Ongoing Bronco issues, Ford Keeps Denying Buyback

[AZ_Craig]

I agree, as I said Ford should fix it period. And no judgement here at all. Op is entitled to a fully functioning vehicle and more power to him in whatever means necessary to get it....imagine this conversation for a minute...Yeah man I had to sue Ford to Lemon Law my Bronco...oh man that sucks, what for, engine blow up, transmission go out two or three times?? No, my phone wouldn't connect to the USB port!!!
It just sounds crazy!

Yes, but to me it is even more crazy that the manufacturer will even let things get to this point in the first place. Why face losing thousands of dollars on loaner vehicles and a potential ugly buy-back scenario (including lawyer fees) versus having quality and reliability people in place to alleviate this sort of poop show?

The manufacturer loses potentially tens of thousands of dollars dealing with this crap and ends up with a furious customer who may swear them off from any future purchases. Lose-lose. Unfortunately it seems to be almost across the board for automotive manufacturers currently.

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[hemiblas]

I wish the Ford Bot was still here to send us all a message that they would look into it..... ha ha.

This really sucks. I think the point everyone is trying to make is that you won't get full value for the buyback, plus you will have to pay your attorney. It sounds like you will be out of pocket thousands of dollars over a usb port. I am totally agreed that it should work, but what is it going to cost you? Really a bad spot to be in either way you look at it. I'd be mad too. It almost sounds like the best option is to have Ford fix it, but what if they never do....

 

[Rick U]

I would not accept a non working usb port either. A wireless charger that doesn’t work I can live with but, I agree it’s the connection to the whole computer. What if the system needs an update and there is no usb? Do the other USB ports work for charging? Also stupid question but have you tried different USB wires?

 

[RTR_Bronco]

I wish the Ford Bot was still here to send us all a message that they would look into it..... ha ha.

This really sucks. I think the point everyone is trying to make is that you won't get full value for the buyback, plus you will have to pay your attorney. It sounds like you will be out of pocket thousands of dollars over a usb port. I am totally agreed that it should work, but what is it going to cost you? Really a bad spot to be in either way you look at it. I'd be mad too. It almost sounds like the best option is to have Ford fix it, but what if they never do....

Lemon law attorney are contingency. What the most common outcome is would be the attorney forcing Ford to give me compensation for the issue and I just keep the car with the issue, which if I accept would be shared with the attorney. Doubt I would end up with much in this situation, but Ford previously didn’t offer anything. At the same time, I have the ability to close the case with the attorney at any time and not pay them a dime. So often it just pressures ford into working with me on a solution. 99% of people here have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to this and acting like I am just straight up suing ford out of pocket, but lemon law is always contingency. Ford is now already trying to come up with solutions now that I have an attorney involved so I am hopeful that works out and then I would just close the case with attorney and pay nothing

 

[RTR_Bronco]

This is great news, right? Since the dealership(s) covered loaners/rental cars the last couple months you're not out of pocket, correct?

I CANNOT begin to imagine the frustration and angst FoMoCo and the dealership(s) caused by not being able to figure out why your USB port could not play tunes from the iPod.

Lets keep these updates coming! This thread could be awesomely helpful to others in the future who experience similar USB issues and pursue Lemon Law OEM Buyback Trade-in. #assumingthisisreal

I was pursuing buyback directly through ford, got rejected. I reached out to a lemon law attorney and now ford just yesterday said they are going to give me several options for trade in. Not sure what is so hard to understand. You think i am making it up? I am on a Bronco forum seeking help for the issues I have been dealing with the last 4 months, not here to post cute pics of my Bronco like you buddy

 

[RTR_Bronco]

I agree, as I said Ford should fix it period. And no judgement here at all. Op is entitled to a fully functioning vehicle and more power to him in whatever means necessary to get it....imagine this conversation for a minute...Yeah man I had to sue Ford to Lemon Law my Bronco...oh man that sucks, what for, engine blow up, transmission go out two or three times?? No, my phone wouldn't connect to the USB port!!!
It just sounds crazy!

Agree it sounds crazy. What also sounds crazy is that ford has taken close to 3 months to repair a usb on a brand new car. What is also crazy is that ford is denying buyback requests even though I literally double the requirements for lemon law in Texas and said there is no one I can even talk to about why they denied it. What is also crazy is that I found out yesterday Ford has not even tried to replace the wiring or the actual outlet, they have just replaced the APIM module twice because that is what diagnostics told them to do. So instead of them buying a new outlet that probably costs them $20 to see if it fixes it, they are just tossing their hands up and saying they have no fix. And what is also crazy is that ford didn’t do anything until I got a lemon law attorney involved and once they found that out, they reached out saying NOW they will try to help me with a trade in.

 

[RTR_Bronco]

I would not accept a non working usb port either. A wireless charger that doesn’t work I can live with but, I agree it’s the connection to the whole computer. What if the system needs an update and there is no usb? Do the other USB ports work for charging? Also stupid question but have you tried different USB wires?

Yes other USBs all work for charging, they said the issue is due to the computer not communicating with the usb outlet used by the entertainment. If it was just the dash USBs I would probably have ignored it. But the entertainment USB I would like fixed. Yes, it is not the wires.

 

[RTR_Bronco]

Yes, but to me it is even more crazy that the manufacturer will even let things get to this point in the first place. Why face losing thousands of dollars on loaner vehicles and a potential ugly buy-back scenario (including lawyer fees) versus having quality and reliability people in place to alleviate this sort of poop show?

The manufacturer loses potentially tens of thousands of dollars dealing with this crap and ends up with a furious customer who may swear them off from any future purchases. Lose-lose. Unfortunately it seems to be almost across the board for automotive manufacturers currently.

The reason manufacturers are like this is because there are a lot of consumers they can just walk all over (see all the comments here saying they would be ok with this situation). Ford knows they have a fan base like this who will blindly follow them no matter what. It is why prices continue to go up and quality goes down.

 

[Beach_Bum]

To the OP, I may have missed it but do you have a 2-dr or a 4-dr?

 

[RTR_Bronco]

To the OP, I may have missed it but do you have a 2-dr or a 4-dr?

4

 

[RTR_Bronco]

Perhaps he and the rest of us all should realize this is one of the real downsides of the modern "software" enabled car. The fact is the the whole usb ecosystem is cheap cheap cheap - all the parts and most of the software made/written in Asia for mere pennies. When it works in your everyday gadgets for more than a year (heck, for more then a month) it's a miracle. It's a mistake to put usb anything in an environment such as a car, but apparently that's what the market wants so Ford and everyone else does it.

Someone upstream used the analogy of buying a house and finding the toilets not working...except the OP's situation is not like that at all. It's more like buying a house and finding that a corner of the carpet is rolling up in a closet somewhere - then demanding a refund. No, saying that is not "blindly defending Ford", but it is keeping perspective as there are problems and then there are problems. The OP admits a workaround exists (bluetooth), but it is "laggy". He also admits this is a kind of last straw, which makes the most sense. He wonders if having trouble with a 2.5 cent usb port points to other more serious problems...well no, not very likely.

Consumer grade tech is cheap cheap cheap, expect some significant % of it to fail wherever it is, particuarly if it is in the NVH of a automobile.

If my early 2000s cars had USBs that functioned without any issues for 10+ years, I think it’s pretty reasonable to expect the same. I know there will be tech issues and I have ignored some such as dash rarely ever shows speed limit which they also can’t figure out, even though my 10+ year old fusion still shows it and never had an issue with it. And considering ford specifically said it is an issue with the car’s computer not communicating correctly, that seems like enough information for me to assume it is a bigger issue than just the USB.

 

[Beach_Bum]

To the OP, I may have missed it but do you have a 2-dr or a 4-dr?

4

Whew! If it was a 2-dr, then it would be worth saving at all costs. No one is going to miss Yet Another Moar Door being sent to the crusher.

 

[HOSSMAN]

Yes, but to me it is even more crazy that the manufacturer will even let things get to this point in the first place. Why face losing thousands of dollars on loaner vehicles and a potential ugly buy-back scenario (including lawyer fees) versus having quality and reliability people in place to alleviate this sort of poop show?

The manufacturer loses potentially tens of thousands of dollars dealing with this crap and ends up with a furious customer who may swear them off from any future purchases. Lose-lose. Unfortunately it seems to be almost across the board for automotive manufacturers currently.

You'd be amazed the good money thrown after bad money. I remember one time there was an Expedition that needed a cat converter, truck was at 79,XXX miles (8/80 on converters). Converter was on backorder, $~1200 part at the time but aftermarket was available. Ford would not put the aftermarket on, I had the customer in a rental for 6 months. Customer was happy, they were driving a new car and not putting miles on theirs. Part came in, put it on, rental bill was almost $7K, that was back in 2009ish dollars. Crazy or stupid? Both. It still happens today only more frequent post covid with all the junk that came out of the factories (and still is).

Anyone see the Ecosports running around? Big issue with the belt on the oil pumps causing engine failure. Parts on backorder. Put a motor in it 5-7K, keep them in a rental 5-7K, $10-14K repair in the end on a car that isn't worth more than $5-6K tops. Customers try for buy backs but that's not an option. Another great example of good money thrown at bad money. Ford would be smarter to offer the customer XXX $ and save their $ on the back end rather than throw it away on a car with little to no value.

 

[RoLyMa27]

Agree it sounds crazy. What also sounds crazy is that ford has taken close to 3 months to repair a usb on a brand new car. What is also crazy is that ford is denying buyback requests even though I literally double the requirements for lemon law in Texas and said there is no one I can even talk to about why they denied it. What is also crazy is that I found out yesterday Ford has not even tried to replace the wiring or the actual outlet, they have just replaced the APIM module twice because that is what diagnostics told them to do. So instead of them buying a new outlet that probably costs them $20 to see if it fixes it, they are just tossing their hands up and saying they have no fix. And what is also crazy is that ford didn’t do anything until I got a lemon law attorney involved and once they found that out, they reached out saying NOW they will try to help me with a trade in.

I totally agree and your dealer/Fords response makes no sense. Let me be clear, I in no way think any part of this situation is ok.

 

[RoLyMa27]

The reason manufacturers are like this is because there are a lot of consumers they can just walk all over (see all the comments here saying they would be ok with this situation). Ford knows they have a fan base like this who will blindly follow them no matter what. It is why prices continue to go up and quality goes down.

I agree to a point. I think it's more consumers that are just ignorant and don't know any better. I have owned many Fords over the years and have never had a problem that didn't get resolved to my satisfaction. My current dealer (small town) has been awesome, except for them not knowing very much about the Bronco in the beginning. Just last week I took it in to get the defroster wire soldered back on. They didn't charge me a penny. So, based on my experience with Ford as a whole, although not blindly, I will defend them and my dealer.

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