GOAT mode for towing

[Booker’s Bronco]

What’s best for towing, Normal or Sport?

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[Glade Runner]

I’m thinking Baja…

 

[Fastmc25]

my Bronco: 2024 Big Bend.
2.3L automatic with 4.27 gears and 33” tires

i do not have tow mode available.

i just did a 900 mile trip @ 65-70 mph with a empty 6 x 10’ trailer.

I tried “Normal “ and got horrible mpg. 14 maybe. I suspect the Rpms were too low for the turbo to make good power.

On my return 900 miles i used “Sport” mode and got closer to 16.5 mpg.

Noticeably better power. Of course the overdrive gears are disabled in “Sport” mode which in my opinion is better for towing.

 

[Bschurr]

What’s best for towing, Normal or Sport?

Tow Mode

 

[Booker’s Bronco]

Tow Mode

my Bronco does not have a “tow” mode. Does yours?

 

[Booker’s Bronco]

I’m thinking Baja…

mine does not have Baja mode

 

[Dreamer]

I have no dog in this fight. However, when I do Tow, I use normal mode. Don’t haul all that far or a trailer that’s all that heavy.

I thought I’d ask AI the question of what goat mode to use. This is what it returned. Don’t hate me for the answer. Just passing on what the Metaverse thinks is the correct answer.

Recommended GOAT Modes for Towing:

• Normal: Best for general, balanced towing, providing comfort and performance for daily driving.
• Slippery: Ideal for wet, icy, or loose surfaces, optimizing traction for safer towing in less-than-ideal conditions.
  

Advanced Options:

• Manual Mode (for transmission): Use this to manually select gears (e.g., limit to 9th gear) to prevent the transmission from shifting into overdrive (highest gear) and for better engine braking when needed, improving control.
• Tow/Haul Mode (Raptor/Specific Trims): The Bronco Raptor may have a dedicated Tow/Haul mode within its GOAT settings. Check your touchscreen or settings menu if you have a higher-end trim or the Raptor.

What to Avoid:

• Sport Mode: Don't use Sport mode for towing, as it sharpens throttle response and steering for performance, which isn't ideal for managing a load, and may automatically engage 4A (4-wheel auto), which isn't necessary for most towing.

 

[Eldowerks]

i just did a 900 mile trip @ 65-70 mph with a empty 6 x 10’ trailer.

I tried “Normal “ and got horrible mpg. 14 maybe. I suspect the Rpms were too low for the turbo to make good power.

On my return 900 miles i used “Sport” mode and got closer to 16.5 mpg.

Noticeably better power. Of course the overdrive gears are disabled in “Sport” mode which in my opinion is better for towing.

For those who have models like Badlands without Sport mode, can always manually downshift a gear or two especially when bucking a headwind.

 

[Rydfree]

I added Sport to my non-sas Badlands and tow a roughly #3000 lb camper fully loaded. I do take it out of 4 wheel auto when in Sport . If I am in very hilly country I will also use the button on the shift lever to manually drop down a gear or 2 to use the engine braking and keep it in the torque range that's best at the time. I get better MPG doing it that way.

 

[Bschurr]

my Bronco does not have a “tow” mode. Does yours?

Indeed it does

 

[Fastmc25]

If I am in very hilly country I will also use the button on the shift lever to manually drop down a gear or 2 to use the engine braking and keep it in the torque range that's best at the time.

i also do this as needed

 

[Motovita]

Indeed it does

Which of your models have tow mode?

 

[mdainsd]

He has a Raptor, so there is that.

 

[Brian_B]

GOAT mode isn't really going to affect you much.

Manually downshift if you notice the automatic transmission upshifting a bit too aggressively and keeping the engine bogged down. That's really the only trick to it. Sport mode can ~help~ with that some since it will want to hold higher RPM on the transmission anyway... but it's not a substitute for manual intervention, that will still be needed at times.

Also keep in mind the adaptive transmission thing is gonna "learn" from how you tow, so it will change the shiftpoints somewhat. It'll be noticeable when you unhook the trailer and go back to regular driving. The adaptive learning is constant, so it'll re-learn pretty quickly again, just something to be aware of.

 

[Callelk]

I did an 1800 mile round trip to pick up my new boat in September. Going empty I went from a 16.4 average to 18.9 average in my Heritage. Coming back with an aprox 1900 lb boat, my average dropped down to 17.2 Mostly highway and freeway driving. Kept it in Normal both legs and going through the blues (OR), it seldom downshifted even when towing but I did see significant turbo boost.

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