So, I picked up a new '22 Bronco Sport Big Bend Base model on 9/5/22… I know buying new isn’t always the best, but I was in a tough spot without a car, and this was available.
By 9/15/22, the battery had already died a few times. I wasn’t leaving any lights or features on, and I don’t use the mobile app or auto start. The dealership swapped out the battery but didn’t know why it kept dying.
Fast forward to 8/14/23, I come outside, and the car is dead again. Back to the dealership, and they say it’s fine and send me home. The next morning, it’s dead again. After a few visits, they kept it until 9/22/23, saying they’re completely stumped. They even brought in an expert who couldn’t pin down the issue. Eventually, I get a text saying they think they found the problem but didn’t explain what it was. They gave me a loaner, but that turned into a mess too, with them giving me the wrong car and making me come back. When I finally got my car back, they still couldn’t give me a clear answer on what went wrong.
Now, 9/13/24, guess what… battery’s dead again. I get it back on 9/16 with a new battery, and all recalls are supposedly up-to-date. But on 11/4/24, the battery dies yet again. I know the tow truck driver by now since he’s the one they always send! On 11/5, the dealership called and said they don’t want to service it anymore, and they’re sending it to a different dealership.
Safe to say, I’m trading it in the second I get it back.
I used to sell Fords for years. It sounds like you could have a case for the lemon law, depending on where you live. Typically, it applies if you’ve had to bring it in multiple times for the same issue, and the car’s been out of service for a certain number of days. Just know that once you mention ‘lemon law’ to the dealer, you have to go through a service rep instead. Hope that helps a bit.
Were you getting it replaced with the original Ford battery each time? I swapped mine for an aftermarket one, and I haven’t had battery issues with my '21 BB since.
Cameron said:
Did you get this from a Ford dealer? Doesn’t this fall under the lemon law?
I checked out the lemon law in my state, and I’d need to pay an attorney upfront, which could take over a year to settle. I don’t have the cash for that right now, so trading it in seems easier. I was hoping the recalls would fix it, but no luck.
@Frey
You might not need an attorney to go through the Lemon Law process. There’s usually a card in the owner’s manual you can mail directly to Ford. This gets you in touch with a Ford rep to handle the process.
Frey said: @Nova
Ford told me that once I start the lemon law process, I can’t talk to them or the dealership directly; everything goes through an attorney.
You don’t technically need an attorney for a lemon law claim, but it can help. If you’re comfortable handling the documents and talking to the dealer yourself, you could go for it alone. But if you hit resistance, an attorney who knows lemon law might make it simpler. Some states let you claim attorney fees if you win, so you might not end up paying out of pocket.
Man, that’s rough. My wife got her '22 Big Bend on 11/05/22, and it’s been great. Just routine maintenance and one recall update. No issues so far. Did something stop you from going for the lemon law route?
@Whit
Looked into it, but the upfront attorney fees are out of my budget, and the process could take over a year. Trading it in just seems easier for now. Thought all the recall work would sort it out, but nope.
@Frey
Understandable. You could still try reaching out to a firm for a free consultation. If they know lemon law cases in your area, they might have insights on if you’d have a solid case. Sounds so frustrating, I totally get wanting to just move on from it.