Anyone else having constant issues with the 2023 Bronco Sport… mine was a nightmare

Bought my 2023 Bronco Sport Outer Banks brand new less than two years ago, and it’s been nothing but problems. Really glad I got the extended warranty because I’ve never owned a Ford this unreliable. I’ve been a Ford owner for 18 years, and this one was the worst.

I loved how it looked, but it let me down over and over. Took care of all maintenance, but that didn’t seem to help. Sync had to be replaced at 12K, and it took three visits to the dealership to fix it. Powertrain broke three times starting at 30K miles—of course, just outside the lemon law.

After the first year, it started struggling to get up hills. Brakes were already shot at 30K, which has never happened to me before. The 1.5L 3-cylinder felt completely gutless.

Really wanted to keep this for years, but after it stranded me multiple times, I gave up and traded it in yesterday. Just a heads-up to anyone thinking about getting one… hope mine was just a fluke and not a common issue.

I have a 2022 Bronco Sport, and so far, no major issues. Sorry you went through that.

Kai said:
@Beryl
What did you trade it for? I’m looking for a small SUV in the $25K range, and I’ve always been a Ford fan, but posts like this make me think twice about the Bronco Sport.

Went with a 2024 Escape Platinum. Bigger engine, way more features, and got a good deal with a trade-in offer above blue book value. Still wish the Bronco Sport had worked out, though.

@Dallas
That sounds exhausting. Have you thought about trading it in? Might not be worth keeping with all those issues.

That sucks. Did you check if it qualified under the lemon law? I have the same model, almost two years old now with 17K miles, and I haven’t had any major problems other than a recall fix.

Vic said:
That sucks. Did you check if it qualified under the lemon law? I have the same model, almost two years old now with 17K miles, and I haven’t had any major problems other than a recall fix.

I missed the mileage limit for the lemon law in Washington, so I was stuck with it. Feels like I just got unlucky. Glad yours is holding up well!

@Beryl
Hope your new ride treats you better!

I work for Ford, and these are always in the shop for something.

Fraser said:
I work for Ford, and these are always in the shop for something.

That’s exactly why we decided to trade it in. The last service tech basically admitted they see these in the shop all the time. When the gas mileage got worse and the idling became rough, that was the last straw.

@Beryl
The 1.5L takes forever to warm up properly. Once it’s fully warm, it idles better, but yeah, they spend a lot of time in the shop.

@Beryl
What did you trade it for? I’m looking for a small SUV in the $25K range, and I’ve always been a Ford fan, but posts like this make me think twice about the Bronco Sport.

I have a 2024 Bronco Sport as a fleet vehicle. It’s honestly a mess.

2021 Big Bend with 70K km… where do I even start? Turbo, catalytic converter, starter, alternator, battery, water pump, front brake recall, purge valve assembly…

Been driving Fords for 30 years, and this is by far the worst one. Everything was covered under warranty, but it’s ridiculous how much had to be replaced. They told me I should trade it in for a new one… I told them, ‘Why? You’ve basically rebuilt the whole thing for free.’

@Ollie
Sorry you had to deal with all that. Sounds awful.

Beryl said:
@Ollie
Sorry you had to deal with all that. Sounds awful.

Yeah, at this point, I’m just waiting for the engine and transmission to go before the warranty expires. At least I won’t have to pay for it lol.

I have a 2023 Outer Banks, and mine has been fine. Hope your next car treats you better.

That’s rough. I have a 2024 OBX, and I had some emissions issues early on, but nothing too crazy. Still, I have some regret about buying it. What did you end up trading yours for?

2023 Big Bend, 23K km, no issues so far. My lease is up in the spring, though, and I don’t think I’m willing to buy it outright. Might look for a 4-cylinder instead, or switch to a different brand altogether.

Bought a 2022 two months ago, and I’ve already had the transmission replaced, brakes redone, and a new catalytic converter installed.

I have a 2021 Outer Banks with 30K miles. The only thing I had to replace was a turn signal light and the tires. That’s it.