Bronco Nightmare

dmcc

Feb 06, 2026

I bought a 2025 Bad SAS in December currently 679 miles and I got a check engine light over the weekend, January 31st due to an engine misfire.

I took it into the dealership to figure out the issue and it’s turned into a nightmare where the engine was torn down to find the problem.

I got confirmation today it was a lifter and it’s being sent to ford to decide how to proceed with the fix.
Replace lifter and reassembly or an entirely new engine.

I’m extremely stressed about this and frustrated because I feel like everything points to a lemon but in Texas I can’t file unless there are 3 or more repairs related to the same issue. But seriously a whole new engine on a 6 week old vehicle shows there was a severe issue with the original one.

I’m looking for advice from others here on what the can do.
I don’t really feel comfortable wanting to keep this bronco after all this, one because it’s going to impact trade in value so I’m loosing more money.

I might be open to a replacement but so far no one either at ford or the dealership are even offering to do anything other than the fixes.

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JoergH, MWNew

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Mar 21, 2026

#20

Typically, back in the day a lifter would not have taken all that work, tear down and etc. to complete. I've only had my bronco 2025 badlands since New Year's Eve. Everything has changed since the old ways. That seems like a lot though just for a lifter. Hope all gets better for yours!

Mar 24, 2026

#21

Just like to add, Lemon Law is great and all , but Ford is in deep, namely tons of late model Broncos dot the landscape ocean to ocean …
Add ito the mix of replacement— all the Rental Broncos needing replace in the Hawaiian Islands in the very very near future..
Replacement or Repairing- it gonna be interesting
Best of Luck to all you Wheelers out there !
Have fun, be safe….

Badlands Carrie

Fri at 5:22 pm

#22

So things have just continued to get worse and more frustrating for me after the engine replacement.

I’ve being having issues with the auto engine shut off not working consistently/correctly.

Sometimes it will work and I can toggle it on off and it works when stopping at a traffic light but other times it doesn’t work and the togging the button does nothing, no prompts on the screen or anything.

I also had the collision sensor go off while driving and no other vehicles around me. I was driving in town doing 35-40mph and the screens all turned red and beeping saying collision eminent. I kept driving and the screens just went back to normal a few seconds later.

I asked ford to buy the vehicle back and there decision was that my vehicle didn’t meet the criteria and they could offer me a vise gift card for 1 payment to all the trouble.

I know my experience is not the norm for like most users have had something I was extremely envious of at one point but now after being failed by Ford so many times this had been nothing truly other than a nightmare and a huge financial loss for me.

Im posting here with the update for anyone else to see as I think this has been something I hope no one else has to experience but to also make you aware of how you will be treated by ford.

This was my first and will definitely be my last ford vehicle purchase ever.

Badlands Carrie, ChuckO

Fri at 11:36 pm

#23

dmcc
This was my first and will definitely be my last ford vehicle purchase ever.

Been there, know the feeling well. I had a 1990 Ford Taurus Wagon, that went through transmissions like nobody's business. Ford fixed them (only to break again) but like you, time is money, and I lost a lot of time, and spent a lot of money on rentals. Since then (don't laugh) I purchased a 2019 Ranger, and after that, a 2022 Bronco Sport (Badlands) and now I have a 2025 Bronco Badlands Sasquatch. Between the 1990 Taurus and the 2019 Ranger, I had purchased a Chevy 1996 Z28, a 2000 Chrysler Mini Van. The Z28 was bullet proof, I drove it like I hated it, the Chrysler Mini Van, always had some issue that the service team couldn't get to occur for them. I think it comes down to the luck of the draw, and my only advise is the moment you suspect there's something wrong...get rid of it

Member # 5650 / 2025 Bronco Badlands Sasquatch

Badlands Carrie

Sat at 12:00 am

#24

I would pursue the Lemon Law that is what it is there for. every so often a bad car (every Manufacturer has them) slips through and is bought by some poor soul. also I feel some folks just can't own certain brands Chevys and Fords have always treated me right but Pontiac's and Subaru's were the worst for me, even though I would take a solstice GPX. My dad can't own a ram truck or firestone tires he went through 3 transmissions in 8,000 miles in his 2012 ram and all three rangers he owned developed bubles in the firestone tires, but his Maverick is a champ.

BN 1100, Desert Sand Everglades. Reservation 7/30/20. ordered 1/22/21, reordered 10/15/21 dropped tow and hard top, reordered 3/9/22 changed to Everglades. production date 9/7/22 rescheduled 9/14/22 completed 9/26/22, shipped 10/7/22, arrived 10/31/22, delivered 11/03/22

Sat at 12:48 am

#25

ChuckO
Been there, know the feeling well. I had a 1990 Ford Taurus Wagon, that went through transmissions like nobody's business. Ford fixed them (only to break again) but like you, time is money, and I lost a lot of time, and spent a lot of money on rentals. Since then (don't laugh) I purchased a 2019 Ranger, and after that, a 2022 Bronco Sport (Badlands) and now I have a 2025 Bronco Badlands Sasquatch. Between the 1990 Taurus and the 2019 Ranger, I had purchased a Chevy 1996 Z28, a 2000 Chrysler Mini Van. The Z28 was bullet proof, I drove it like I hated it, the Chrysler Mini Van, always had some issue that the service team couldn't get to occur for them. I think it comes down to the luck of the draw, and my only advise is the moment you suspect there's something wrong...get rid of it

im definitely getting rid of the the bronco, I have zero faith in keeping it from a safety position after the collision sensors went off with out cause.

I was hoping ford would have stepped up to do the right thing here but the have chosen to do the opposite and definitely loose a customer. I know I’m just a drop in the bucket of their customer base so they don’t care but maybe others will see this and maybe take pause about if they want to be the next person who gets to deal with this.

Sat at 12:52 am

#26

Jakob1972
I would pursue the Lemon Law that is what it is there for. every so often a bad car (every Manufacturer has them) slips through and is bought by some poor soul. also I feel some folks just can't own certain brands Chevys and Fords have always treated me right but Pontiac's and Subaru's were the worst for me, even though I would take a solstice GPX. My dad can't own a ram truck or firestone tires he went through 3 transmissions in 8,000 miles in his 2012 ram and all three rangers he owned developed bubles in the firestone tires, but his Maverick is a champ.

lemon law in Texas quite heavily favors the company over the person. I did look at lemon law but it requires at least 3 attempts of same issue. All the new issues I’m dealing with now are technically not the same problem as the original so these don’t count towards that.

I would have to have the exact same cylinder misfire happen again for it to be considered the same problem or attempt 3

Sat at 4:21 am

#27

It's too bad about your bronco, I feel terrible about it for you. I've had very good luck with most Ford's except one! To start off I was given my grandparent's 1986 Ford Ltd, best car I ever had, even though I was embarrassed to drive it because it was an old lady car. Wish I still had it now though! Then I had an 89 ranger all jacked up, I rolled it being a stupid kid, loved that truck and still do miss it! Then purchased a 1994 f250 turbo diesel, that thing was the worst lemon I could have ever owned! Costed me thousands of dollars and my own time and labor on top of it! Not going into any further details about that pos! My grandfather was a Ford mechanic, my own father had a ranger splash, lasted years! Then a regular club cab ranger that lasted years. I eventually ended up buying a 2012 Ford escape in 2015, my daughter is now driving it because I gave it to her for her first car. I honestly think it ends up boiling down to where you get it from, or the luck of the draw with any make or model. I'm so sorry 😔

Sat at 5:27 am

#28

dmcc
lemon law in Texas quite heavily favors the company over the person. I did look at lemon law but it requires at least 3 attempts of same issue. All the new issues I’m dealing with now are technically not the same problem as the original so these don’t count towards that.

I would have to have the exact same cylinder misfire happen again for it to be considered the same problem or attempt 3

That is true but I thought there was something in there that talks about days in the shop but that might be days in the shop for the same event not cumulative. I have only ever had one lemon a 1992 Grand Am but I was able to trade it in on a 94 Camaro instead of going the lemon law course, it was easier.

Sat at 5:37 am

#29

Jakob1972
That is true but I thought there was something in there that talks about days in the shop but that might be days in the shop for the same event not cumulative. I have only ever had one lemon a 1992 Grand Am but I was able to trade it in on a 94 Camaro instead of going the lemon law course, it was easier.

you are correct there is days in the shop/out of service and It’s 30 days. It’s cumulative for the issues but that doesn’t apply if the dealership supply’s you with a loaner vehicle during that time.
I’m not sure if I could have rejected the loaner, but getting one does reduce the routes you have to file for lemon.

Jakob1972

Sat at 5:39 am

#30

Badlands Carrie
It's too bad about your bronco, I feel terrible about it for you. I've had very good luck with most Ford's except one! To start off I was given my grandparent's 1986 Ford Ltd, best car I ever had, even though I was embarrassed to drive it because it was an old lady car. Wish I still had it now though! Then I had an 89 ranger all jacked up, I rolled it being a stupid kid, loved that truck and still do miss it! Then purchased a 1994 f250 turbo diesel, that thing was the worst lemon I could have ever owned! Costed me thousands of dollars and my own time and labor on top of it! Not going into any further details about that pos! My grandfather was a Ford mechanic, my own father had a ranger splash, lasted years! Then a regular club cab ranger that lasted years. I eventually ended up buying a 2012 Ford escape in 2015, my daughter is now driving it because I gave it to her for her first car. I honestly think it ends up boiling down to where you get it from, or the luck of the draw with any make or model. I'm so sorry 😔

Thank you for the support and sentiment, it’s more than I’ve gotten from Ford!

Sat at 2:52 pm

#31

dmcc
Thank you for the support and sentiment, it’s more than I’ve gotten from Ford!

You're most welcome! Unfortunately dealers, and brands don't care about the consumer like they used to!

Jakob1972, TK1215

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