PSA: Disconnecting the Battery in 2021+ Broncos

Earlier this week, we shared a reference for changing your oil. Now, in case you are doing other work on your vehicle (adding lights or a winch?), Bronco Nation member BaBump has put together a quick-guide for disconnecting the battery in your 2021-2023 Bronco: In a vehicle with plenty of electronics, the days of pulling a cable off of a terminal and calling it a day are past. 

He shares the following steps to take before disconnecting the battery in your new Bronco, so you don't affect how the windows seat or cause damage not covered by warranty. Read his guide supplemented by owner's manual information, and head over to the forums to ask questions or discuss!

Reminders Before Disconnecting

Before disconnecting the battery, you may want to roll your windows down a little or all the way. If you open the doors while the battery is disconnected, the windows will not index (i.e., drop down that little bit so that you close the door properly). With the windows not indexed, they will not seat properly when you close the door.

For your convenience, the following is from the 2022 Bronco Owner's Manual. (Look at that warranty-affecting note!):

 
Remove and Reinstall the Battery

To disconnect or remove the battery, do the following:
 1. Apply the parking brake and switch the ignition off.
 2. Switch all electrical equipment off, for example lights and radio.
 3. Wait a minimum of two minutes before disconnecting the battery.
 
Note: The engine management system has a power hold function and remains powered for a period of time after you switch the ignition off. This is to allow diagnostic and adaptive tables to be stored. Disconnecting the battery without waiting can cause damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.
 
 4. Disconnect the negative battery cable terminal.
 5. Disconnect the positive battery cable terminal.
 6. Remove the battery securing clamp.
 7. Remove the battery.
 8. To install, reverse the removal procedure.
 
Note: Before reconnecting the battery, make sure the ignition remains switched off.
 
Note: Make sure the battery cable terminals are fully tightened.
 
Note: After cleaning or replacing the battery, make sure you reinstall the battery cover or shield. If you disconnect or replace the vehicle battery, you must reset the following features:
 
 • Window bounce-back. See Windows (page 103).
 • Clock settings.
 • Pre-set radio stations.
 • Steering angle sensor.

Note: To calibrate the steering angle sensor, drive the vehicle above 30 mph (50 km/h) for a minimum of 1.2 mi (2 km). Make sure to drive straight ahead for a minimum of 30 seconds. Several vehicle functions are disabled and a warning light could appear until the sensor is calibrated.