Ford Dropping Universal Remote for Bronco Sport

[Frenchy906]

A lot of the stuff that was dropped or made optional are things that most people don't use. And some of them are things that people have complained about.

How many people use a garage door opener? I don't see many people in my neighborhood or even city who seem to. And is it really so difficult to just use a remote and maybe bring it in with you so it can't be stolen?

The bull bar was something many people said was ugly, or was too much, or too wannabeish or whatever. So why keep it?

The charging port has been a problem for a lot of people since the beginning. It gets the phone hot (which happens with every wireless charger I've seen used), it doesn't work well with most covers, and it's loses the connection if the phone moves a bit. You need to have some foam or something to wedge the phone in place.

I don't think many people were using the grab handle, but it would have been nice if some of the things that Ford hinted would be coming out or could be made to go there would have been made. Maybe they were hoping for the aftermarket to make things. The only things I can' really think of would be a radio mount, phone holder, tablet holder (for something like ONYX or GAIA, or a vehicle monitor), or maybe a trash bag holder.

Getting rid of the lifgate lights is silly. Those were one of the best things. The standard trunk light sucks. Like in a lot of SUVs and CUVs it's in a terrible location if you have anything in the back as it's so low that a grocery bag or duffel bag blocks it.

I use my home link garage door opener at least twice a day.

I’ve also got an RF 12v switch for my ditch lights that is activated via home link. I use it all the time.

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[Dude]

RF 12v switch activated via homelink !!

Bronco Sports with the 3 homelink buttons using one for the garage door have always had 2 easily accessible AUX Switches built in

Great idea!! Looking for one now

 

[Ernest T]

I’m surprised more people are not using a wireless dongle for the sync3. I hate plugging my phone in except for longer trips. I don’t have the wireless charging pad but my battery doesn’t last the whole trip if going for several hours. Not having access to Carplay would be the biggest non starter for me when buying a new car. Almost all the other stuff is meh For me.

How is that working for you? After using sync4 in my BS I’ve been thinking about getting a dongle for my ‘17 F150.

 

[dwrufus53]

How is that working for you? After using sync4 in my BS I’ve been thinking about getting a dongle for my ‘17 F150.

In my experience with SYNC3 in my '21 Ranger, these dongles are very much "hit or miss". If you find a brand/model that works, it typically works very well. But often, they were unreliable, and left me incredibly frustrated. The biggest issue for me was the intermittent connectivity. And my suggestion is to take the reviews with a huge grain of salt. Some of the more highly recommended dongles were quite problematic for me.

My recommendation is to buy from Amazon so that returns are easy, and then keep trying them until you find one that works for you.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

How is that working for you? After using sync4 in my BS I’ve been thinking about getting a dongle for my ‘17 F150.

I’ve been using the Carlinkit 5.0 now for several years without issue for the most part. There are occasions where it doesn’t want to connect the first try but that is not often.

 

[Stircrazy]

Posted this before, but here it is again . . . Lay phone on pad face down; it won’t activate charger, so can even be wired for charging. Unless you need to see the screen this solves the storage and charging problem, and I think “all“ phone functions can be accessed from the infotainment screen.

it still activates it. if you put anything metal on it, it will actavate the charger. coins, etc.

 

[jkernitzki]

it still activates it. if you put anything metal on it, it will actavate the charger. coins, etc.

Ford follows the Qi ("chee") standard for wireless charging, which employs Foreign Object Detection to prevent non-chargeable objects from activating the charging circuit using a combination of inductive/resistive thresholds. It's not entirely foolproof, but random coins, keys, etc. should not activate charging under normal circumstances.

Also, wireless charging (or any other inductive power transfer) only works on ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals such as aluminum are completely non-responsive.

 

[Bill G]

it still activates it. if you put anything metal on it, it will actavate the charger. coins, etc.

Have a plastic??? case on my iPhone which slightly wraps over the front bezel. This must insulate the phone from the pad. My charging pad never activates, phone never gets warm, when placed face down on the pad. Have done this for four years+ with drives lasting as much as 8-10 hours without a problem.

 

[dwrufus53]

Have a plastic??? case on my iPhone which slightly wraps over the front bezel. This must insulate the phone from the pad. My charging pad never activates, phone never gets warm, when placed face down on the pad. Have done this for four years+ with drives lasting as much as 8-10 hours without a problem.

I use an iPhone case from Caudabe. According to their website, it's made from "ShockLite", a proprietary shock-absorbing polymer. My wireless charger always activates with this case.

 

[Schuelady]

well the wireless charge pad should have been deleted in 2022, it is garbage and basicly unusable for any android auto user.

universal garge has been hit and miss since its inception, hard to program and not always reliable.. I think it was disapearing in favore of homekit anyways, is that one being deleted also or just universal?

I am surperised people don't think rain sensing wipers are worth it though, well I guess if it never rains where you are. I find it the best when you are driving on a slushy highway orjust wet and overtaking abig truck and it just coats your window with slush/water spray. before I would have to read over and then turn the knob to fast spped so I could see, the auto sensing dows this before I can even think of moving my hand.

I have a 2025 Outer Banks I ordered and purchased in Jan of 2025. My universal garage door opener has worked perfectly since day 1 and my hubby didn't have any issues getting it set up!

 

[Schuelady]

Ford’s Universal garage door opener is gone across all Bronco Sport models in 2026

The reason it’s often “hard to program” has more to do with the type of garage door opener installed in someone’s garage - for me the Universal garage door opener is dirt simple to program and to delete the programming before selling the vehicle

And there are many Android users that report the Bronco sport charge pad works great!! Certainly helps when the phone isn’t allowed to slide around

I agree! I love my universal garage door opener and my Android Auto wireless phone charger works great!!

 

[Ernest T]

I’ve been using the Carlinkit 5.0 now for several years without issue for the most part. There are occasions where it doesn’t want to connect the first try but that is not often.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[Stircrazy]

Ford follows the Qi ("chee") standard for wireless charging, which employs Foreign Object Detection to prevent non-chargeable objects from activating the charging circuit using a combination of inductive/resistive thresholds. It's not entirely foolproof, but random coins, keys, etc. should not activate charging under normal circumstances.

Also, wireless charging (or any other inductive power transfer) only works on ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals such as aluminum are completely non-responsive.

maybe the foil blocks it then, I'll have to try it. but as for the coins and other metal opbjects, they will actavate it as I have watched it come up as active when I have mistakenly put somthing there. now you have a 2025, I know in my owners manual or the section on the charge pad says spicificly not to put any metal on the charge pad asside from the phone as it will actavate the charger.

 

[Stircrazy]

Have a plastic??? case on my iPhone which slightly wraps over the front bezel. This must insulate the phone from the pad. My charging pad never activates, phone never gets warm, when placed face down on the pad. Have done this for four years+ with drives lasting as much as 8-10 hours without a problem.

could be, I have a thick leather case and it works the same as when I take it out fo the case. I wonder if that is a i phone thing.

 

[Garth]

From the 2021 models up to 2026, a lot of things have been removed. But the price never went down. This is wrong. But this is how it is done now a days. It is not just ford, they all do stuff like this. I would love to have something that does not have all the junk I don't use in it. I just want plan old cruse-control, a radio, A/C, and if you are going to give me a screen then I want a GPS receiver in it, not apple or android auto. I don't need all the other thing, and the price tag that go's with it. A tail light should not cost $500 or more (for just the part) to replace.

Would you pay more for less things to go wrong, reverse psychology or extortion? lol

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