Ford Bronco Owners Claim Trail Turn Assist Damages Rear Axles, But Modifications May Be At Fault

May. 16, 2023 2:41 PM ET byJarryd Neves Off-Road /8 Comments

Multiple reports of similar damages are cropping up, but it's not as cut and dry as it may appear at first glance.

TheFord Broncois one of the most capable off-roaders money can buy, but that doesn't mean it's perfect. The SUV has beenplagued with faultsin the last few months, and it seems a new problem has reared its ugly head.

Bronco drivers have posted complaints on theBronco6G forum, issuing warnings about the Trail Turn Assist function. The problem pertains to the rear axle assembly plug welds. The first problem was discovered in April when a '22 Bronco owner discovered the plug welds were missing on the axle tubes. Worryingly, a Ford dealership has reportedly said it won't cover the repair "because I took it off-road," writes the owner Baja_bronco.

That goes against what Ford's warranty literature says. "Using the vehicle as described in the Owner's Manual > Driving Hints/Four-Wheel Drive, does not void the vehicle's warranty."

所以what is causing this problem? Affected owners believe it could be the Trail Turn Assist. This system enables owners to maneuver the Bronco in tricky or tight spots. The system reduces the turning radius by using the brakes to halt the inner rear wheel while turning around this fixed pivot point. This allows the vehicle to pull off high-steering-angle turns at low speeds.

One owner believes the Bronco's rear axles simply aren't strong enough to handle this feature. "The rear axles ... are not designed well enough to handle Trail Turn Assist with these rear axles (unless you brace the axle tubes and pumpkin)," wrote user badbronc4x4.

"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. You're literally applying tons of pressure to the axle tubes while it brakes the inner tire," they added.

Like the first owner, the second vehicle's warranty will reportedly not cover the repair. The vehicle in question has aftermarket components fitted, and, allegedly, the dealer won't even send the warranty claim to the Blue Oval. Obviously, this is very frustrating, but there's still too little evidence to make this a serious issue - for now, just two owners have voiced concerns over this issue.

也许小道将协助地方压力rear axle, and vehicles with defective plug welds may bear the brunt of the increased forces. However, Ford is pretty open about TTA being used only on loose surfaces, where reduced friction would lessen the strain on said axles.

After reaching out to Ford, a representative confirmed that the brand is investigating the matter. The brand's official statement is that "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."

Both of the affected Broncos from the forum posts have been modified with new suspension components, with evidence of the modifications on the forum itself posted by the owners. Warranty claimsare affected by aftermarket modifications, as Ford cannot guarantee the impact such modifications would have on the functioning of the car's various systems.

The Bronco has suffered several quality issues in the past. Several recalls were issued for the Bronco in the past year,including steering lock-up issues, faulty backup cameras, andwheel detachment concerns. However, for the time being, Trail Turn Assist issues seem only to be affecting modified SUVs.