Hello Ford Bronco enthusiasts!

I live on the NW side of Indianapolis and have a 1995 Ford Bronco with 55k miles.

See the link for a picture.



I have owned this Bronco for a long time and drive it very little. I really want to start driving it more so I have started the process of fixing the little problems I have ignored over the years. So my first though was, start at the dealership. Maybe this was an asinine move on my part, because I just dropped her off at the dealer service department and they inform me that "they do not have the proper equipment to plug into, to check any electrical issues." Am I way out of line thinking that as a dealer they should still be able to service a vehicle Ford sold in 1995?

So I will get to the point. My cruise control does not work, my A/C blows hot air, and I have an electrical issue somewhere that is draining my battery. The truck looks and drives great. I just want to get on the road to recovery. Can anyone recommend a guru in Central Indiana that can work on this era of vehicle with the proper diagnostic tools?

Thanks so much for any help!

 

My guess would be few dealerships would be able to work on it, unless they have a mechanic that has a similar year F-series of his own. And they may not want to fiddle with it, may involve too much of their time.

Chances are better here in Texas, the pickup truck capital of the country, because similar-year F-series are all over here. But finding someone independent who knows 1987 or so to 1996 F-150's should get you there.

 

There was a recall on your cruise control wiring under the hood near the brake master cylinder. It could catch the brake fluid on fire by shorting out. Ask the dealer to fix it for you.

Your vehicle is OBD-I. (Not OBDII) Find a dealer with the New Generation Star (NGS) scan tool. I bought one on ebay and am learning how to use it. See this thread for more info:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...scan-tool.html

Join your local FTE chapter and ask if there is anyone nearby who has one who will scan it while you watch and learn. It is a relatively easy tool to use.

 

Nice ride there---you don't see many sport models cruising the roads!! Your best bet might be going to a smaller town, like Mooresville or Martinsville. I would think any Ford dealership can handle/fix your issue's but if they turned you away, maybe I'm wrong! Have you checked your fuse's? Also, if you have an aftermarket radio/stereo in there it could be wired incorrectly...? Like Tim said, Ford issued a "safety re-call" on the cruise control, and if that's not been fixed, have them do that also---it's free!!

 

There are not many items that draw current with the key off on this vintage truck.The PCM (computer) and radio come to mind. As previously noted aftermarket stereos and amps can be wired wrong or be bad. IIRC there should be less than 50 mA current draw with the key off. One common item that can draw current is a bad diode in the alternator. It's a process of elimination.

As previously mentioned look to see if the cruise control recall mod has been done. There should be a wire harness with an inline fuse attached to the Brake Pressure Switch (BPS) on the front of the brake master cylinder. If it is not there remove the connector to the BPS IMMEDIATELY! It's a well known fire hazard. Call Ford and schedule to have the recall harness installation ASAP.

 

Guys,

Thank you for all your help. Someone put in an aftermarket security system and radio in at some point, and I had the radio changed out to a newer model. That could be the problem with my battery draining, or the alternator. I'm going to have to either get handy by learning this stuff myself or find a guy. So far I have little confidence in the mechanics I have called, or I should say they have little interest in trying to figure it out. If there is anybody that has a good mechanic for these machines within 100 miles of Indy, I would love his number.

Thanks Again!

 

I simply don't have either the money or the time or the confidence in young mechanics to have someone else work on my 20 year old vehicles. So I buy the oem manuals and read and post here and learn and most, but not all, of the time figure things out on my own.

Maybe start a thread for your question here. These guys are electrical wizards:

Electrical Systems/Wiring - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

It seems the guys already put you on the right track, look at your local FTE chapter, you'll find good local info there. If you decide to learn then keep asking, we'll try to help, that's a beauty of a Bronco you have there.

 

Nice truck

OK, so not quite the same, but I have a 1988 Bronco XLT. It went bad (dropped two cylinders) on the way to relatives house to work (100 miles away). Limped in on 6 ...

Started calling around the next day to get it fixed. Dealers not interested. Local 5-star independent shops not interested. Their comment - too old ... Takes to long to get the parts and ties up their work space ... But they did recommend a shop

Campbell Performance Ford. They work on stuff from 1965 to present. The theory was that they'd have some, or all, of the parts in stock. Limped it over and they were great. Fixed and out in a day for reasonable money. OBTW - the issue was caused by the dealer tune-up when it went in for smog check ...

Point is, maybe look for a Ford Performance Shop... They work on non-OEM stuff all the time. They have a supply chain for older vehicles. Just check their reviews on-line and see if folks are satisfied. These folks had 300+ reviews w/o a negative

I even discussed a Motor swap with them (I have 212K on the ODO) - they were OK but wanted a long lead time to get everything ready. Seems that shops are scheduling tighter all the time...

As far as the A/C goes, it needs to be converted to r134a anyway. So have an independent shop do that. It'll bite your pocket book this time, but will be easy to recharge in the future. They'll add dye when they do the change over, so leaks can be found easily next time. I had mine done and it works great - serious cold

Or, look for your local Big Ford Truck Shop (commercial trucks). Some have worked on many of my previous pick-ups and such. Never been turned down by a big truck shop, even out on the road. They actually like to work on "toys" now and then, and there are some seriously sharp mechanics working there

 

Try new agusta automotive on 71st a little east of Georgtown Rd. If I wasnt so busy with a rebuild on a 85 Bronco I'd look at it for you.