Thoughts on Bronco Badlands 21'

[Yaqman]

Hi all

First time poster. I'll start by saying I love my Bronco. However, my Bronco Badlands 2021 (sasquach) at 70k km I have had the following big works done to it (have not done any serious off roading on it):

1. Complete transmission change. The cooling pipe burst randomly (driving on the road), transmission siezed. Took over 2.5 months.
2. Differential had a wierd humming noise, changed by ford.
3. Most recently, catalytic converter change. Got an engine check light and the dealrship noted that the catalytic converter needs changing.
4. Bought the beadlock wheel kit. one of the wheels is leaking even after changing the tyres. Replaced that tyre with the normal kit and now its fine.

As noted above, I love my bronco but its leaving a slight bad taste having all these issues with it and some trust issues now.

Has anyone had any similar issues?

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[Sgt Badlands]

Sorry you have had a bad time with your Bronco. I have a 21 BL now with 41k miles. Been solid. No issues so far except CarPlay connection is a joke.

 

[Bugkillah]

Seems like all the early (‘21’s) had similar but different issues at a higher rate, which calmed down over the next couple years. I know, it’s hard to love a woman that keeps giving you a hard time, even with all the love and attention you’re giving it. But hang in there, she’ll go through “the changes” and settle down… wait, what were we talking about?

 

[Ninjak]

I have a 21 Badlands, and she goes out to the trails and off-roading as much as I can go. Zero issues. Also, I am not stock by a long shot. I have pushed my Bronco hard, and it comes through with flying colours.

As I have told others, I must have gotten the bright and early, just got a raise, Monday Bronco.

 

[crzyhawk]

Once you develop trust issues, it's gotta go no matter how much you might love it. When I was a kid, my dad had a J4000 Jeep pickup. He loved that truck. One day while he was at work, one of the front wheels fell off, one of the components had the bolts stripped out. He had it drilled and helicoiled, was stronger than factory when he was done putting it back together. He knew it was stronger, yet every time he felt something funny he was out shaking the front tire. He finally sold it because he just didn't trust it anymore.

Once you start worrying about getting stranded, it becomes un-enjoyable to drive a vehicle and if you're not enjoying it, it's gotta go.

 

[DenverBronc]

So far so good for me. I was hoping I'd get a new engine from the recall but alas mine didn't qualify

 

[Valhalla]

Do you wheel? if not why would you run bead locks? If you do wheel, sorry this is the world of the beadlock. Air it down and reseat the beadlock till it stops leaking. Or buy rockmonsters.

 

[broadicustomworks]

2021 Badlands 2.7 Automatic here, 78,000 miles (125.5K km) .
Like @Ninjak I have not been exactly gentle on mine.
And it has never left me stranded.
Very minor and few issues that were not my fault were taken care of (front axle seal, transfer case seal, window switch). My driver's seat heater just stopped working and I never could get the service guys to fix it while under warranty.
But nothing major like you have seen.
I agree with the trust feeling post above. Once you get that fear of it doing the simple task of getting you where you are going reliably, it could be time to entertain getting away from it if it makes financial sense to do so.
But I also feel that if major things are addressed, generally those new parts tend to perform as they should. As an assumption, the transmission and front differential should be reliable now. Should be.
The Convertor is an odd one I haven't heard yet on anyone else's "problem list".
Again, a replacement should make it good to go, but they don't typically just "Go bad" on their own. Usually there is an underlying engine combustion issue that would have been giving you check engine lights prior to now.
But, it could happen I guess that the convertor is just no good, even with only those few miles and all engine fuel management and ratios as they should be.

 

[Darrell]

I have a late 21 Badlands Sasquatch fully loaded with the 2.7. It has 35,000 miles, no issue even the CarPlay has good I guess I got lucky

 

[Yaqman]

2021 Badlands 2.7 Automatic here, 78,000 miles (125.5K km) .
Like @Ninjak
But I also feel that if major things are addressed, generally those new parts tend to perform as they should. As an assumption, the transmission and front differential should be reliable now. Should be.
The Convertor is an odd one I haven't heard yet on anyone else's "problem list".
Again, a replacement should make it good to go, but they don't typically just "Go bad" on their own. Usually there is an underlying engine combustion issue that would have been giving you check engine lights prior to now.
But, it could happen I guess that the convertor is just no good, even with only those few miles and all engine fuel management and ratios as they should be.

Firstly, thank you all for your comments. Very insightful and appreciated
.
On the trust issue point, I have been toying with the idea of replacing it with a newer model but resale value here (Oman) is not great unfortunetly so I am looking at below market prices. I am hoping (trying to) that after these major issues, the new parts should set it straight. Although every time I take it in for service now I ask them to do a full bumper to bumper check.

I really do like the car and the colour (cyber orange) (favourite car from the previous cars I've owned). Before this car I had an F150 which didnt give me any issues and before that I had a Nissan Patrol (Super Safari), now this was a purely mechanical car, barely any computer assisted and this ran great, only got rid of it because of fuel consumption was astronomical.

On the catalytic converter, unfortuneltly this was the first time the check engine light came on and it was a catlytic converter issue (could be sensor), car is still under warranty and the dealer elected to change the full converter rather than just the sensor.

On the beadlock point, I agree, there is no major reason to have beadlocks (I got the car second hand at 20k km, and the guy who had it installed them prior to me getting it). For the spare tyre I have already changed to the stock wheel arrangement, if any other tyres have the same issue then Ill change them all.

On the engine recall, they checked mine and just did a system update.

We have slow software update roll out here. I belive carplay can be maximised to full screen now but my car does not have that option yet.

 

[broadicustomworks]

Then it sounds like it should be solid going forward.
I definitely would not take a big loss and gamble on getting something less solid in the end.
Cyber Orange is a great color and not available unless you can find one used as well.

 

[tripmcl]

21 Badlands with 72k on it.
Had the front diff grenade on me at 61K and Ford replaced it. Ambient temp sensor went out around 1.5K. Now it looks like I've got a wiring harness that is bad for the blind spot sensor. Love it overall.

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