Thoughts after 15k in 3 months

[alexandruast]

Hello Everyone,
Now that the cool and novelty factor wore off, I think I am ready to write an unbiased medium-term review

In the last 3 months, my IG was the only vehicle I drove for commuting, family vacations, overlanding, and light off-roading. I drove it by myself, with my son, and occasionally with an extended family of four.


Things I love about this car:

1. Suspension and handling. A joy to drive on mountain roads, on and off-road. The steering is extremely precise. It’s a bit noisy on the highway after 125 Km/h, but very drivable until the soft speed limit of 160 Km/h. It outperforms LC150 on BP51 suspension and LC300 GR Sport on stock suspension. Best suspension and steering on any 4x4 I’ve tried, by far.
2. Heavy duty alternator, factory winch and pre-wiring.
3. Looks, interior, and vibe. It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.
4. Very capable offroad, stock.


Things I dislike but are not deal breakers:

1. Turning radius: Needs getting used to and requires more effort and planning.
2. Sketchy climate control: Needs frequent adjustments.
3. Useless brake traction control: Need to engage lockers more often, requires additional planning because of the sketchy unlocking confirmation.
4. Seats: Despite being Recaro, the comfort feels subpar. Only worse in Toyota 70-series and Dacia Duster.
5. Random false faults and electrical gremlins.
6. Fuel Consumption: 13L/100Km average over the last 2.5k.


Things I dislike and are deal breakers:

1. Fuel and air filter design - smaller surface area and not easy to inspect, clean, or replace. On a 500km dusty drive, I had to clean the air filter 3 times. Compared to Toyota, the process was a pain. Smaller surface area means more frequent replacement and cleaning needed.
2. Undersized air conditioning unit - struggles to cool the interior if outside air exceeds 37°C.
3. Electronics overload - too many things are controlled by computers. Despite marketing claims, the IG has a lot of interconnected electronics (headlights, offroad lights, alarm, window actuators, door locks, wipers, switch panels, climate control, axle lockers, gearbox, engine, wheel speed sensors). One malfunction can lead to multiple issues: faulty door switch means unable to put the car in drive, random check engine light means unable to put the car in off-road mode and unable to activate axle lockers, locking the car from inside while camping triggers the alarm if you try to get out and pee, removing the alarm fuse makes the car enter “transport mode” which disables window motors except for the driver.
4. Special tools, screws, parts design - not engineered for DIY modifications/repairs as advertised. For example, the fuel tank design is intricate and makes aftermarket options out of the question.
5. Materials not fit for hot climates - some plastics warp, and the glue on tape wrap used on wires melts, becoming sticky and messy.
6. Powertrain choice - the B57 engine and gearbox are reliable until they break, and repairs require a BMW workshop or very few specialized workshops. The engine and transmission are complex, making long drives in remote areas like Africa daunting.
7. Limited interior space for overlanding - with the front seats fully forward, there’s only 1.8m of available room. Sleeping in the car with a normal mattress is tight. This is a personal issue, I admit. But I was able to load 2.10m PAX packages from Ikea in a Skoda Octavia, and still had enough space to fit in the driver's seat.
8. Low hanging radiators, hoses, pipes, wiring looms, sensors, sensitive parts. It seems no research has been made in this direction. Some components almost impossible to relocate.

 

[Earthwatcher]

Thanks for the detailed review that I wish had been available during the pre-delivery days when we never had the opportunity to test the car in expedition conditions. It exposes the nonsense around all those claims that this was an easily modified and fixable car. It's a sophisticated off-roader with many of the potential issues facing others of that ilk. Maybe not so many as there are in the new Defender which has more than four times as many semiconductors. But sensors can still fail and we all saw what happened in the early software glitches before the fix. I had been looking forward to taking my Grenadier on a long and testing trip. Now I'm not so confident in doing so. Had also hoped to have the car serviced by my local garage but that doesn't seem possible either. It's a remarkably solid vehicle and I still like it a lot and want to keep it. But, as this review shows, it's not everything Jim Ratcliffe would have us believe it was cracked up to be.

Would I have bought one knowing all this? Duh! Yes, I think I would. I guess I'm in it for the long term!

 

[Logsplitter]

Thanks for the detailed review that I wish had been available during the pre-delivery days when we never had the opportunity to test the car in expedition conditions. It exposes the nonsense around all those claims that this was an easily modified and fixable car. It's a sophisticated off-roader with many of the potential issues facing others of that ilk. Maybe not so many as there are in the new Defender which has more than four times as many semiconductors. But sensors can still fail and we all saw what happened in the early software glitches before the fix. I had been looking forward to taking my Grenadier on a long and testing trip. Now I'm not so confident in doing so. Had also hoped to have the car serviced by my local garage but that doesn't seem possible either. It's a remarkably solid vehicle and I still like it a lot and want to keep it. But, as this review shows, it's not everything Jim Ratcliffe would have us believe it was cracked up to be.

Would I have bought one knowing all this? Duh! Yes, I think I would. I guess I'm in it for the long term!

You’ve got a five year warranty so take it on a long and testing trip. They get better with use I find.
As long as you go prepared what’s the worst that could happen . Just go

 

[parb]

3. Electronics overload - too many things are controlled by computers. Despite marketing claims, the IG has a lot of interconnected electronics (headlights, offroad lights, alarm, window actuators, door locks, wipers, switch panels, climate control, axle lockers, gearbox, engine, wheel speed sensors). One malfunction can lead to multiple issues: faulty door switch means unable to put the car in drive, random check engine light means unable to put the car in off-road mode and unable to activate axle lockers, locking the car from inside while camping triggers the alarm if you try to get out and pee, removing the alarm fuse makes the car enter “transport mode” which disables window motors except for the driver.

I think this is such a nuanced and valid point. If a hood sensor is broken or misaligned then I can't lock the car. How is this a good design?
I've frequently gotten into the car to reverse it and if the door sensor is slightly out of spec then I can't get the car into reverse.

The inter connectedness of the car should be re examined, i think it makes the car incredibly fragile when driving the car far away from a city. I would much rather have a big fat warning about the door than not being able to reverse the car.

 

[ADVAW8S]

I think this is such a nuanced and valid point. If a hood sensor is broken or misaligned then I can't lock the car. How is this a good design?
I've frequently gotten into the car to reverse it and if the door sensor is slightly out of spec then I can't get the car into reverse.

The inter connectedness of the car should be re examined, i think it makes the car incredibly fragile when driving the car far away from a city. I would much rather have a big fat warning about the door than not being able to reverse the car.

As I have explained may times before, you can back up if door is open. It just requires an extra step. Reverse, with door open. The car will go into park. Now put car in reverse and you will be able to back up. Locking the car with a misalign hood, just lock via key versus key fob.

 

[A1B2C3D4]

Maybe I got lucky or us here in the USA got a better batch after waiting an extra year longer. I'm 10,000km in with one fueling fault which can be fixed in 5 minutes and a loud power steering sound. The speeding click is being fixed with the new update.

Other than the loud power steering, the vehicle is perfect in my opinion.

 

[AZGrenadier]

I agree, I am at 17,000 miles now. 4k in the past 3 weeks. A couple weird electrical issues (seatbelt chime wouldn’t turn off) but a quick restart and all is well. Have had to make 2 unscheduled trips since new to the dealers for P0461 but apparently the software fix will handle that. I love the truck, camped in 7 states and 2 Canadian provinces in the last 3 weeks.

 

[Logsplitter]

As I have explained may times before, you can back up if door is open. It just requires an extra step. Reverse, with door open. The car will go into park. Now put car in reverse and you will be able to back up. Locking the car with a misalign hood, just lock via key versus key fob.

That’s great information that should be stated in the owners handbook.

 

[parb]

As I have explained may times before, you can back up if door is open. It just requires an extra step. Reverse, with door open. The car will go into park. Now put car in reverse and you will be able to back up. Locking the car with a misalign hood, just lock via key versus key fob.

I have tried to reverse using that method numerous times, but I haven't found it to work. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but it's just not working for me.

 

[angstorms]

This is good video to watch

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E-7SUYDpwI
they following up, they had nice conversation about grace degradation what will still work if the electrics break

 

[ADVAW8S]

I have tried to reverse using that method numerous times, but I haven't found it to work. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but it's just not working for me.

Are you leaving the door open and seatbelt on?

 

[nuclearmonkey]

This is good video to watch

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E-7SUYDpwI
they following up, they had nice conversation about grace degradation what will still work if the electrics break

Pretty sure we have a member that needed a tow as his wheel speed sensor crapped out while the diff was locked.. (commenting on the part of the video that says otherwise)

 

[parb]

Are you leaving the door open and seatbelt on?

I didn't put on the seatbelt, i guess that's it?
Still I would much rather have a warning or maybe a first time stop followed by a positive action override so I can reverse even if both my door sensor and my seatbelt sensor is having trouble. I've thought about permanently short circuiting the seatbelt sensors.

I have a Dodge viper and it has the same feature with the clutch pedal, it went crank the starter motor unless the clutch is fully depressed. Of course I had a bad sensor, of course it happened on a road trip, of course it took 5 hours before the tow truck showed up... It's been permanently short circuited.

 

[ADVAW8S]

That's it, the seatbelt is the issue. You can always buy a clip and keep it in the center console to use in these situations

 

[MRO]

Pretty sure we have a member that needed a tow as his wheel speed sensor crapped out while the diff was locked.. (commenting on the part of the video that says otherwise)

Think you might be referring to me. I got the diffs unlocked, although not sure if the fault appeared after the diffs were unlocked. Given the error messages official dealer advice was to have it recovered, which was too inconvenient. Launched and recovered a 2 tonne boat and then drove 800 miles after without any issues other than no front and rear diff lock availability and no cruise control (not sure whether ABS and ESC were working - didnt need them). Still not fixed 10 days later and need to do another 1,500 miles over the next two weeks and really need the 4wd so tempted to take it again.

 

[Nocrays]

Maybe I got lucky or us here in the USA got a better batch after waiting an extra year longer. I'm 10,000km in with one fueling fault which can be fixed in 5 minutes and a loud power steering sound. The speeding click is being fixed with the new update.

Other than the loud power steering, the vehicle is perfect in my opinion.

I have same Power steering pump sound. They replaced the pump silent now.

 

[A1B2C3D4]

I have same Power steering pump sound. They replaced the pump silent now.

How did you get yours replaced? I just get told that they all do it.

 

[jsm0730]

How did you get yours replaced? I just get told that they all do it.

Same here. Have been going back and forth with tech person at my dealer for past two days, who claims all Grenadiers and X5s make the same sound.

 

[drinkmorejava]

Maybe I got lucky or us here in the USA got a better batch after waiting an extra year longer. I'm 10,000km in with one fueling fault which can be fixed in 5 minutes and a loud power steering sound. The speeding click is being fixed with the new update.

Other than the loud power steering, the vehicle is perfect in my opinion.

I thought the Adas fix was basically made up...there might be some truth to it, but it doesn't actually exist at the moment

I did just do my owners survey and said I will not recommend the car to anyone because of it.

 

[Samson]

Maybe I got lucky or us here in the USA got a better batch after waiting an extra year longer. I'm 10,000km in with one fueling fault which can be fixed in 5 minutes and a loud power steering sound. The speeding click is being fixed with the new update.

Other than the loud power steering, the vehicle is perfect in my opinion.

So just wanted to chime in here because I think you hit the nail on the head.

I'm old & busted these days but my Dad has ordered himself a Grenadier ... he fell it love with the way it looked when it was announced, but he had recently got a brand-new, top of the line, decked out Ford Bronco Wildtrak. He has subsequently confessed that he never really liked it, he was getting it because he knew I loved it... well it's not my car, it makes no sense to own something you really don't like, and so it's going to go away and he's getting a Grenadier. Good for him , he deserves it etc.

Having said that- we both got screwed, and got extremely serendipitous ... I had made a first-24-hr Reservation for the Bronco, but the night the website went live, it was completely crashed ... by the time it came back on (having passed midnight now, so I can't claim "First Day", even though it was only like 8 hours from the time they put it live...) - the First Editions were gone, and I would have got one of them but it wasn't possible. And we ordered it like the first day they opened up ordering ... However, Ford wound up experiencing major Coronavirus problems and parts problems and "Supply Chain" issues ... and everything that made a Wildtrak a Wildtrak was a problem ... so we (perhaps unfairly) got bumped from 2021 to 2022 ... and then we were forced to re-order ... but one cool thing, we wanted a Soft Top, at the TIME, Wildtraks' were hardtop madatory, soft-top option, so we were going to have to pay like I forget, was it $7000? for the dual-top group ... but when the orders got bumped and then forced to reorder, Ford did a little changes to the system, and for example, we were allowed to have a soft-top only.

The bigger problem(s) - Ford was unable to get their company partner who made some sort of internal components of the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 to meet it's demands, and the company basically gave up and folded shop "Coronavirus!" ... so they found another company - who produced faulty components which caused more than a few engines to be ruined. I heard this ALSO caused transmission problems down the road - so there were people who had engines kaboomed and Ford said stuff at first "Uhh yeah not our fault..." to "Yes our fault we'll take a look" ... to "Well yeah we realize we have a problem now but no solution at the moment..." - so dudes who got their Broncs right away, blew an engine, and then were devastated to learn their truck has been sitting at the shop for 90+ days while Ford was scrambling to find both a solution to the problem in the first place, AND supply entire new engines they didn't expect to have to produce, for all these people requiring warranty engine replacement... I'll give Ford credit in that they admitted it and made it right in the end but it sucks when it's you... but then also people were complaining about "Well NOW I've got a Tranny problem and it's probably cause of the ENGINE PROBLEM!!!" and I have no idea what is up with that at the moment, I haven't kept up.

My point being - we actually scored out by getting bumped ... the engine problems were completely fixed, we haven't had a single real mechanical issue at all ... the engine runs beautifully IMHO , the transmission is as solid as it gets (it's based off of the one in the Grenadier, no?) and the only problems we've really had have been Electrical Module issues ... which, I admit, it can be a pain when the radio starts doing whatever it wants ... (Also the windows... the rear passenger window would go down 3 times in a row before going up finally... they had to replace some modules and 'reflash' others...) - BUT - I firmly believe and operate in life, If you HAVE TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS in life , and MOST OF US do , at least from time to time ... it's best to have SMALL Problems..

Applying that to the Grenadier ... I know my old man was disheartened to find out a week after he had ordered and been scheduled for delivery late 2024 ( they actually said they were expecting Christmas Eve, they had a company person tell them they're expecting a certain shipment at a certain time, delivering stuff made in Summer/Fall of this year, and after all the transits & deliveries, they'd probably be doing a lot of closings on Christmas Eve, which was fine by him...) - bumped to Q1/2025 ... but perhaps that's not the worst thing ever... nearly every YouTube review has SOME problem people are nitpicking about ... from just finishing issues & poor hands-on-attention/quality parts & worksmanship finishing to other stuff ... maybe that stuff gets ironed out ... "You know, we've had a thousand complaints that someone isn't putting the So-And-So-Part Together Correctly ... so put it together CORRECTLY ... etc.

I know this ain't the place for it , but it does suck to see the Bronc go. Haven't had so much fun driving a car since I was 17, and that was a long-ass-time-ago lol.