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Low-Mileage 2021 Ford Bronco Leaks Oil From the Front Left Shock Absorber

Instead of the Fox shocks that Ford uses in the Raptor, the Bronco features position-sensitive Bilstein dampers with end-stop control valves at every corner. Although the ESCV technology allows higher damping forces compared to a typical shock, these Bilstein units can go wrong.
2021 Ford Bronco shock absorber oil leak 10 photos
Photo: The Fast Lane on YouTube
2021 Ford Bronco shock absorber oil leak2021 Ford Bronco shock absorber oil leak2021 Ford Bronco shock absorber oil leakBilstein ESCV damper for the 2021 Ford BroncoThis Roof Squeak In My Brand New Ford Bronco Is Driving Me Up The Wall, What Gives?This Roof Squeak In My Brand New Ford Bronco Is Driving Me Up The Wall, What Gives?This Roof Squeak In My Brand New Ford Bronco Is Driving Me Up The Wall, What Gives?This Roof Squeak In My Brand New Ford Bronco Is Driving Me Up The Wall, What Gives?This Roof Squeak In My Brand New Ford Bronco Is Driving Me Up The Wall, What Gives?
Purchased five months ago, the four-door First Edition in the featured video leaks oil from the front left dampers even though it shows fewer than 4,500 miles (7,242 kilometers) on the clock. Tommy Mica of The Fast Lane highlights that “it seems like a premature failure that should not have occurred. I’d be very disappointed if we had to pay for that out of pocket.”

I would be disappointed as well given that Ford advertises the Bronco as their ultimate off-road machine, the Jeep Wrangler competitor that took 25 years to materialize. Considering TFL’s reach, it would be crazy for the dealer to oppose the warranty-backed fix with a lame justification.

Even if the Bilstein damper is replaced under warranty, there’s a hindrance The Fast Lane can’t escape. More specifically, the Ford Motor Company is churning out Broncos are full steam, and so does Bilstein with their ESCV shock absorbers. Ongoing part shortages that go beyond the microchip crunch may also include the replacement damper needed by this Bronco.

Speaking of which, the peeps at Cars.com had to wait seven weeks between the diagnosis of their F-150’s issue and the repair. The hybrid-powered truck had its aerodynamic dam ripped out by a tire tread, and the bill for the repair totaled $1,161 including the actuators and dealer’s labor fee.

Turning our attention back to the orange-painted First Edition, this isn’t the first problem The Fast Lane has experienced with it. Right after the crew purchased this rig in July 2021, the molded-in-color hardtop started to rattle and the headliner was already peeling off. How did they solve these niggles? Well, they went straight to the Bestop Corporate Office in Colorado to install a $269.99 Bimini Top mesh top and a $1,099.99 TrekTop soft top.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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