Update 5/16: Ford told us that the Bronco vehicles mentioned in the story below have each undergone extensive modifications, rendering them ineligible for warranty coverage. Additional details are provided below.
In a sea full of SUVs, the Ford Bronco stands out as one of the very few that can go far off-road straight out of the factory. Now, two different reports from owners suggest that there might be an issue with the off-road-focused Trail Turn Assist feature. In both cases, Ford dealers have allegedly denied warranty coverage.
The Bronco isn’t just off-road capable because of its ground clearance or approach and departure angles. It’s capable because of all of the technology baked into it from Ford. One feature, Trail Turn Assist, is meant to help drivers get out of tricky situations by reducing the turning radius of the Bronco.
It does that by applying the brakes to the inside rear wheel in “low-speed, high steering angle maneuvers”. According to at least two owners, engaging that system caused their axles to break and Ford isn’t covering the repairs.
More: Ford Recalls 2023 Bronco, Ranger After Wheel Falls Off, Allegedly Hits Another Vehicle
The first popped up on Bronco6G.com back in April. An owner was surprised to find his plug welds broken on his rear axle and asked the community how it might have happened. One reply blamed the issue squarely on Trail Turn Assist saying in part “The forces from one brake being locked up, and the other side unlocked, combine with the forces that want to cause axle wrap or pinion lift (twist) are too much for Dana spicers housing.”
They go on to say that it’s happened to others and that their solution was to weld all the way around the joint. That fix isn’t something that a customer should have to do on a new SUV and for most, it’s not even a practical one. The same original poster came back a day after starting the thread to say that the dealer “won’t cover it because I took it off-road.”
Another individual kicked off a post saying “Trail Turn Assist causes axle weld failure that dealer won’t warranty!!!” According to them, “The axle tubes aren’t welded properly from the factory to handle the force of the inner tire braking while activating Trail Turn assist in our vehicles.” Later in the thread, he says that the reason the dealer denied his warranty claim was that his Bronco has “aftermarket suspension mods.”
Ford’s Documentation
It’s worth noting that Ford’s own documentation says “Ford Bronco vehicles are designed to meet customer demands during off-road adventures… Using the vehicle as described the in the Owner’s Manual>Driving Hints/Four-Wheel Drive, does not void the vehicle’s warranty.”
Of course, using it as intended is a key factor when it comes down to deciding how much coverage a warranty provides. Ford also offers caution regarding Trail Turn Assist, specifically saying “Do not use trail turn assist on dry, hard surfaced roads. Doing so can produce excessive noise, increase tire wear and may damage drive line, or braking components. Trail turn assist is only intended for slippery, or loose surfaces.”
That seems to indicate that there are very limited usage cases for the feature and that engaging it outside of those cases could result in denial of coverage. It’s also worth noting that as we haven’t seen any video or hard evidence that Trail Turn Assist itself actually caused these broken welds it’s impossible to say for sure that there wasn’t something else that is to blame.
What Did Ford Say?
Regardless, we reached out to Ford in hopes of getting a better idea of what’s going on here. Here’s what a company spokesperson who looked into the matter had to tell us: “Ford is not aware of any claims with Trail Turn Assist when the feature is used as intended on loose surfaces while off-road, as instructed in the Bronco’s owner manual. If an aftermarket product causes a Ford part to fail, the cost of repairs and any related damages are not covered by Ford.”
