Bronco started wigging out this morning.

[Scout3]

Started up just fine, left the drive with heat on high, seat / steering wheel heaters on. Raining, 46 Degrees.

Got on the highway started flashing error codes (4x4, trailer tow issue, check brakes, service engine)

After a few moments all the lights shut off. Its pitch black going 70 but I have other cars for reference. Stayed running, just lost all lights. Came back on in under a minute. All the chimes and noises coming through the speakers never stopped.

Then I had a relay or a solenoid tripping like crazy coming from the rear of the vehicle and for the rest of the drive it let me know when it was about to go black again which it did twice more. I was checking guages (when I had them) and the voltage was the only one jumping like crazy.

Fortunately I have a service scheduled tomorrow and Ill let them figure out the rats nest.

Anyone else run into this? Im assuming its just alternator related.

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[Dan66]

Please keep us posted

 

[Scout3]

Here’s the gauge

 

[Jawaburger]

Someone always says there may be a loose ground wire somewhere in threads like these, so I figured I'd chime in with that!

 

[SubmarineNuke]

Someone always says there may be a loose ground wire somewhere in threads like these, so I figured I'd chime in with that!

with the battery voltage indicator bouncing like that, it might not be far off /shrug

 

[da_jokker]

Broncos are very sensitive (too much) to voltage. Loose wire, low battery, bad alternator...all possibilities.

Keep us posted..that is clearly a safety issue.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Started up just fine, left the drive with heat on high, seat / steering wheel heaters on. Raining, 46 Degrees.

Got on the highway started flashing error codes (4x4, trailer tow issue, check brakes, service engine)

After a few moments all the lights shut off. Its pitch black going 70 but I have other cars for reference. Stayed running, just lost all lights. Came back on in under a minute. All the chimes and noises coming through the speakers never stopped.

Then I had a relay or a solenoid tripping like crazy coming from the rear of the vehicle and for the rest of the drive it let me know when it was about to go black again which it did twice more. I was checking guages (when I had them) and the voltage was the only one jumping like crazy.

Fortunately I have a service scheduled tomorrow and Ill let them figure out the rats nest.

Anyone else run into this? Im assuming its just alternator related.

Hey there. Can you please send over a private message with your VIN and the name/location of your local Ford dealer? I would like to take a better look at all of these issues you experienced while driving your Bronco.

 

[Scout3]

Just an update - They initially told me the weather is effecting a lot of new vehicles because the battery is in 'constant use' with a bunch of background programs running when the truck isnt.

Well that may be, but I drive an hour each day and the battery should be sufficiently charged any given day.

On Wednesday I was driving home - had the same glitch pop up after a week of no signs - but this time it said stop and restart the engine. While I slowed down into a turning lane it was coding like crazy then the engine straight up shut off going 30 mph+-. I put it in park, restarted the engine, and drove home normally. No issues after that.

I brought it to the dealer the following day and explained the situation. They took it and I called yesterday afternoon to see if they had an update. Well the problem now is they have no codes to go off of and cant replicate the issue. Never tested the battery, alternator, or anything really. They only drove it to see if they could do it again. Apparently its too much of a thinker to just go ahead and test the battery - they need to be convinced first.

I showed them the video of the volt gauge and now they will test it. Thats all I've got for now.

 

[NORCALGXP]

Thanks for the update, keep us posted.

 

[cyoungk]

did you happen to take the fuse box out for any reason prior to the issue?

similar thing happened to me - car is in the shop now but I changed the fusebox out to install upfitter switches and car started wigging out a day after. turns out the terminals under the fusebox is quite fickle. they're still inspecting everything but thats at least what they told me so far.

 

[Scout3]

I have a little better video for you to see that happened this morning.

I tapped the accelerator to show what it was doing. You can hear the solenoid I mentioned clicking in the back, It throws a couple error codes (they are always different), the voltage drops to 10 multiple times, the fans slow with the voltage drop, and you can see the backlighting for the switches go out twice.

At the end of the video I shut the truck off and everything goes black. Generally I have dome lights and the screens remain on after shutdown.

Dealership is saying ford Engineering has been zero help and are still at a loss on how to fix it.

They also still haven't just opted to install a battery or alternator to see if it fixes it. This is getting old. Hopefully they come to a resolution and I can post the entire process so some of you know exactly what to do if it happens to you.

 

[Billnchristy]

I'd be shocked if it is not the alternator. Seems like it's got a bad regulator. Really, at idle 13 range is normal, you only see 14 or so under acceleration. Does the bronco have a clutch on the alternator? If so, that's my guess, if not whatever it uses for voltage regulation is jacked. A 12v battery is charged at 12.7, it can't really make 14-15v and if it did, it wouldn't do it for long.

 

[Jazer]

I just dealt with a faulty voltage regulator in my alternator. According to my dealer it was bad from the factory. Given the erratic regulation of your voltage, I would guess it's a bad one in yours as well. Mine just decided to unalive itself one day but when I was reading about it while waiting to get it back, this is another symptom (erratic/high/low readings). I lost some faith in the QC of the alternators after my experience so I would push that the alternator be replace. My dealer did not hesitate to warranty it as he was 100% sure it was junk from the factory.. not anything I did.

 

[Scout3]

This should be my final post because I think it's been sorted out:

Short Version: Negative battery terminal not tightened enough.

Long Version:

They had my bronco for a solid three weeks all said and done. In that time - they drove it an additional 100 miles and could not replicate the problem.

Since it could not be replicated, they called me to just come pick it back up. No solution, no repairs done. Mind you - this is a Friday at 5 pm. Even the guy that called me was gone, just a few guys left in the building. I asked if they had seen the video, and they assured me the mechanic, the ford engineer, and the service adviser had all seen them. I pulled out of the lot - and wouldn't you know it - it starts shorting out again.

I pulled it back in the building and told the service guy to run his tester on it right now. Mechanic comes out and he can't get a code. He said he had been the only dealer mechanic working on this truck. I asked what he thought of the video... "what video?" HE NEVER SAW IT. Straight up lied to by the service manager who was standing right there who was now fumbling to save face.

I just continued with the mechanic going over the truck. I mentioned the battery, alternator and even offered to pay for both upfront and work out a reimbursement. I had been begging for them to order an alternator if the problem couldnt be resolved, and they still hadnt done it. He ends up twisting the battery terminals and says the negative is loose.

I wouldn't have defined it as loose, you would still need a wrench to get it off. I have never touched it but yet it fixed it after tightening it down. Haven't had a problem for a month now.

 

[da_jokker]

This should be my final post because I think it's been sorted out:

Short Version: Negative battery terminal not tightened enough.

Long Version:

They had my bronco for a solid three weeks all said and done. In that time - they drove it an additional 100 miles and could not replicate the problem.

Since it could not be replicated, they called me to just come pick it back up. No solution, no repairs done. Mind you - this is a Friday at 5 pm. Even the guy that called me was gone, just a few guys left in the building. I asked if they had seen the video, and they assured me the mechanic, the ford engineer, and the service adviser had all seen them. I pulled out of the lot - and wouldn't you know it - it starts shorting out again.

I pulled it back in the building and told the service guy to run his tester on it right now. Mechanic comes out and he can't get a code. He said he had been the only dealer mechanic working on this truck. I asked what he thought of the video... "what video?" HE NEVER SAW IT. Straight up lied to by the service manager who was standing right there who was now fumbling to save face.

I just continued with the mechanic going over the truck. I mentioned the battery, alternator and even offered to pay for both upfront and work out a reimbursement. I had been begging for them to order an alternator if the problem couldnt be resolved, and they still hadnt done it. He ends up twisting the battery terminals and says the negative is loose.

I wouldn't have defined it as loose, you would still need a wrench to get it off. I have never touched it but yet it fixed it after tightening it down. Haven't had a problem for a month now.

Lol.. sorry I know it's not funny, but just reminds me how sometimes the basic troubleshooting steps get overlooked.

Tiny down battery cables and fuse box bolts is literally on my "pick up at dealer" checklist because of all the known problems this has caused.

Glad it's gotten sorted.

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