If you’re a buyer of the 2021 model year Ford Bronco, you should pay attention to your car’s performance. According to more than two dozen owners, these cars tend to catastrophically turn off while driving. Even worse, many of these failures occurred just months after purchasing the vehicles.
Unexpected engine failures are never good, but they can be particularly dangerous in SUVs like the Ford Bronco. Keep reading to learn more about these failures, how they could harm you or other drivers, and how to work with Ford to get your car repaired for good.
Investigating Ford Broncos for Random Engine Stalls
The Ford Bronco has never been known for reliability, and the 2021 year model is no exception. Ford has already issued three recalls for the vehicle for issues including faulty child locks, passenger airbag defects, and sluggish automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. However, the stalling issue is the first that has led to owner petitions to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The NHTSA is responsible for investigating potentially dangerous vehicle flaws. Three Bronco owners have petitioned the NHTSA to open an investigation into the vehicles to determine whether the motor problems are a consistent, dangerous issue.
According to their reports, their SUVs lost power entirely while driving. After pulling over, their vehicles would not restart because the power failure was caused by catastrophic damage. One owner had to replace their car’s engine three separate times after driving less than 1500 miles each.
These owners claim that the engine issues are the result of faulty valves. They state that the mechanics who checked their SUVs after the stalls reported “dropped valves” that led to total engine failure. A dropped valve occurs when a piston hits a valve within the engine and bends or breaks it. Pieces of the “dropped” valve then fall into the pistons, throwing off their timing and leading to catastrophic block damage.
The NHTSA hasn’t yet confirmed whether it will investigate Ford Bronco engine block failures. However, even a threat of an NHTSA investigation often prompts manufacturers to perform their own internal investigations and issue recalls for faulty vehicles. However, until that occurs, Bronco owners may be stuck with dangerous cars that could stop working at any time.
Dangers of Unexpected Engine Stalls
Motor stalls are never a good thing, but they can be a serious problem in SUVs. Vehicles like the Ford Bronco are designed to operate both on highways and off-road. That means owners can face a range of dangerous situations if the car stalls unexpectedly.
The most obvious danger from a stalled engine is the risk of car crashes. Bronco owners who reported Motor stalls frequently mention that the issues occurred on highways or busy roads. Without motor power, drivers must rely on coasting to get to the side of the road and out of traffic.
Obviously, this put many Bronco owners at risk of accidents. A motor failure doesn’t turn on the car’s brake lights, so drivers behind the vehicle have no way to know it’s slowing down. Many drivers narrowly avoided getting rear-ended by other vehicles or hit in intersections as they maneuvered their cars to a safe place out of traffic.
Stalled engines can also leave people stranded. Whether a driver is alongside a busy highway or traveling offroad, a destroyed motor means they’re stuck there until they can get help. This can put people at risk of pedestrian accidents if they try to walk to get help or leave their cars along busy roads.
How to Work with Ford to Address Ford Bronco Engine Problems
When cars have significant, dangerous flaws, manufacturers are legally obligated to fix those issues. Your 2021 Bronco is almost certainly still under warranty, so you have the opportunity to hold Ford accountable for engine failures. Here’s how you can take action to ensure you’re not stuck with the bill for a new engine when the failure was caused by Ford’s manufacturing errors.
Take Your Car to the Dealer Mechanic Right Away
Manufacturing defects like a flawed engine are covered under California’s lemon laws. These statutes state that you must give the manufacturer a reasonable opportunity to fix serious defects before filing a lemon claim. If your car’s motor fails, make sure you take it to the dealership’s mechanic to give them the chance to fix it.
Document Continuing Engine Issues
Hopefully, a single repair or replacement will solve your problems for good. On the off chance that the problem happens again, keep detailed notes about every engine failure you experience.
California lemon laws give manufacturers two opportunities to repair potentially deadly issues like motor failures. They also make it clear that any manufacturing defect that leaves your car out of commission for an unreasonable period (usually more than thirty days) is unacceptable. Track these issues to know when it’s time to take legal action.
File a Lemon Claim
If your car is still under warranty and experiences multiple engine failures or is kept in the shop for more than 30 days, you have grounds to file a lemon law claim. These civil claims force a manufacturer to replace or refund your car if they can’t fix it. You can learn more about filing lemon law claims by reading our Consumers’ Guide To Lemon Law.
Resolve Manufacturer Defects Permanently with Johnson & Buxton
No car owner should accept that their car’s motor may fail at any time for no apparent reason. If you’re a Bronco owner and your SUV’s engine has already failed, it’s time to get help. You can make the most of California’s warranty laws by filing a lemon law claim about your car.
If you’re unsure whether you qualify, you can take our quiz to see if your vehicle is eligible for California lemon claims. Otherwise, you can request a free consultation with the experts at Johnson & Buxton to discuss your situation and learn what you can do about your vehicle’s engine failure. Stop worrying about catastrophic engine failures and start taking action to get your car repaired, replaced, or refunded today.
