Bronco 2.7L issues - CEL codes and airbag warning light

[Matthew]

Yeah I usually drive my 18 year old F150 until the low fuel light comes on before I stop and fill it up. Had been doing the same with the Expy until the price of fuel went back up, now I can't even use pay at the pump in town to fill it up because the pump shuts me off a $90 before the 34 gallon tank is full!

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[LMF Bronc]

So realistically, the 2.7 4-door has only 280 mile range, then?

Yeah, thereabouts. As a 2door future owner I realllly wish it had the bigger tank. Guess I’ll start figuring out a way to carry additional fuel.

you can run it further down if you want, it’s your vehicle, but it’s not good for the long term health of the vehicle and if you’re on a steep slope especially nose down you may pull the pickup out of the fuel and stall.

 

[JessD05]

now I can't even use pay at the pump in town to fill it up because the pump shuts me off a $90 before the 34 gallon tank is full!

Do some stations limit the quantity of fuel per visit ??

 

[Matthew]

Do some stains limit the quantity of fuel per visit ??

Here where I am at in Illinois some stations limit what you can pump using pay at the pump, but the amount is different at different stations. If I wanted to get fuel the next town over they don't limit pay at the pump.

 

[Low Hammer]

Yeah I usually drive my 18 year old F150 until the low fuel light comes on before I stop and fill it up. Had been doing the same with the Expy until the price of fuel went back up, now I can't even use pay at the pump in town to fill it up because the pump shuts me off a $90 before the 34 gallon tank is full!

You do know that your fuel pump primarily relies on the fuel it is sitting in to keep it from overheating do you not?
I have had to replace my 2002 f-150 fuel pump twice in the past 100k miles. Now I never let it go under a 1/4 tank.

 

[Matthew]

You do know that your fuel pump primarily relies on the fuel it is sitting in to keep it from overheating do you not?
I have had to replace my 2002 f-150 fuel pump twice in the past 100k miles. Now I never let it go under a 1/4 tank.

I do, and I have been driving like this for about 26 years and have only had to replace one fuel pump, and that was an external high pressure pump on my 1977 Bronco with an F150 Lightning 351W with fuel injection.

 

[Daktari]

never heard of that quarter tank thing, I've had my 18 year old Taco run on fumes at times, rarely do I fill up before reaching empty, don't really enjoy gas stations all that much.

So out in the wilderness on loner trips you have to bring enough extra fuel to never go below a quarter tank? That doesn't seem quite right for an off road vehicle built for adventure?

The fuel pump gets cooled by the gas it sits in? For real? That just seems a bit strange to me. But I have no clue where such a pump would be, I'd have thought somewhere in the engine bay though, not in the tank?

 

[commbubba19]

Ford service advisor here. Regarding the lean codes, sounds like you may have run it low on fuel. Owners manual directs to fill at a quarter tank, if your light comes on you’re lower than you want to be. Just my .02

WUT

First off running the vehicle at 1/4 tank will not cause a fuel injected return-less style system to run lean. It's almost impossible. The only way that could ever actually occur is if the pump ran dry (which sits in it's own bucket separate from the tank) and under extreme angles to where the pickup would not be submerged in fuel. If this was to occur, the engine would misfire and cut out. The OP did not state any of those symptoms occurred.

Another possible lean scenario would be a random boost spike. This day and age is rare especially with a stock vehicle. Low Speed Pre Ignition is still possible (google it) and could have occurred.

Lastly, if unmetered air is entering the system that could cause it. I don't remember of the 2.7 is MAF or MAP and it depends on where those sensors are located.

A CEL happens. It just means the ECU had something happen that was out of it's normal parameter. Clearing the code and monitoring is the best decision here short of datalogging and reproducing the issue. It's highly likely this won't happen again. Unless the CEL is flashing and the car is bucking, missing, knocking etc, you're fine and it's just a fluke. If it keeps happening, then datalogging and being specifically aware of what you were doing when it happened is important to duplicate.

The Air bag light on my 19 Edge ST did the same thing. Turned out to be a bad connector that was able to be re-pinned. I believe it when they say they're making the connectors as small as possible. They are very low voltage and every bit of plastic and metal cost money. Downsizing saves weight and cost but can be difficult to repair.

 

[Wanted33]

I was going to drive my Bronco back from Horsham, Pennsylvania to south Mississippi. Not so sure about that now !

I fell ya Vince. Ours will be picked up in Iowa, and the plans are to head further west before returning in North Carolina. But what the heck, what is life without a little adventure.

 

[Lcubed]

stay pumped. they'll have a slew of new issues by the time my MOD top bronco gets built in MY23

 

[LMF Bronc]

WUT

First off running the vehicle at 1/4 tank will not cause a fuel injected return-less style system to run lean. It's almost impossible. The only way that could ever actually occur is if the pump ran dry (which sits in it's own bucket separate from the tank) and under extreme angles to where the pickup would not be submerged in fuel. If this was to occur, the engine would misfire and cut out. The OP did not state any of those symptoms occurred.

Another possible lean scenario would be a random boost spike. This day and age is rare especially with a stock vehicle. Low Speed Pre Ignition is still possible (google it) and could have occurred.

Lastly, if unmetered air is entering the system that could cause it. I don't remember of the 2.7 is MAF or MAP and it depends on where those sensors are located.

A CEL happens. It just means the ECU had something happen that was out of it's normal parameter. Clearing the code and monitoring is the best decision here short of datalogging and reproducing the issue. It's highly likely this won't happen again. Unless the CEL is flashing and the car is bucking, missing, knocking etc, you're fine and it's just a fluke. If it keeps happening, then datalogging and being specifically aware of what you were doing when it happened is important to duplicate.

The Air bag light on my 19 Edge ST did the same thing. Turned out to be a bad connector that was able to be re-pinned. I believe it when they say they're making the connectors as small as possible. They are very low voltage and every bit of plastic and metal cost money. Downsizing saves weight and cost but can be difficult to repair.

lean codes + low fuel message followed by the concern no longer being present after refuel make it pretty likely in my book.

 

[commbubba19]

lean codes + low fuel message followed by the concern no longer being present after refuel make it pretty likely in my book.

low fuel light comes on at 50 miles of range. still lots of fuel in the tank and the bucket is full. the pickup would be fully submerged. the light is just an idiot light for people that can't read a gauge.

don't confuse coincidence with causation

 

[omega145]

This is a first year build so random new problems are to be expected and wondering what that percent is when comparing in hand customer Broncos with the few we are seeing here with issues. Anyone have any information related to that?

 

[omega145]

Ford service advisor here. Regarding the lean codes, sounds like you may have run it low on fuel. Owners manual directs to fill at a quarter tank, if your light comes on you’re lower than you want to be. Just my .02

I checked through the manual here and maybe I missed it but where dies it say to fill at a quarter tank? I saw this but doesn't think it relates to what you are saying: Note: If your vehicle runs out of fuel add a minimum of 1.3 gal (5 L) of fuel to restart the engine
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/uploads/2021-Ford-Bronco-Owners-Manual.pdf

 

[NotApplicable]

Ford service advisor here. Regarding the lean codes, sounds like you may have run it low on fuel. Owners manual directs to fill at a quarter tank, if your light comes on you’re lower than you want to be. Just my .02

So this brings the 2D Sasquatch range down to 215 since only 75% of the tank is usable

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