Noob Owner, 4 Dumb Questions

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Do I have to drive a certain amount every week for battery health? Concurrent with getting my 2025 Bronco I’ve moved to (relatively) small town Utah, and I now do as little highway driving as possible. Is this somehow a bad thing?

Do I ever have to wash the Bronco? In just a few weeks I’ve of course put a decent amount of off-road miles, and I’ve managed to collect a modest amount of mud, dirt, etc. in my wheel wells and undercarriage. I’ve only owned work trucks before and really never given washing them much a thought until I couldn’t see out the windows. Is there any functional reason to regularly wash this vehicle?

My new Goodyear Territory RT 35s sure pick up a lot of rocks. I’ve read the previous threads about the earlier GY’s and the paint chip complaints. The new RT’s throw their share of gravel, but I’m more worried about a puncture from the several dozen potentially sharp little buggers that are stuck in the tread after every time I go out. I’ve been plucking them out each time I get home. Am I nuts?

Last, is the FordPass app worth my time? I’m not sure I care much about reward points. Are there other benefits?

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[vbrad26]

Replied in BOLD

Do I have to drive a certain amount every week for battery health? Concurrent with getting my 2025 Bronco I’ve moved to (relatively) small town Utah, and I now do as little highway driving as possible. Is this somehow a bad thing?

Not necessarily. Cant hurt to just start it up and let it run for a bit though. Or get a battery tender.
But really, should be fine.

Do I ever have to wash the Bronco? In just a few weeks I’ve of course put a decent amount of off-road miles, and I’ve managed to collect a modest amount of mud, dirt, etc. in my wheel wells and undercarriage. I’ve only owned work trucks before and really never given washing them much a thought until I couldn’t see out the windows. Is there any functional reason to regularly wash this vehicle?

I'd say its mainly cosmetic. But probably a good idea to, at the very least, spray down the undercarriage from time to time. They make attachments for hose/pressure washer that have wheels and you just glide it under the car. However the thing has enough clearance to get all up under it with no special "tools".

My new Goodyear Territory RT 35s sure pick up a lot of rocks. I’ve read the previous threads about the earlier GY’s and the paint chip complaints. The new RT’s throw their share of gravel, but I’m more worried about a puncture from the several dozen potentially sharp little buggers that are stuck in the tread after every time I go out. I’ve been plucking them out each time I get home. Am I nuts?

I would not sweat it.

Last, is the FordPass app worth my time? I’m not sure I care much about reward points. Are there other benefits?

With the app, you can remotely lock and unlock your car as well as remote start.
Monitor tire pressure, as well as fuel.
It is handy.

 

[Valhalla]

You need to get the engine and transmission up to operating temperature about once every two weeks imo. I wash the undercarriage after each offroad trip to keep bolts from seizing. probably good for the seals to clean them occasionally. Around here I wouldn't worry about rocks in tread. I don't know about where you are at. I used my ford pass points for my oil changes. The app I rarely visit but I am not an app guy.

 

[Sgt Badlands]

Do I ever have to wash the bronco?

 

[Danielsand]

Why the pretending?

To be a "noob" that is. You posted 130 messages here (I didn't check them, but the number of them does not imply "noob"). You also received 373 "reactions" to your messages, so.....no "noob"...assuming most reactions were "likes", which means you had something intelligent to say.

And about the "questions".......are you serious? You are asking forum strangers if you should wash your top of the line Bronco? Why don't you ask your wife? After all these posts/reactions you still don't know that there is a thing called "trickle charger"!? C'mon........you think we're all gullible here like a Raptor owner whose name I won't mention because we're "friends" now?

 

[userdude]

Do I have to drive a certain amount every week for battery health? Concurrent with getting my 2025 Bronco I’ve moved to (relatively) small town Utah, and I now do as little highway driving as possible. Is this somehow a bad thing?

I'm not quite sure but I believe the alternator only really charges the battery at higher sustained speeds. Not that it isn't charging sometimes, but that you need 20-30 minutes of 50mph or higher for the alternator to recharge the battery. I've heard that on this forum as well, so maybe someone who knows better will say. There are battery tenders, as well as things like NOCO Genius and Woflbox jumpers that you can get and keep in your Bronco, too, if you want to be prepared.

Do I ever have to wash the Bronco? In just a few weeks I’ve of course put a decent amount of off-road miles, and I’ve managed to collect a modest amount of mud, dirt, etc. in my wheel wells and undercarriage. I’ve only owned work trucks before and really never given washing them much a thought until I couldn’t see out the windows. Is there any functional reason to regularly wash this vehicle?

There are several on here that say they've never washed their years-old Bronco. I like to keep mine somewhat clean, and I wouldn't let mud cake up underneath. But I don't know if it's necessary except keeping it out of driveline and suspension components.

My new Goodyear Territory RT 35s sure pick up a lot of rocks. I’ve read the previous threads about the earlier GY’s and the paint chip complaints. The new RT’s throw their share of gravel, but I’m more worried about a puncture from the several dozen potentially sharp little buggers that are stuck in the tread after every time I go out. I’ve been plucking them out each time I get home. Am I nuts?

The GY Territory MT's that I had were very soft and cut easily. I would recommend getting some heavier duty tires and probably with bigger voids and thicker blocks. Sidewall strength is also a potential issue.

Last, is the FordPass app worth my time? I’m not sure I care much about reward points. Are there other benefits?

Meh. If you want to unlock and lock from an app and do some light monitoring of issues. But if you're out in the boonies a lot, limited worth. I'd also avoid the Ford off road app.

 

[Calm horse]

You sign your life away with the app!

 

[Jakob1972]

I keep a protective layer of dirt on my Bronco at all times. But I live down a dirt road so it is always dusty. Rocks in the GYs can be an issue they can work their way into the tire and create leaks I had one tire develop two leaks due to this issue. I switched to BFG KO3 hoping to get less rock flinging but these things throw just as many rocks as the GYs. At least the 2k miles I have put on them so far. but I know the GY calmed down on the rock throwing after about 10k miles.

 

[indio22]

Do I have to drive a certain amount every week for battery health? Concurrent with getting my 2025 Bronco I’ve moved to (relatively) small town Utah, and I now do as little highway driving as possible. Is this somehow a bad thing?

Do I ever have to wash the Bronco? In just a few weeks I’ve of course put a decent amount of off-road miles, and I’ve managed to collect a modest amount of mud, dirt, etc. in my wheel wells and undercarriage. I’ve only owned work trucks before and really never given washing them much a thought until I couldn’t see out the windows. Is there any functional reason to regularly wash this vehicle?

My new Goodyear Territory RT 35s sure pick up a lot of rocks. I’ve read the previous threads about the earlier GY’s and the paint chip complaints. The new RT’s throw their share of gravel, but I’m more worried about a puncture from the several dozen potentially sharp little buggers that are stuck in the tread after every time I go out. I’ve been plucking them out each time I get home. Am I nuts?

Last, is the FordPass app worth my time? I’m not sure I care much about reward points. Are there other benefits?

The Chicago area had a rare bizzare dust storm recently, so I finally washed my Bronco. It was the second wash since purchase going on two years ago. The Velocity Blue paint seems fine, in fact doesn't have tiny swirl marks often seen on cars that get washed a lot.

 

[Brian_B]

Do I have to drive a certain amount every week for battery health? Concurrent with getting my 2025 Bronco I’ve moved to (relatively) small town Utah, and I now do as little highway driving as possible. Is this somehow a bad thing?

Do I ever have to wash the Bronco? In just a few weeks I’ve of course put a decent amount of off-road miles, and I’ve managed to collect a modest amount of mud, dirt, etc. in my wheel wells and undercarriage. I’ve only owned work trucks before and really never given washing them much a thought until I couldn’t see out the windows. Is there any functional reason to regularly wash this vehicle?

My new Goodyear Territory RT 35s sure pick up a lot of rocks. I’ve read the previous threads about the earlier GY’s and the paint chip complaints. The new RT’s throw their share of gravel, but I’m more worried about a puncture from the several dozen potentially sharp little buggers that are stuck in the tread after every time I go out. I’ve been plucking them out each time I get home. Am I nuts?

Last, is the FordPass app worth my time? I’m not sure I care much about reward points. Are there other benefits?

@horseshart (great name btw) linked a good post on the battery. The longer answer - no, I wouldn't drive it just for the purpose of charging the battery, but I would recommend investing in a battery maintainer. The Bronco will go into "Deep Sleep" if it hasn't been driven in a while to help preserve the battery (perfectly normal, doesn't mean anything is wrong) - something like 10-14 days. And Ford does admit that "short" (I think anything under around 20 miles) trips may take more out of the battery than put back in via the alternator. Nothing that having that battery maintainer on overnight one night can't top off.

Any functional reason to wash the Bronco? Chicks dig it, apart from that, no. Run it as dirty or clean as you like.

It's remotely possible for a rock to work it's way up under the tread, but pretty rare. I've never seen one do it, but I have heard of it - but that may be more like an old wives tale thing. It would have to worm through the steel belt to puncture.

Ford Pass... you can remote start / remote lock and unlock. It can show you your service history (and now they have fixed entering in your own service history). It can show some basic information if you get a Check Engine or other error code. It can show your vehicle location on a map. It can show pending recalls and updates. And you can supposedly schedule service through your local deal via the app. I claim mine as a location finding device to my insurance and get like a $5 discount. If any of that is useful to you or not - your call.

 

[helifino16]

Do I ever have to wash the bronco?

According to these very specific instructions from Ford included on nearly every Bronco coming from the Factory, washing is recommended:

So go get your QR box, a very small bucket of bubbles and an oven mitt and go to town.

 

[MayhemMike]

According to these very specific instructions from Ford included on nearly every Bronco coming from the Factory, washing is recommended:

So go get your QR box, a very small bucket of bubbles and an oven mitt and go to town.

This is only for us “ two door” owners.

 

[broadicustomworks]

According to these very specific instructions from Ford included on nearly every Bronco coming from the Factory, washing is recommended:

So go get your QR box, a very small bucket of bubbles and an oven mitt and go to town.

But WHY is he pushing down so hard on the back there? Look at the suspension squat!
Is the extremely small bucket full of the rare heavy bubbles?
Is that an oven mitt or perhaps a very dense turtle of some sort or a rounded loaf of neutron star??
And is the flappy "I" (sorry, i )creature in the corner like the Flyin' Sketti monster, but prefers lowercase as to not draw too much attention to itself?
I have more questions than answers at this point.

 

[5GENIDN]

But WHY is he pushing down so hard on the back there? Look at the suspension squat!
Is the extremely small bucket full of the rare heavy bubbles?
Is that an oven mitt or perhaps a very dense turtle of some sort or a rounded loaf of neutron star??
And is the flappy "I" (sorry, i )creature in the corner like the Flyin' Sketti monster, but prefers lowercase as to not draw too much attention to itself?
I have more questions than answers at this point.

I don't think that is "squat", I think that is an uncut rear fender on a G1....
I am as lost as you are on the rest.... LOL...

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