Excessively slow warm up times?

[WoodmanMN]

We bought our 2021 Bronco Sport Base in May 2021. Overall it runs very well, but I've noticed that it takes excessively long to reach normal operating temperature.

I live in northern Minnesota. So far this winter temps have varied from low 30's to -20's farenheit. I believe the thermostat is leaking (and it's going in to be checked this weekend), because since my drive to work is very short (less than 10 min at 35 to 50 mph) I use the remote start to get the car up to temp before I get to work.
If I let the car run 10 to 15 minutes, the car barely reaches the middle of the gauge by the time I get to work. On my days where I go to an alternate site for work, with a 25 minute drive reaching 60mph, all flat land, the car reaches temp, but once I slow down to 30 for the second half of the drive, it drops to below the first line on the gauge. I have never had a vehicle so bad at maintaining temperature before.

Anyone else having a similar issue, or do we think it's a thermostat issue?

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[Flash3x]

Sounds like a thermostat hanging open to me. The slow warm up doesn’t necessarily sound like a major issue, I’ve had vehicles that took forever to warm up. But once it gets to operating temp it should stay there, even at -30 it should stay in normal range. If this was a big Diesel engine then yeah, they do that. Never seen a gasoline engine that didn’t stay at operating temp unless something was wrong.

FYI it’s been down to as low as -10 here in PA for a few nights the last couple weeks, the 2.0 in our Badlands amazes me how fast it starts throwing heat to the defrosters. Within 5 minutes it’s melting the snow and ice on the windshield. I can’t recall ever having a vehicle that gave heat that fast in 0 degree weather.

 

[WoodmanMN]

Sounds like a thermostat hanging open to me. The slow warm up doesn’t necessarily sound like a major issue, I’ve had vehicles that took forever to warm up. But once it gets to operating temp it should stay there, even at -30 it should stay in normal range. If this was a big Diesel engine then yeah, they do that. Never seen a gasoline engine that didn’t stay at operating temp unless something was wrong.

FYI it’s been down to as low as -10 here in PA for a few nights the last couple weeks, the 2.0 in our Badlands amazes me how fast it starts throwing heat to the defrosters. Within 5 minutes it’s melting the snow and ice on the windshield. I can’t recall ever having a vehicle that gave heat that fast in 0 degree weather.

Yeah, the 2.0EB is a good motor. I've been driving enough busted down beaters in my life to be fairly certain it's a bat thermostat, thankfully stuck open instead of closed, that stinks when it happens, but I agree, I've never had a gas motor, especially a smaller, aluminum block 3 or 4 cylinder, take this long to get warm. I'm just hoping the dealership doesn't try and yank my chain on it.

 

[69cuda340s]

Turbo charged engines should warm up fairly quick. Plus active grill shutters should be shut to block air to radiator to speed warm ups. Yes sounds like thermostat not working correctly.

 

[WoodmanMN]

Turbo charged engines should warm up fairly quick. Plus active grill shutters should be shut to block air to radiator to speed warm ups. Yes sounds like thermostat not working correctly.

Does the base even have the active shutters?

 

[69cuda340s]

Does the base even have the active shutters?

Pretty sure they all have them to try to reduce drag and increase fuel economy.

 

[AndyMac204]

yup, base has active shutters. mine froze when i washed the sport. had to park it facing the sun for a day to let them thaw.

 

[21Broncosaurus]

We bought our 2021 Bronco Sport Base in May 2021. Overall it runs very well, but I've noticed that it takes excessively long to reach normal operating temperature.

I live in northern Minnesota. So far this winter temps have varied from low 30's to -20's farenheit. I believe the thermostat is leaking (and it's going in to be checked this weekend), because since my drive to work is very short (less than 10 min at 35 to 50 mph) I use the remote start to get the car up to temp before I get to work.
If I let the car run 10 to 15 minutes, the car barely reaches the middle of the gauge by the time I get to work. On my days where I go to an alternate site for work, with a 25 minute drive reaching 60mph, all flat land, the car reaches temp, but once I slow down to 30 for the second half of the drive, it drops to below the first line on the gauge. I have never had a vehicle so bad at maintaining temperature before.

Anyone else having a similar issue, or do we think it's a thermostat issue?

Yup my Big Bend takes forever to warm up at low speeds. I do 95% hwy driving so doesn’t bother me too much. Eventually I’ll get the thermostat checked out.

 

[Orin]

I get to operating temps within about 5-10 minutes of driving and it stays at a constant temp after that. For sure get it in the dealership thats what the warranty is for.

 

[Osco]

I’m at 15,000 plus miles
1.5 L base model
My average cold morning remote starts and 15 minute warm up idles happen in the very mellow low 20’s and produces a medium heat from the vents when I get in after 10 or 12 minutes. NOTE: (WITH the fan on 3 or 4. At fan speed 7 I’d still get cold air). A mile later of 35 to 45 mph easy driving my water temp gage is on the rise and I have plenty of heat to start warming the cabin.
At this point I’m turning down the fan a little and backing off the temp control.
About at this point my gage is coming to the first mark.
Now I get on the four lane and gitty up to my cruising speed of 65 mph.
Two miles later my gage is at its normal position. That’s about 40 to 45% up the gage, just short of the middle. There it stays.
BUT ! At 7500 miles it took TWICE as much distance to to this,,,,
Follow me ?
,
Remember If you remote start and turn your heater all the way up and then run your fan at 5,6, or 7 you just added an extra non thermostat controlled radiator in you dash to your cooling system. You’ll never warm up… Get me ?
,
I use last settings, and set my cabin thermo just into the red and mostly fan speed 3 for my remote start warm up.
Auto mode does well also.
,
The Turbo lesson :
.
Turbos on small engines produce heat yes but they are mounted on the Outside of the engine. They Ram cold air Into the engine. They delay warmup especially in cold conditions.
‘Here Endith the Lesson’
?

 

[JerryC]

That's one thing I had not considered, that small engines don't make a lot of heat and how that affects cabin temp in the winter.

The heater core acting as a radiator keeping engine coolant temp down and as soon as the engine gets warm enough to crack the thermostat open that radiator full of cold coolant is there to knock the engine temp right back down.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

We bought our 2021 Bronco Sport Base in May 2021. Overall it runs very well, but I've noticed that it takes excessively long to reach normal operating temperature.

I live in northern Minnesota. So far this winter temps have varied from low 30's to -20's farenheit. I believe the thermostat is leaking (and it's going in to be checked this weekend), because since my drive to work is very short (less than 10 min at 35 to 50 mph) I use the remote start to get the car up to temp before I get to work.
If I let the car run 10 to 15 minutes, the car barely reaches the middle of the gauge by the time I get to work. On my days where I go to an alternate site for work, with a 25 minute drive reaching 60mph, all flat land, the car reaches temp, but once I slow down to 30 for the second half of the drive, it drops to below the first line on the gauge. I have never had a vehicle so bad at maintaining temperature before.

Anyone else having a similar issue, or do we think it's a thermostat issue?

Good morning, Woody! Could you please send us a private message with your VIN and dealership information? I would like to look into this warm up concern for you on my end. Thanks!

 

[WoodmanMN]

I’m at 15,000 plus miles
1.5 L base model
My average cold morning remote starts and 15 minute warm up idles happen in the very mellow low 20’s and produces a medium heat from the vents when I get in after 10 or 12 minutes. NOTE: (WITH the fan on 3 or 4. At fan speed 7 I’d still get cold air). A mile later of 35 to 45 mph easy driving my water temp gage is on the rise and I have plenty of heat to start warming the cabin.
At this point I’m turning down the fan a little and backing off the temp control.
About at this point my gage is coming to the first mark.
Now I get on the four lane and gitty up to my cruising speed of 65 mph.
Two miles later my gage is at its normal position. That’s about 40 to 45% up the gage, just short of the middle. There it stays.
BUT ! At 7500 miles it took TWICE as much distance to to this,,,,
Follow me ?
,
Remember If you remote start and turn your heater all the way up and then run your fan at 5,6, or 7 you just added an extra non thermostat controlled radiator in you dash to your cooling system. You’ll never warm up… Get me ?
,
I use last settings, and set my cabin thermo just into the red and mostly fan speed 3 for my remote start warm up.
Auto mode does well also.
,
The Turbo lesson :
.
Turbos on small engines produce heat yes but they are mounted on the Outside of the engine. They Ram cold air Into the engine. They delay warmup especially in cold conditions.
‘Here Endith the Lesson’
?

I've lived in northern MN for over 20 years. I've had vehicles with small, aluminum block engines for the vast majority of that 20 years. My HVAC is never past half fan, and the temp is rarely up to 3/4. When it's idling in the driveway for warm up, the heater is generally at a lower setting because I know how heaters work. And, every other vehicle I've ever had warms up just fine with a small amount of driving. This one simply does not. I suspect it's a bad thermostat, which is a relatively simple thing, and thermostats can go bad. Just because it's "new" doesn't mean it's right. I've been wrenching on cars for almost 40 years. It's defective.

 

[JerryC]

I've lived in northern MN for over 20 years. I've had vehicles with small, aluminum block engines for the vast majority of that 20 years. My HVAC is never past half fan, and the temp is rarely up to 3/4. When it's idling in the driveway for warm up, the heater is generally at a lower setting because I know how heaters work. And, every other vehicle I've ever had warms up just fine with a small amount of driving. This one simply does not. I suspect it's a bad thermostat, which is a relatively simple thing, and thermostats can go bad. Just because it's "new" doesn't mean it's right. I've been wrenching on cars for almost 40 years. It's defective.

It's good you turn wrenches because
what we need is data. What is the air temp at the vents and what is the coolant temp in the engine. What is the temp drop across the heater core.

With that data we will know if the engine is getting to operating temperature, is hot coolant going to the heater core, is the heater core transferring that heat to the vents, and it may indicate a blend door issue of temp at vents is low.

An ODBII reader might get you the coolant temp in the engine. An IR temp gun on the heater hoses and thermometer in the vents should do it.

 

[Osco]

I gave enough ‘data’ In my post above. Show them that.

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