Does the Trail Turn Assist on Ford Bronco cause mechanical problems?

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The new Ford Bronco has quickly become a darling of off-roaders across the nation, selling in big numbers and popping up on trails (and mall parking lots) from Kamloops to Kapuskasing. It is not disingenuous to suggest the Bronco is one of Ford’s most important products right now, so news about some models breaking key suspension components into a thousand oily bottlecaps is definitely cause for news coverage.

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Or is it? At issue are some reports suggesting that deploying the trick Trail Turn Assist feature is causing catastrophic drivetrain failures. Compounding the problem, it is being reported that Ford is declining to cover the cost of repairs in some cases. If you’re not familiar, Trail Turn Assist is the too-cool bit of technology which uses the SUV’s electronic nannies (traction control, et al) to lock up one rear wheel in a very specific set of low-speed circumstances. This permits the SUV to pivot around a tight turn or obstacle more easily. Your author has used it on multiple occasions, and it is a great piece of tech. Since the feature is specifically designed for off-road use, Ford’s reported refusal to cover repairs under warranty could be cause for alarm.

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But, as with most information on the Internet, it pays not to take things at face value.

Digging beyond thinly researched and bombastic headlines, we found at least some of the Bronco SUVs which suffered these maladies seem to have been modified with non-factory parts such as larger wheels and tires. The original poster (OP) on the Bronco6g forum has a profile picture in which their 2022 Bronco Wildtrak has distinctly aftermarket goodies, complimented by a completely different wheel offset and possibly different suspension geometry. Viewed through that lens, it is unsurprising that some factory gear failed, particularly if subjected to the unique stresses of a feature like Trail Turn Assist.

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As with a number of issues in the automotive industry, the ham-handed efforts of an inept dealership aren’t helping. According to the OP, their dealer said none of the repairs were covered because they “took it off-road.” This flies in the face of information printed right in the owner’s manual stating the Trail Turn Assist feature is specifically designed for such purposes. In fact, there is a section of the manual specifically dealing with off-roading warranty considerations, stating using the vehicle as described in the manual does not void the vehicle’s warranty.

Had the dealer chosen their words more carefully and said they weren’t covering the work because of unauthorized modifications such as those wheel and tires which were not factory spec, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation. Once again, we can rely on an incompetent and bungling member of a dealer’s staff to bluster their way into a very preventable public relations problem. Until bone stock Bronco SUVs start exhibiting similar problems after the use of Trail Turn Assist, we won’t be sounding any alarms.