2.3 Shaping up to be the better Engine?

[Tricky Dick]

There’s a lot of bad press on the 2.3’s brakes. They are a carry over from the Rangers. Their vacuum assisted system is known for long stopping distances, mushy pedal, poor modulation along with design failure issues. Here’s just one from Car and Driver.

“And not only was its 193-foot stop from 70 mph the longest here, but the pedal feel was genuinely frightening. It sank through a couple of inches with no resistance or response and then grabbed with an immediacy that frequently had our heads bobbing.”

So nothing is failing, it's just a bad design? I'll take that because mine work just fine.

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[Mr. Nice]

So nothing is failing, it's just a bad design? I'll take that because mine work just fine.

Bad design with catastrophic failure. In this forum, Ranger forum and automotive journalists reports.
You just have to look.
Don’t shoot the messenger.

 

[jjack50]

Bad design with catastrophic failure. In this forum, Ranger forum and automotive journalists reports.
You just have to look.
Don’t shoot the messenger.

The messenger added the words "catastrophic failure" which doesn't seem to be borne out by owners or testers. Poor design, maybe, long stopping distances, seems so, but catastrophic failure? not verified anywhere.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Poor design, maybe, long stopping distances, seems so, but catastrophic failure? not verified anywhere.

This is what matters to me. I'll take the "poor design" because it works fine. Catastrophic failure is a whole different story.

 

[Mr. Nice]

The messenger added the words "catastrophic failure" which doesn't seem to be borne out by owners or testers. Poor design, maybe, long stopping distances, seems so, but catastrophic failure? not verified anywhere.

Keep looking. Search this site. Not fake news.

How about this…
I almost died driving my 4 door Outer Banks on the freeway the other day. My wife and I were driving out to Hilton Head for a 10k. Everything was great until…Some jerk swerved in front of me to avoid being behind a semi truck chugging uphill.

This is where I almost died…

When I went to hit the brakes the pedal was impossible to press, the Bronco’s dashboard lit up saying something like brake error: check brake system. I luckily was able to slow down by using the manual shift selector on the side of the gear shift and basically standing on the brake pedal and immediately pulled over. I got out and checked the brakes after turning the car off and on. The brake pedal was now able to depress, but the brakes were super spongey. I drove to the closest Ford dealership and had them check it out. The tech came back after a few min and said it was a known issue with the Brake Vacuum and it has to come from Michigan.

This just happened so I’m getting more info as they can’t order the part until tomorrow, but I’ll update as I have more info.

I know 1st gen products have issues but this one is a really big problem. Good thing I wasn’t on the trail next to a cliff otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

Driving 70 mph on the freeway and you go to hit the brakes and there are none… scared the crap out of me. Driving a rental and now I have PTSD every time I brake.

Anyone else heard of this for the 4doors? I know the sport had a brake recall, but not 100% sure this is the same issue?

—- UPDATE —-

Got more info from shop. They replaced the vacuum booster line - ‘known issue’. SSM 50314 (diagnostic P050F I believe). Assuming this will be one of the first of many.

 

[The Driving Viking]

Keep looking. Search this site. Not fake news.

How about this…
I almost died driving my 4 door Outer Banks on the freeway the other day. My wife and I were driving out to Hilton Head for a 10k. Everything was great until…Some jerk swerved in front of me to avoid being behind a semi truck chugging uphill.

This is where I almost died…

When I went to hit the brakes the pedal was impossible to press, the Bronco’s dashboard lit up saying something like brake error: check brake system. I luckily was able to slow down by using the manual shift selector on the side of the gear shift and basically standing on the brake pedal and immediately pulled over. I got out and checked the brakes after turning the car off and on. The brake pedal was now able to depress, but the brakes were super spongey. I drove to the closest Ford dealership and had them check it out. The tech came back after a few min and said it was a known issue with the Brake Vacuum and it has to come from Michigan.

This just happened so I’m getting more info as they can’t order the part until tomorrow, but I’ll update as I have more info.

I know 1st gen products have issues but this one is a really big problem. Good thing I wasn’t on the trail next to a cliff otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

Driving 70 mph on the freeway and you go to hit the brakes and there are none… scared the crap out of me. Driving a rental and now I have PTSD every time I brake.

Anyone else heard of this for the 4doors? I know the sport had a brake recall, but not 100% sure this is the same issue?

—- UPDATE —-

Got more info from shop. They replaced the vacuum booster line - ‘known issue’. SSM 50314 (diagnostic P050F I believe). Assuming this will be one of the first of many.

And this is a 2.3 problem? Why don't they all just have the same dam breaks? Good God. Well by the time I get my Bronco whenever that is hopefully Ford will have all this fixed!!

 

[armand0609]

The brakes are one of the car systems designed with more redundancy and tolerance for failures. Typically if the vacuum booster fails, you loose the assistance of the vacuum, so the pedal becomes much harder to press, but you can still make the brakes work if you push harder on the pedal. But is normal that people get scared because the car is not working as it normally does and think that their brakes are gone.

 

[ThisGuy611]

I have two broncos on order right now (crucify me if you must, my dealer recommended it). Both 2 door base models, one with a 2.3L 6mt, one with the 2.7L. I'll cancel whichever one doesn't get a VIN first.

I'm coming from a 400+ hp sports car and live in South Florida with plenty of highways. I would LOVE for the 2.7L to get scheduled first, but it's a low probability seeing these constraints. I'm weighing my want for a manual, my want for more power, and my want to get into a bronco ASAP together. Whatever gets to me first I'm sure I'll be happy with. On the 2.3L I can get a tune and enjoy the 6spd as well as get my bronco faster, with the 2.7L I can relax with the auto and don't have to worry about a tune (or make it even faster if I choose). Seems like the smoother engine to be driving above 60mph which is the only reason I would prefer it.

If South Florida wasn't so reliant on highways to get anywhere, I'd be more than happy with the 2.3L.

 

[Nateandapril]

I have two broncos on order right now (crucify me if you must, my dealer recommended it). Both 2 door base models, one with a 2.3L 6mt, one with the 2.7L. I'll cancel whichever one doesn't get a VIN first.

I'm coming from a 400+ hp sports car and live in South Florida with plenty of highways. I would LOVE for the 2.7L to get scheduled first, but it's a low probability seeing these constraints. I'm weighing my want for a manual, my want for more power, and my want to get into a bronco ASAP together. Whatever gets to me first I'm sure I'll be happy with. On the 2.3L I can get a tune and enjoy the 6spd as well as get my bronco faster, with the 2.7L I can relax with the auto and don't have to worry about a tune (or make it even faster if I choose). Seems like the smoother engine to be driving above 60mph which is the only reason I would prefer it.

If South Florida wasn't so reliant on highways to get anywhere, I'd be more than happy with the 2.3L.

I live in central FL, just took my 4door 2.3L auto for a 400 mile round trip of I-95 to 4, down 75, across the state by ockachobee and back to 95. Man I gotta tell ya the 2.3 is not lacking for power. I know that is subjective, but I can share I was able to cruise in the left lane between 80-85 as needed, accelerate to get out of the way of bad drivers, passing trucks, etc. the 2.3 is no slouch. It never feels like it’s lagging, although you can definitely feel those turbos kick in. I watch the boost gauge a lot when I drive and I’m surprised at how seamless the boost use is.

 

[cecrc881]

I live in central FL, just took my 4door 2.3L auto for a 400 mile round trip of I-95 to 4, down 75, across the state by ockachobee and back to 95. Man I gotta tell ya the 2.3 is not lacking for power. I know that is subjective, but I can share I was able to cruise in the left lane between 80-85 as needed, accelerate to get out of the way of bad drivers, passing trucks, etc. the 2.3 is no slouch. It never feels like it’s lagging, although you can definitely feel those turbos kick in. I watch the boost gauge a lot when I drive and I’m surprised at how seamless the boost use is.

That's good to know as I also live in Central Florida and have a 2.3L Bronco OBX on order. So basically, you are saying that the 2.3 can handle the I-4 nonsense...awesome!

 

[Nateandapril]

That's good to know as I also live in Central Florida and have a 2.3L Bronco OBX on order. So basically, you are saying that the 2.3 can handle the I-4 nonsense...awesome!

Yes it handled I-4 with no trouble. You know how traffic frees up going westbound right past Champions Gate, and it’s like a horse race? The bronc did great getting from 25 to 80 and rolling through that.

 

[goalie]

Yes it handled I-4 with no trouble. You know how traffic frees up going westbound right past Champions Gate, and it’s like a horse race? The bronc did great getting from 25 to 80 and rolling through that.

I drove my 2.3 from Boise ID back to the Bay Area CA, that highway goes thru the Sierra Mountains and the bronco just took it fine. Highway speeds, up/down long steep grades, passing at highway speeds, holding at 85+ for long periods of time. That engine is perfectly fine. It's not like my sports cars and never will be, but it won't leave you feeling it needed more either. I took a side trip into the mountain passes on the small snow roads, one was even unplowed, zero issues the whole way. This past weekend it got it's first dirt and kept up all day with two 2.7 broncos, a jeep and a '68 bronco. You won't regret it, and stepping down for the manual trans was SOOOO worth it, I love that transmission.

 

[heynow14]

Broken record here...get the 7-spd.

My Bronco enjoyment function:
7-spd versus 10-spd Auto = X
2.7L versus 2.3L = Y

X>Y

 

[pakrat]

Absolutely hated the 2.3 with the 10 spd automatic when I had it for a 24hr. test drive last year. I had high hopes based on what others were saying about it in the Ranger and other applications (just like they are saying in this thread) but I can't believe people think it is anything but anemic. Drove it up and over the mountain passes at elevation and on highways... everywhere I could think of within reason for 24 hrs. Drove and sounded like a rental Nissan Sentra. I was so disappointed I considered cancelling my order all together. Then I took delivery of my 2.7 BL and couldn't have been happier ( I suppose the 3.0 Raptor might make me happier). If anyone says it's close to the 2.7 they have not driven the the 2.7 enough. It is night and day! Can the 2.3 "keep up"? Kind of I'm sure if you are all just doing trail rides or cruising on the highway in a group. It is just a different lackluster driving experience.

That said, I have zero experience with the 2.3 and manual transmission. That could be an entirely different beast! People seem to love that combo for sure. But based on my experience there is no way I'd put hard earn $$$ into the 2.3 with automatic transmission.

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