven off road and then being defined a warranty claim for driving it off road would be like a motocross bike being ridden off road and denied a claim for using it as designed. If Ford is going to design, market and sell a vehicle for Off Road use, then they should own up to anything that fails during those driving conditions. Make the vehicle stronger and stop pointing the finger at the driver. Design a better vehicle. It's that simple.

There is no possible way any manufacturer could design the vehicle so that it would not break no matter what was done to it, it is pretty obvious the person driving it did not know what he was doing and either slipped the clutch to keep the RPM's up or continued to thrash it even when he felt the clutch slipping. It would be hard to believe that he didn't notice it, you don't burn up a clutch that bad without smelling it.

 

[ChompSticks]

I don't see how this should be used against a warranty claim. let's remember that this vehicle was designed for off road use. it's even advertised by Ford being used in soft sand conditions. A Bronco being driven off road and then being defined a warranty claim for driving it off road would be like a motocross bike being ridden off road and denied a claim for using it as designed. If Ford is going to design, market and sell a vehicle for Off Road use, then they should own up to anything that fails during those driving conditions. Make the vehicle stronger and stop pointing the finger at the driver. Design a better vehicle. It's that simple.

But the user has to know how to drive it in all conditions.

Take it to Ford and see if you can send a tech to examine it.

 

[vrtical]

OK so this is interesting and could make the argument that the input shaft seal failed, got oil on the clutch causing the failure. Ford Focus/Fiesta DPS6 had this problem early causing failures so it's not impossible or improbable. The question is what happened first?

If this were in our shop and weren't able to 100% able to say the leak didn't happen first causing the clutch to fail, I'd probably cover it sans any other convincing evidence. My gut says the dude driving when it failed likely caused it but Ford tells us to give the customer the benefit of the doubt when there's a lack of proof to decline coverage. Ultimately, we're supposed to use our experience, document the findings and repair process so we get paid by Ford.

Bad deal but I think there is/was some evidence that could be used to support the leak first theory to cover the repair. If it was written up, documented correctly, the repair would probably go through without issue but there's a small possibility Ford could call the part and charge the repair back but that would be rare if the writeup was solid.

Remember the shaft front pump seals on the SDs eventually Ford changed them, but if the trans fluid got hot, it would cause the seal to fail. Also we have one of those great 2015 Focus finally got Ford to put new parts in under warranty at 120k, it now has 150k and is still going, but still chatters as there is no real fix to the fluid contamination issue.

 

[kodiakisland]

The clutch is definitely toast, but I see no signs of excessive heat from what I can see in the pictures. If the seal failed first, then the clutch would burn itself out from being covered in oil and continually slipping. I think you have a real complaint against Ford if the seal failing first would be covered under the warranty. I'd push that as the most likely explanation for what happened, as long as you know for sure no one was doing burnouts in it.

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