Thank You Ford

[Maine Bronco]

Well, it’s Christmas 2025 and I can’t begin to tell you what a disappointment my 2022 Ford bronco sport Big Bend is.



I’ve been a die hard Ford customer having owned F1 50s, Mustang, fusion, transit and bronco.



As a road salesman I ran into some of the usual little bumps along the way with this vehicle up until I retired in April 2025.



Today I’m a senior citizen living on a fixed income and apparently the transmission has failed.



Although the vehicle has 130 some odd thousand miles with over 80% being highway miles on it, I don’t think a transmission should go away in three years on a new vehicle.



The dealer quote to fix this is $8200 for a rebuild for 11,000 and change for another one. In either case I just cannot afford it. I have a $17,000 plus balance on my Ford credit loan and 36 months to go.



So I’m faced with a few options. The only ones that are available to me;



Park a useless vehicle and continue making a $537 a month car payment.



Take a credit hit and tell Ford to come pick it up.



Wait for a new class action lawsuit since this vehicle is known for tranny issues.



In any case, while I am still weighing these options. In the meantime if you’re looking at a Bronco Sport I would caution making that choice.

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[rocks]

130K is a lot of miles on a BS. I'm curious if you ever had any maintenance done on the trans. If I were a on road salesman, I would never have gone with a BS. I would have gone with a Toyota or Honda. You are lucky you never had issues with the 1.5L.
You are in a tough position. I wouldn't put $8200 in the BS but your situation may require that. I wish you well.

 

[Ernest T]

130K is a lot of miles on a BS. I'm curious if you ever had any maintenance done on the trans. If I were a on road salesman, I would never have gone with a BS. I would have gone with a Toyota or Honda. You are lucky you never had issues with the 1.5L.
You are in a tough position. I wouldn't put $8200 in the BS but your situation may require that. I wish you well.

Sounds like the $8200 is the cheapest way to extricate the OP from the situation without a hit to the credit report. Even that is a gamble given the other driveline issues that year is known for.

 

[rocks]

Sounds like the $8200 is the cheapest way to extricate the OP from the situation without a hit to the credit report. Even that is a gamble given the other driveline issues that year is known for.

True. With that number of miles, other things may pop up but he is in a very tough position but being retired means less miles per. Like you say, the only option may be the $8200 trans job.
He can also try a buy another vehicle now and let Ford pick up the BS. Credit shot but he would have another vehicle.

 

[Whpony96]

There is a lot of missing maintenance info from the OP. Let's be VERY CLEAR lack of proper maintenance on your part is not Ford's fault.

 

[rocks]

There is a lot of missing maintenance info from the OP. Let's be VERY CLEAR lack of proper maintenance on your part is not Ford's fault.

Many owners read this and fail to perform any transmission maintenance.


AI Overview

For a Ford Bronco Sport, Ford officially recommends changing the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) at
150,000 miles for normal driving,

 

[jkernitzki]

Many owners read this and fail to perform any transmission maintenance.


AI Overview

For a Ford Bronco Sport, Ford officially recommends changing the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) at
150,000 miles for normal driving,

IMO, 130k in 3 years (more than three times the national average) would qualify for a severe duty maintenance schedule. In that case, every 30-60k for trans fluid is more appropriate.

 

[rocks]

IMO, 130k in 3 years (more than three times the national average) would qualify for a severe duty maintenance schedule. In that case, every 30-60k for trans fluid is more appropriate.

Is 80K highway miles severe duty? Maybe, maybe not. I don't follow automanufacturers' recommendations on many things. Oil and trans would be two. I do many sooner.

 

[Whpony96]

One thing that has changed over the last 20 years with Ford. Ford NO LONGER wants your vehicle to last for 10+ years. Ford's "Lifetime" is the day the warranty expires. My 2018 Explorer actually stated in the owners manual that the CVT's fluid was "lifetime" and never needed changed. Well look online at all the Ford's CVT issues. You can bet your bottom dollar I didn't follow that rule and I changed that fluid every 10000mi. (And the whopping 6-8oz of fluid was opaque black at that point too.) I knew Ford was changing it's viewpoint on longevity the day they removed dipsticks from automatic transmissions. DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT follow the owners manual for any listed fluid maintenance.

 

[thomasm23]

Well, it’s Christmas 2025 and I can’t begin to tell you what a disappointment my 2022 Ford bronco sport Big Bend is.



I’ve been a die hard Ford customer having owned F1 50s, Mustang, fusion, transit and bronco.



As a road salesman I ran into some of the usual little bumps along the way with this vehicle up until I retired in April 2025.



Today I’m a senior citizen living on a fixed income and apparently the transmission has failed.



Although the vehicle has 130 some odd thousand miles with over 80% being highway miles on it, I don’t think a transmission should go away in three years on a new vehicle.



The dealer quote to fix this is $8200 for a rebuild for 11,000 and change for another one. In either case I just cannot afford it. I have a $17,000 plus balance on my Ford credit loan and 36 months to go.



So I’m faced with a few options. The only ones that are available to me;



Park a useless vehicle and continue making a $537 a month car payment.



Take a credit hit and tell Ford to come pick it up.



Wait for a new class action lawsuit since this vehicle is known for tranny issues.



In any case, while I am still weighing these options. In the meantime if you’re looking at a Bronco Sport I would caution making that choice.

Please let us know what the symptoms of your transmission issues are.

What did the dealer diagnose as the issue and what is their recommendation?

 

[Maine Bronco]

First of all, 130k is nothing these days. I have run cars to 180k and swapped them out in mint condition, just as this Bronco is. And as much as Toyota has a good reputation, I really try to stay with American brands.
Having run a Mustang Drag Car for many years, I am mechanically inclined.
I run synthetic oil and changes get done routinely and religiously.

Symptoms; similar to the recall for Software upgrades- where the car goes into limp mode and shifts right back into park.
I went to back out of a parking spot and the car would not move. Then a huge jolt.
Moved forward fine for about 1/4 mile then raced and would not move. Pulled into a parking lot and same thing- car went right into park.
Dealer did not take the car apart but provided quotes for rebuild and replacement from their in house “tranny expert, the best around” I was told.
The next option is to pick up a low mileage used tranny from LKQ and tackle this myself. $2500 beats Fords Dealer pricing for sure.

 

[rocks]

Have you done any maintenance on the trans?

 

[thomasm23]

Dealer did not take the car apart but provided quotes for rebuild and replacement from their in house “tranny expert, the best around” I was told.

The transmission techs at a dealer are not that good. If they were, they would leave and be at an independent transmission shop making a lot more money.

I would talk to an on independent local transmission shop and get a quote. The dealer is the most expensive place in town for transmission work.

I agree with your comments regarding miles on the vehicle. I have 170,000 miles on my 21 BS OB.

I also have a 2009 Escape XLT V6 with over 350,000 miles. Original engine. I had to have the transmission rebuilt.

 

[Bill G]

One thing that has changed over the last 20 years with Ford. Ford NO LONGER wants your vehicle to last for 10+ years. Ford's "Lifetime" is the day the warranty expires. My 2018 Explorer actually stated in the owners manual that the CVT's fluid was "lifetime" and never needed changed. Well look online at all the Ford's CVT issues. You can bet your bottom dollar I didn't follow that rule and I changed that fluid every 10000mi. (And the whopping 6-8oz of fluid was opaque black at that point too.) I knew Ford was changing it's viewpoint on longevity the day they removed dipsticks from automatic transmissions. DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT follow the owners manual for any listed fluid maintenance.

AND Ford is not the only one . . . They started removing dip sticks and calling the fluid “Lifetime” back in the early 2000’s, maybe even earlier. Mt first experience was in 2002-2003.

 

[Whpony96]

First of all, 130k is nothing these days. I have run cars to 180k and swapped them out in mint condition, just as this Bronco is. And as much as Toyota has a good reputation, I really try to stay with American brands.
Having run a Mustang Drag Car for many years, I am mechanically inclined.
I run synthetic oil and changes get done routinely and religiously.

Symptoms; similar to the recall for Software upgrades- where the car goes into limp mode and shifts right back into park.
I went to back out of a parking spot and the car would not move. Then a huge jolt.
Moved forward fine for about 1/4 mile then raced and would not move. Pulled into a parking lot and same thing- car went right into park.
Dealer did not take the car apart but provided quotes for rebuild and replacement from their in house “tranny expert, the best around” I was told.
The next option is to pick up a low mileage used tranny from LKQ and tackle this myself. $2500 beats Fords Dealer pricing for sure.

"130k is nothing these days." That is exactly what Automakers want you to think. When in fact today's engines and transmissions are working harder and in more severe conditions than ever before. My 1996 GT makes 216 HP from a 4.6L V-8 and weighs 3,277 lbs, Your Bronco Sport Makes 181hp from a 1.5l 3cyl. and it has to haul 3,467 lbs through a 4wd system to boot. What engine and trans is working harder?

Sorry, 130,000mi in 3 years is NOT light or normal duty. That is in fact considered extreme duty. How many times has the transmission fluid been changed in the last 3 years? How many times has the CVT and differential fluid been changed? You are still not telling us how well you maintained your Bronco Sport.

As for finding a trans from LKQ it won't be easy this is issue happening to a lot of people and there is more demand than supply.

Toyota, Honda, Subaru rely on their past reputation. Heck ask yourself this, "If Toyota and Honda are so reliable then why do they have a service department?" They simply are not the same as they used to be. A couple of techs I know won't even work on a Subaru anymore they immediately turn them away. My neighbor has a Toyota Tundra and has had more problems with it than all 6 of my Fords combined. Needless to say he isn't falling for the "Toyota is more reliable" BS anymore.

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