What are my rights? (AKA: am I SOL?)

[RHeinz]

Can’t be a warranty issue as your vehicle did not come with a SB disconnect to begin with. If the dealer’s did warrantee it, the paperwork to Ford for reimbursement would probably not pass the smell test and the dealer would not get reimbursed. What are you expecting the dealer to do, provide a zero cost replacement? Sorry, but that seems unreasonable to me. Warrantee a used part, that came from where?

Your predicament sucks, but I do appreciate that you have been honest with us.

You might try removing it and “bench” testing/operating it to see if you can determine what the issue is.

Sponsored

 

[Derbystud]

The shop manual is not specific for which model your working on. Under the procedure it will just say if it has a solid sway bar do this and if it's a electric disconnect do this. As far as Ford warranty they will kick the claim back because hvbom will say that's the wrong part for the vin you have. So it would be up to the shop if they think it could be their fault and pay for it internally.

 

[mpeugeot]

But I’d really like to know if the units themselves are failing out in the wild. If so, might see if buying new from Ford gets me any sort of warranty (as opposed to used out of the bone yard like this one)

Or, if they are failing A LOT….might just yank it off and put my stock sway bar back on.

There has been more than a few that have failed, you could see if there is a way for it to be replaced under warranty through the service manager - but I would not expect it to be replaced without the original VIN and mileage (and even then it's a crap shoot).

Although it's not a good situation for you, it's part of the off-roading modification game, you assume the risk. Same for me (Badlands shocks on an OBX, HOSS 3.0 steering rack, keyless entry, aftermarket amplifier, and more Forscan tricks than a Tijuana hooker). If any of it goes sideways, I am on the hook for it.

 

[Hdscreens]

In my area it’s difficult to convince Ford dealers to even do warranty work on all oem parts original to the vehicle. I had a transfer case fail on a Raptor with about 5500 miles and they kept suggesting I was driving with 4x4 engaged on dry street. Took a lot of convincing to have them warranty the grinding hubs as well.

I highly doubt the dealership will do anything for you.

 

[pillar406]

I’m probably the first with this specific problem - but hoping not the first with this “type of” problem….

So I retrofitted a swaybar disconnect out of a Badlands into my Wildtrak last year. Been working fine until…

About 3 weeks ago I brought the Bronco in to the dealership for an oil change and to fix a defective seatbelt latch under warranty. As part of their inspection, they told me I had a leaking front pinion seal. They needed to order a new one and for me to come back to have that fixed under warranty. It must have been a small leak because I had not noticed any spots under my front end. But it is winter and the garage floor is pretty dirty from snow/mud. Anyway, brought it back and they put a new pinion seal in.

Just the other day, I tried to use the sway bar disconnect and found it wasn’t working. So today I put the rig up on the lift to try to figure out why. My initial theory was that the power wire that I ran down to it from one of my upfitter switches must have gotten too close to the exhaust or something and either shorted out blowing the fuse or maybe even got cut.

Fuse was fine. Testing power all the way to the unit tested fine. Basically - there’s nothing that should be preventing this thing from working near as I can tell. Unless something in the disconnect itself is broken.

That’s when it hit me. Staring up at the disconnect I realized that there would be no way to replace that front pinion seal without removing the swaybar disconnect. Obviously - the service manual wouldn’t have instructions on this step for a Wildtrak (as they did not come equipped with a disconnect)

So I’m wondering if the tech did something bad to it while servicing that front pinion seal.

I have not called the dealership yet. I was hoping to be better armed before I did because I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a fight.

So what are our rights as customers for incidental damage to other components?

Obviously, I have no proof that the tech broke it. All I know is it was working, and now it is not. Did I literally test it the morning before bringing the Bronco in for service? No. I’d estimate it was a couple of months ago last time I used it and it worked. Did I literally test it the day I picked it up from service? Also no. Couple weeks after that is when I noticed it wasn’t working.

It’s an expensive part. And non-servicable. Meaning if it ever fails the book calls for replacing the entire unit. Pretty sure the dealer is not going to want to eat that. But I don’t feel I should have to either.

Would really love to hear from the few Ford techs I’ve seen post on this form on the past.

Am I SOL?

I am a Ford tech. Since it was retrofitted Ford will not cover it. But the WSM does have instructions for the disconnect. Even though your vehicle didn't come with it, the WSM always states remove if equipped. You will be SOL since it was added after the fact. The dealership will work on it if you ask but no warranty and if it's not setup the same way as the WSM the tech may have a hard time properly diagnosing the issue. The cost of it will wholly on you, I'm sorry to say. Some dealerships will eat the cost of it, but again most won't due to it technically not being warrantable work.

 

[Rednek]

As a dealership tech and shop foreman for 25+ years I've seen a lot of the finger pointing of blame,vehicle comes in for repair and comes back with a unrelated issue (you rotated my tires now my phone won't sync you must have done something to it) Sometimes it's just bad timing things break down without warning.The dealer may give some goodwill for your loyalty but don't count on it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

After reading about the issues with the factory sway bar disco, I view it as a liability, an expensive part known to fail already.
I'd start digging for manual sway bar discos and leave that thing in the dumpster.

 

[EOSeabee]

I had to figure out how to install this on my own (there’s a thread here with a video of that whole process). Part of my initial research on how to wire it up was looking at the service manual. And it clearly says there are no servicable parts on it. No individual part numbers for the components. If it fails, replace it.

I’d be curious to know about these “issues” others have had with them. Are they wiring/module/programming issues? If so, would not apply to me.

But I’d really like to know if the units themselves are failing out in the wild. If so, might see if buying new from Ford gets me any sort of warranty (as opposed to used out of the bone yard like this one)

Or, if they are failing A LOT….might just yank it off and put my stock sway bar back on.

Mine failed just last week. I was wheeling in the snow, went through a decent, but very manageable dip, and it just failed. A few hours later, we parked for lunch. When I started the Bronco back up, error code was gone and it worked just fine. My guess is snow got in there and messed with the wiring.

 

[Figmo]

PROBLEM SOLVED - SO IT WAS THE TECH - BUT TURNS OUT IT WAS ALSO “USER SERVICABLE“ AFTER ALL

Advantages to living in a small town, I guess. Turns out the tech who worked on this thing is actually a friend of a friend. Mutual friend connected us. There aren’t any Wildtrak’s with SB discos around here so he actually remembers working on my vehicle.

Problem was that I put disconnects on my wiring, but I wanted to protect them so I taped over them. Tech didn’t see any disconnects and just assumed that mass of electrical tape WAS the connection and he didn’t want to mess with it. Don’t blame him there. Anyway, so he left the wiring connected when he removed it.

Apologized to him. I never even considered that they’d be removing the disconnect or I would have told him to just remove the tape and there’s an electrical connector under there.

Anyway, armed with that information, I went back under the Bronco and found one small wire on one of the solenoids that was broken right at the connector. Possibly from the stress of the disco dangling while being removed? Can’t say.

Regardless….was able to get it reconnected myself and a quick test later……WAH LAH….disconnect is back to working once again.

 

[2023bronco]

Tech didn’t see any disconnects and just assumed that mass of electrical tape WAS the connection and he didn’t want to mess with it.

You're lucky he didn't stop working on your car right then and there. I would have.

Do yourself and whoever works on you car a favor and get waterproof disconnects. Electrical tape is a temporary solution.

 

[Figmo]

You're lucky he didn't stop working on your car right then and there. I would have.

Do yourself and whoever works on you car a favor and get waterproof disconnects. Electrical tape is a temporary solution.

That’s what was under the tape

 

[604Bronco]

PROBLEM SOLVED - SO IT WAS THE TECH - BUT TURNS OUT IT WAS ALSO “USER SERVICABLE“ AFTER ALL

Advantages to living in a small town, I guess. Turns out the tech who worked on this thing is actually a friend of a friend. Mutual friend connected us. There aren’t any Wildtrak’s with SB discos around here so he actually remembers working on my vehicle.

Problem was that I put disconnects on my wiring, but I wanted to protect them so I taped over them. Tech didn’t see any disconnects and just assumed that mass of electrical tape WAS the connection and he didn’t want to mess with it. Don’t blame him there. Anyway, so he left the wiring connected when he removed it.

Apologized to him. I never even considered that they’d be removing the disconnect or I would have told him to just remove the tape and there’s an electrical connector under there.

Anyway, armed with that information, I went back under the Bronco and found one small wire on one of the solenoids that was broken right at the connector. Possibly from the stress of the disco dangling while being removed? Can’t say.

Regardless….was able to get it reconnected myself and a quick test later……WAH LAH….disconnect is back to working once again.

Glad it all worked out and sounds like a simple fix. Cooler heads prevailed

 

[andersman02]

That is exactly what I was going to suggest- there's such minimal things to stop working on the discos. Chances are that it has to do with the wiring to it.

I has the front seal on mine go bad also. When they did warranty work on it I told them about the front disconnect I added and told them to not cut it, just remove and pull it aside if possible, still connected. They did that, no problems, no questions.

Can't in here to say quickly check the wiring, good to hear all works now!

Sponsored