2021 Ford Bronco Sport Under Investigation for Electrical Issues
In a shocking turn of events, the 2021 model year Ford Bronco Sport is now under investigation by the Office of Defects Investigation. This comes after a series of complaints filed by owners of the 2021 Bronco Sport. Preliminary evaluation PE24-002 reveals that certain owners had to replace their 12-volt batteries to address the issues at hand.
It appears that the battery failure may have caused significant damage to the car’s engine control unit and other electronic components. One owner, who filled out vehicle owner questionnaire 11538770, reported a sudden loss of power and a complete electrical system failure. Despite visiting the dealer, no problem could be found. Unfortunately, the issue occurred again while the owner was driving.
Another complaint, number 11504039, states that even after replacing the battery and alternator, the vehicle continued to display numerous warnings. The owner expressed frustration, stating, “We have taken it to the dealership for repair, but nothing has fixed it. Even the Ford engineers do not understand why it fails.” A similar experience was documented in complaint number 11514767, where the dealer replaced the battery and reprogrammed the control module.
Losing power while driving is dangerous enough, but the Bronco Sport owners faced additional challenges. They also lost all exterior lighting and the ability to shift into neutral, making it nearly impossible to move the vehicle. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a preliminary evaluation of the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Unfortunately, it will take some time before the NHTSA publishes its findings.
While we wait for more information, it’s important to note that the Bronco Sport is not the same as the Bronco. The Bronco Sport is manufactured in Mexico and is a unibody vehicle with Escape underpinnings. In contrast, the Bronco is a body-on-frame vehicle that shares similarities with the Ranger pickup truck.
The Bronco Sport was introduced in 2020 for the 2021 model year and comes with standard all-wheel drive. However, only the Badlands off-road trim level includes a twin-clutch rear drive unit, which can simulate a locking differential and distribute up to 100 percent of torque to each wheel.
Under the hood, the Bronco Sport offers a choice between a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, with the latter being exclusive to the Badlands trim. It’s worth noting that the more affordable Maverick also comes with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine as standard, making the engine options for the Bronco Sport a bit peculiar.
In terms of pricing, the Maverick XL with the 2.0-liter turbo starts at $23,815 for the 2024 model year, excluding destination charges. On the other hand, the Bronco Sport starts at $31,230 for the Big Bend trim, which offers more standard features compared to the Maverick XL. It’s interesting to see that the Bronco Sport has also discontinued its Base trim level for the 2024 model year.
As we await further updates on the investigation, it’s crucial for Bronco Sport owners to stay informed and take necessary precautions. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
(Photo: Ford)
