I have come to a conclusion....

[Bucko]

JD Power reaches a different conclusion:
Bronco Sport Reliability
Is the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Reliable?
The 2023 Ford Bronco Sport has a predicted reliability score of 87 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.

Once again, I'm not disputing majority issues. I am basing my thoughts and posts with those that fit into the 13 percent category of predicted reliability (87 out of 100) that also receive less than stellar support from the dealership, due in part to lack of replacement parts. This stat for dealership reliability is not so good:

Those that have had no issues with repair would not experience this of course. Those that have a failing transmission or other component failure and the dealer can't get parts, or does not have a service time schedule to work on the vehicle (and why is that?).

Sponsored

 

[Mark S.]

Once again, I'm not disputing majority issues. I am basing my thoughts and posts with those that fit into the 13 percent category predicted reliability (87 out of 100) that also receive less than stellar support from the dealership, due in part to lack of replacement parts. Those that have a failing transmission or other component failure and the dealer can't get parts, or does not have a service time schedule to work on the vehicle (and why is that?).

How does Ford's rating on service compare to other vehicles in this class? Would you rather have a vehicle that's less reliable with higher rated service, or a vehicle that's more reliable with lower rated service?

The past few years have seen stunning changes in the automotive market. All manufacturers have experienced issues related to the supply chain disruption (I've posted example after example).

You are providing a perfect example of why I spend so much time rebutting/correcting non-factual claims here on the forum. Apparently my efforts are wasted if you believe readers should be discouraged from purchasing a Bronco Sport based on what they read here on the forum.

 

[PugDad]

Interesting that Lamborghini and Mercedes have part supply and service tech issues too. I guess I won't have one of those anytime soon in my garage.

In times long ago, I kept my wife in a BMW...I worked out of the country, and wanted to know she or our young son would never be left stranded somewhere. if she ever had a breakdown, they would come to her (even would call another BMW dealership if she was out of town) take her a loner car, and bring hers back for service. Sure, I paid a good amount for the car, but got great perks for doing it.

I sure don't expect that with domestic cars today, but I also don't expect that parts cannot be had in a decent timeframe, or that a loner is not available when your BS (under warranty) is going to be out of commission for a long time waiting on such parts. This is acceptable today to most? Maybe I'm old, and/or living in a dream world.

Yes, I'm old.

Couldn’t agree more . Not about you being old part! The body of the post.

 

[RBJRBJ]

I have a trouble free 2023 BS Outer Banks edition. We have under 2000 miles on it to date, and bought it 5 months ago.

Again no issues so far. I like it. So does the wife. Drives great, gets good gas mileage, looks good.

However, had I joined this forum prior to its purchase and read through the majority of threads that state issues and questionable service experiences, I most likely would have looked into other vehicles to purchase.

Don't get me wrong, we have had absolutely no issues, and no complaints with the BS. Sales person was great, dealership was good. I have not had to take it in for any service yet, so I have no positive or negative opinions on that.

It just concerns me to read through this forum and see so many issues with their BS pertaining to component failures and service getting it repaired. I've been on countless forums in my past, and never saw the amount of negative issues pertaining to component failures that I'm reading here.

I just traded a 2-door 2019 Jeep Rubicon for a 2-door 2023 Bronco Wildcat. There’s no comparison…….while the Rubicon would outperform off-road rock climbing etc. but, on the highway and just running around town, the Rubicon rides very rough, very bouncy and the steering wheel wobble kicks in at about 45 mph. The Bronco, with independent front suspension, rides smoothly, not bouncy and no death wobble. The Wildtrak has some of the same type of equipment locking differential, loosen sway bar etc for off-road for individuals who want that functionality. In terms, of interior and exterior looks and ride comfort with greater rear storage space than a Jeep. Like others here responding I have had no issues, no back to the dealership fixes and so far, no recalls. Very happy with my decision to trade for a Bronco Wikdkat.

 

[cgreen5150]

I've had my Big Bend for just over a year and have had over 29,000 trouble free miles!

 

[Bucko]

How does Ford's rating on service compare to other vehicles in this class? Would you rather have a vehicle that's less reliable with higher rated service, or a vehicle that's more reliable with lower rated service?

The past few years have seen stunning changes in the automotive market. All manufacturers have experienced issues related to the supply chain disruption (I've posted example after example).

You are providing a perfect example of why I spend so much time rebutting/correcting non-factual claims here on the forum. Apparently my efforts are wasted if you believe readers should be discouraged from purchasing a Bronco Sport based on what they read here on the forum.

I'd rather see a more reliable and high rated service, if your asking.

Your not wasting time with your rebutting claims, but are you saying that those who have had failing transmissions or other parts and can't get them repaired are non factual? And not discouraging anyone from buying a BS. It's been fine for me so far.

I'll stop my responses to this topic. It seems to get too many folks in a tizzy. I'll hope that all do not experience any of the faults that others report, and that we all have a non troublesome experience with the BS's we own.

 

[Mark S.]

I'd rather see a more reliable and high rated service, if your asking.

We'd all like that, but life is full of tradeoffs. What's available?

Your not wasting time with your rebutting claims, but are you saying that those who have had failing transmissions or other parts and can't get them repaired are non factual?

I don't believe I've made any such statements. Cars are mechanical devices that sometimes break. My rebuttals are typically to individuals making claims regarding model- or brand-wide quality based on their individual experience. ALL manufacturers produce the occasional lemon. That doesn't mean all vehicles from that manufacturer are lemons. I also try to help those with what I feel are unrealistic expectations regarding maintenance better understand the issues facing maintenance professionals.

And not discouraging anyone from buying a BS. It's been fine for me so far.

??? This is a quote from your original post on this topic:

[I'm a satisfied owner, but], had I joined this forum prior to its purchase and read through the majority of threads that state issues and questionable service experiences, I most likely would have looked into other vehicles to purchase. It just concerns me to read through this forum and see so many issues with their BS pertaining to component failures and service getting it repaired. I've been on countless forums in my past, and never saw the amount of negative issues pertaining to component failures that I'm reading here.

What did you expect readers to glean from these comments?

I'll stop my responses to this topic. It seems to get too many folks in a tizzy.

I haven't read any replies on this topic I would characterize like that. Disagreement doesn't equal a tizzy.

 

[wireman]

A couple weeks ago I had a TSB & SSM done on my 2021 BL I bought used 1/2023. Made an appt.

Went in earl, 0815, and my service rep told me his electrical tech was behind and they probably couldn't get to it the same day.

They offered me a rental from Enterprise till my car was done. I do have the PremiumCare extended warranty with the rental car rider so I'm not sure if the rental would have been offered without this.

The car was done the next day and both issues were fixed. The only issues I still have is the S/S continues to be an issue which I contribute to the LA battery.

15K miles and I'm satisfied with the BS so far. Satisfied with my Ford service department.

FYI, I had to wait about an hour for the rental vehicle. Enterprise said that Ford corporate requires any rental because of warranty work, has to be a Ford vehicle.

My dealer quit offering courtesy rides when covid started, and they haven't gone back to the policy since.

 

[Arcee]

Would you rather have a vehicle that's less reliable with higher rated service, or a vehicle that's more reliable with lower rated service?

This is kind of an interesting question when taken by itself.

People will always want the best service on those occasions where they need to go to the dealer. If you have a very reliable car, but then a horrible service experience when something does eventually go wrong, that could really hurt someone's opinion of the brand. However, if you have a car that has a lot of issues, but always get great service when you take it in, that could mean that owner doesn't care they have problems if they know they will always get good service. I would rather know that service will be good when I have a problem, as opposed to having the double frustration of a reliable vehicle with a problem and subpar service to get that infrequent problem resolved.

My current car has been very reliable over the past 8.5 years (only 1 warranty repair; otherwise routine maintenance.) However the dealer experience has been less than ideal at multiple different dealers (as soon as it was out of warranty I started having service done at an independent mechanic.) That has me not wanting to purchase another vehicle from any brand of that manufacturer. So regardless of a good product experience, the service experience has turned me off from that brand as I think about another 3-5 years of having to deal with their service departments.

Everyone has a different tolerance for problems and service expectations. It's a very subjective thing.

 

[sajohnson]

I'll say again, our BS BL has been trouble-free, and my wife loves it (I rarely drive it but I like it too).

That said, just as posts about a lemon (any make/model) generally cannot be extrapolated to all identical models, neither do anecdotal positive experiences mean much -- especially on an enthusiast forum. By their nature, forums attract fans of the subject of the forum.

Not only are forum members strongly inclined to post nothing but praise for the product, they circle the wagons whenever someone has the audacity to suggest the product is less than perfect. Typically, the 'infidel' is personally attacked and their post is not taken seriously. Others who have had problems see that treatment and decide to remain silent.

According to JD Power, the BS is very reliable. Needless to say, that's good news. Their data may be 100% accurate. I certainly hope so. Something to keep in mind however is that JD Power makes their money from the car mfrs. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that they are not honest, but they do have a monetary incentive to 'embellish': their ratings. After all, higher ratings = more $$.

Quote:

"Because companies pay J.D. Power licensing fees, there are situations in which J.D. Power is making money off the very companies it’s ranking. This possible conflict of interest is something competitor "Consumer Reports" addressed in a May 2020 article. The article called attention to the fact that J.D. Power charges fees for companies to access survey results, mention the firm in ads, and participate in the Certified Customer Service Program."
https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-jd-power-5092600

Once again, that does not necessarily mean they are not trustworthy, but it does raise valid questions.

Another good article (generally positive):
https://www.forbes.com/wheels/advice/how-consumers-should-use-j-d-power-ratings-for-car-shopping/

I could not find the CR article referenced in the quote above, but FWIW, CR rates brands (as well as individual models) for reliability. Ford did OK -- 63/100; vs 45 for Land Rover and 81 for BMW.

The BS BL gets a bum rap because CR does not differentiate between the various trim levels. So any recalls affect the reliability rating of all BS trims. Initially (before we bought our BL) the reliability rating was excellent. Now it has sunk quite a bit. I think that is primarily due to the recalls, which is somewhat misleading. Recalls correct a known problem -- after which (usually) the problem does not occur again, and the car may be very reliable (that happened with my 2002 WRX). IOW, a bunch of recalls is never a good thing, but it's more of a measure of initial quality than long-term reliability. Here's CR's BS rating (the right side was cut off):

In cases like this, there are typically people who trash CR -- "they're morons, a bunch of 'toaster testers." Keep in mind that before the recalls they were gushing about how wonderful and reliable the Bronco Sport is.

 

[Theresa]

I have a trouble free 2023 BS Outer Banks edition. We have under 2000 miles on it to date, and bought it 5 months ago.

Again no issues so far. I like it. So does the wife. Drives great, gets good gas mileage, looks good.

However, had I joined this forum prior to its purchase and read through the majority of threads that state issues and questionable service experiences, I most likely would have looked into other vehicles to purchase.

Don't get me wrong, we have had absolutely no issues, and no complaints with the BS. Sales person was great, dealership was good. I have not had to take it in for any service yet, so I have no positive or negative opinions on that.

It just concerns me to read through this forum and see so many issues with their BS pertaining to component failures and service getting it repaired. I've been on countless forums in my past, and never saw the amount of negative issues pertaining to component failures that I'm reading here.

 

[Theresa]

People are quick to complain and slow to praise. It's great vehicle.

 

[sajohnson]

I'm not aware of anyone seriously claiming that the BS is a bad vehicle -- or that they all have multiple problems.

What happens is that an owner posts about their problems with their specific BS, and that is interpreted by some as criticism of ALL BS models.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting other forum members know about issues with the BS and/or the dealer. It should go without saying that most problems are not widespread, but it's still helpful to be aware of them.

That said, it is not a good idea to make a determination about reliability of any vehicle from forum posts. They are just one source of information, and often subjective.

 

[Warren505]

I have a trouble free 2023 BS Outer Banks edition. We have under 2000 miles on it to date, and bought it 5 months ago.

Again no issues so far. I like it. So does the wife. Drives great, gets good gas mileage, looks good.

However, had I joined this forum prior to its purchase and read through the majority of threads that state issues and questionable service experiences, I most likely would have looked into other vehicles to purchase.

Don't get me wrong, we have had absolutely no issues, and no complaints with the BS. Sales person was great, dealership was good. I have not had to take it in for any service yet, so I have no positive or negative opinions on that.

It just concerns me to read through this forum and see so many issues with their BS pertaining to component failures and service getting it repaired. I've been on countless forums in my past, and never saw the amount of negative issues pertaining to component failures that I'm reading here.

I’m also happy with my badlands ,
what I do have issue with is the parts Ford decided it was ok to change or leave off my 2022 that were on the 2021 as designed! (engine top cover , hood ins blanket etc).
I also hate the stupid rotary gear knob that you can’t tell what gear it’s in without looking at it or dashboard. Since I reverse in to park it’s inconvenient, 45 years of column or inline floor shifter that worked every time , why change? Sometime I hate it so much I want to get a different vehicle if I wouldn’t loose and arm and leg on trade in!

 

[69cuda340s]

My Badlands been problem free so far. 16k miles almost two years since I got it. Really loving it so far.

Sponsored