Weird Electrical Issues (not resolved - they're back)

[ChrisD]

I've had intermittent electrical issues since owning the Bronco - I mean it's a Ford, so it's supposed to have weird electrical issues. I had the TSB for the connector behind the glove compartment applied, but they issues persist. The last time I had it into the dealer, they contacted Ford engineering, who were clueless. Figured I'd share these here (and well, I'll be sharing it with the dealership so they can share to the engineers).

In this video, you can see the Trailer Brake warning, Blind Spot Detection warning, key fob missing, the heat stops functioning and the window controls fail. Also, when this happens, random doors lose their programming on the window limits, so they refuse to lower and raise the window to clear the weatherstripping.

I know how to work around the problems, but they certainly need to get fixed. They're super annoying.



At least with the Lincoln Way app, I can open and close the windows remotely - no can do on the Bronco...

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[ocnorBdroF1202]

I've had intermittent electrical issues since owning the Bronco - I mean it's a Ford, so it's supposed to have weird electrical issues. I had the TSB for the connector behind the glove compartment applied, but they issues persist. The last time I had it into the dealer, they contacted Ford engineering, who were clueless. Figured I'd share these here (and well, I'll be sharing it with the dealership so they can share to the engineers).

In this video, you can see the Trailer Brake warning, Blind Spot Detection warning, key fob missing, the heat stops functioning and the window controls fail. Also, when this happens, random doors lose their programming on the window limits, so they refuse to lower and raise the window to clear the weatherstripping.

I know how to work around the problems, but they certainly need to get fixed. They're super annoying.



At least with the Lincoln Way app, I can open and close the windows remotely - no can do on the Bronco...

Hey Chris, how's it going? Let me know if you're regretting your decision to go with the Bronco! I've waited ~540 days or whatever it is now and with all the issues I keep seeing, I wonder if it's just too early for the Bronco...my plan B is a '22 GMC AT4 to replace my current '18 GMC Sierra Z71...just really tired of waiting and seeing all the issues...let me know or give me a ring

 

[Ksjrb03]

I would start with checking the battery terminals are on good and tight, all fuses are pushed in completely, and the fuse block bolts are tight. All of these are known issues that can cause electrical gremlins like your seeing.

The window glass thing, eh the Bronco just has horribly designed windows. Garbage. Yours looks out of alignment Though.

 

[ChrisD]

Hey Chris, how's it going? Let me know if you're regretting your decision to go with the Bronco! I've waited ~540 days or whatever it is now and with all the issues I keep seeing, I wonder if it's just too early for the Bronco...my plan B is a '22 GMC AT4 to replace my current '18 GMC Sierra Z71...just really tired of waiting and seeing all the issues...let me know or give me a ring

Hi, Scott!

I'll give you a shout later tonight. Overall, I still really like it. I think the positives outweigh the negatives. It'll be going into the shop soon to have the swing gate replaced under warranty and the electrical, that'll get figured out. I still think your trouble is the hard top. If I decide I want a hard top in the future, I'll get the one from Advanced Fiberglass, but I run the thing with the top open pretty much any time it's not snowing.

The big thing for me, the road manners on it are way better than they were on my JK in snow and ice. I've had it out in a couple of the winter storms here and it's no drama at all. I get some grief from my local 4X4 club (might as well call it a jeep club) but I go all the places they do, so eh, whatever.

@Ksjrb03 makes good advice - I have a whole mess of wrenches in the garage, so I'll verify the tightness on all those connections and see if it makes an improvement. One of the guys in my club was complaining about his Jeep doing weird stuff and it turned out to be a ground connection, so go figure. Probably should have thought of that myself!!!

There are a few annoyances I'm going to have to fix in Forscan, though - that double honk when I get out and close the door is really freaking annoying. I'm in and out of the thing all day long when I'm out wheeling and I know it's running, but I'm out spotting or something. I don't need a beep to let the world know. For now, I've been getting around it by throwing the fob in the console until I'm done. I'm not worried about a coyote stealing my Bronco while I'm spotting.

Me, though, a large part of it was my favorite vehicle ever, until I crashed it, was a Bronco, so I was already shopping them when the 6G was announced. I was going to end up in one, one way or another.

Thanks!

 

[ChrisD]

I would start with checking the battery terminals are on good and tight, all fuses are pushed in completely, and the fuse block bolts are tight. All of these are known issues that can cause electrical gremlins like your seeing.

The window glass thing, eh the Bronco just has horribly designed windows. Garbage. Yours looks out of alignment Though.

I tightened up every ground connection I could find last weekend and the weird problems have not happened since. I wanted to make sure it was kind of fixed before posting back and it appears to have resolved the issue!!!

Thanks for the hint - not even sure why I didn't think of it since we'd been talking about ground connections in my 4WD club recently.

 

[amccue90]

@ChrisD FYI with forscan you can add auto lowering/raising (whichever is missing stock) using the key fob

 

[Ksjrb03]

I tightened up every ground connection I could find last weekend and the weird problems have not happened since. I wanted to make sure it was kind of fixed before posting back and it appears to have resolved the issue!!!

Thanks for the hint - not even sure why I didn't think of it since we'd been talking about ground connections in my 4WD club recently.

Awesome, glad I saw your post!

 

[ChrisD]

@ChrisD FYI with forscan you can add auto lowering/raising (whichever is missing stock) using the key fob

Good to know! I'm going to have to spend more time figuring out all the things I can do with Forscan. I'm about ready to disable the honk honk when I get out with the engine running.

 

[Knownman]

Try this for the window.

 

[dgorsett]

Good to know! I'm going to have to spend more time figuring out all the things I can do with Forscan. I'm about ready to disable the honk honk when I get out with the engine running.

Kinda half assed, but my solution for the honk honk is to not fully close the door, latched but not closed.

 

[ChrisD]

Try this for the window.

Yeah, that's documented in the manual for the Bronco.

I was having to do that every time the electronics reset, which was multiple times a drive. It was to the point that it was getting annoying.

It also doesn't work if the windows lose power, which they were. If you watch my video, you'll see that I was pushing the window control buttons but nothing was happening. You can't lower or raise the window in that situation.

Again, the root cause was a loose ground somewhere, which caused an intermittent failure of anything electronic aft of the dashboard (to include the heater, cross-path blindspot, trailer brake, windows, all of it), and yes, the windows all needed resetting of the limits every time it happened.

Thanks!

 

[ChrisD]

Kinda half assed, but my solution for the honk honk is to not fully close the door, latched but not closed.

Haha, I discovered it will also honk honk if I get out, leave the door wide open, then open and close the swing gate in the back. I swear, the thing is just determined to honk at me!

 

[amccue90]

Haha, I discovered it will also honk honk if I get out, leave the door wide open, then open and close the swing gate in the back. I swear, the thing is just determined to honk at me!

Disabling the double honk was what got me on forscan, horrible

 

[ChrisD]

Disabling the double honk was what got me on forscan, horrible

I actually talked with Esteban Plaza-Jennings about a number of things at Super Cel West. I specifically mentioned the double honk as one of the most annoying things about the Bronco and that they should add an option to disable it in a software update. I just explained that I get in and out of my Bronco while wheeling multiple times a day in order to help guide someone past an obstacle and I really don't need to be beep beeped every time I do that.

 

[nwGTS]

Try this for the window.

She has good advice. This is generally how to reset any car with a frameless door and most applicable after disconnecting the battery or replacing any electrical modules. Clearly the OP had a different issue though. Glad it was fixed!

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