Ford Bronco G.O.A.T Modes

G.O.A.T modes are an innovative off-roading feature that Ford introduced on the 2021 Bronco. The acronym stands for “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain.” It’s a clever name, even if the acronym doesn’t quite work. It references the sure-footed goat, an expert off-roader of the animal kingdom, but it also brings to mind the acronym “Greatest of All Time.”

And the Bronco’s G.O.A.T modes can be pretty great, if you know how to use them. Here’s how to adjust your G.O.A.T mode, what each does, and how to get the most out of this system.

What Do G.O.A.T Modes Do?

G.O.A.T modes are designed to give you a few presets for common driving conditions. To that end, they affect things like shifting points, traction control, and throttle sensitivity. They also control things that are more easily observable, like whether or not you can lock your differentials or disconnect your sway bar.

G.O.A.T. modes can also control surprising features like camera modes and whether auto start-stop is running.

G.O.A.T. Modes

Here’s a quick overview of the available G.O.A.T. modes and the ideal scenarios for each. While Normal, ECO, Sport, and Slippery are all good modes for regular roads, the off-road modes aren’t recommended for pavement driving.

Baja, Rock Crawl, and Mud/Ruts all have warnings about taking them out on the highway. Not only will it be a rough ride, but you could end up with binding issues and excessive tire wear.

Some models even have a Tow/Haul mode, which is useful for exactly that scenario.

Normal

Perfect for everyday driving. Normal will be the default mode when you start up your Bronco.

Normal keeps most of your 4WD modes and hero buttons available.

ECO

Need to save fuel? Try ECO mode. ECO mode tries to deliver improved fuel efficiency. Because of this, a lot of features are disabled. Essentially, this is the perfect mode for city driving. Fewer gas breaks, and no real reason to use a differential lock anyway. Numerous owners have pointed out that on the interstate there’s not a huge difference between ECO and Normal, so pick whichever mode you like best.

Sport

Increases throttle pedal response and gives a sportier steering feel. Lower gears are held onto for longer, which means faster acceleration. Sport is a favorite amongst many Bronco owners. Some have even used OBD scanners and software to add Sport to trims that didn’t come with it initially.

Slippery

If you frequently drive in the rain or snow, then slippery mode is going to be really useful. It defaults to either 4A or 4H and lowers throttle response. Shifting is also changed so it’s optimized for bad weather.

Sand

Beach driving is popular with off-roaders and Sand mode is the perfect setting. While you should still air down your tires, the steering adjustments will make it easier to make precise adjustments. When you’re driving under 15 mph, you’ll get a front camera view so you can make sure you’re driving safely.

Lower gears are held onto for longer for better momentum. You’ll also get optimized braking and a bigger engine sound.

Mud/Ruts

Do you like mudding but don’t want to get stuck in a rut? That’s what the mud and ruts mode is for. This drive mode is great for people who like to go mudding, but also for people who just hate being stuck in the mud.

Rock Crawl

Carefully climb up (and down) super rocky areas. This mode locks both differentials, disconnects your stabilizer bar, and activates your trail camera. Because Rock Crawl defaults to 4L, you can’t shift into it while you’re on the go. You also can’t use it at high speeds.

Baja

The Baja mode is for driving on loose terrain, like sand. But while “Sand” mode is designed for low-speed, relaxing beach crawls, Baja is designed for high speeds. The optimized suspension accounts for frequent changes in the terrain. Baja may make you think desert, but it’s also great for loose dirt.

G.O.A.T. Mode Defaults

So, there are seven modes that can control everything from your 4WD setting to your sway bar disconnect. Naturally, you probably want to know the default settings for each of these modes. Here’s a more in-depth look at the technical details of each G.O.A.T. mode.

G.O.A.T Mode Controls

Mode	Icon	4WD Mode	Traction Control	Front Diff. Lock	Rear Diff Lock	Throttle Response	Steering	Sway Bar Disconnect
Normal		2H	Normal	Available below 24 mph when in 4L	Available below 24 mph	Normal	Normal	Can be activated in 4H or 4L modes
ECO		2H, 4L is not available	Normal	Open, cannot be locked	Open, can be locked below 24 mph	Soft	Soft	Cannot be activated
Sport		2H (4A if equipped)	Off	Not available	Available below 24 mph	Aggressive	Tight	Cannot be activated
Slippery		4A or 4H	Extra	Available below 24 mph	Available below 24 mph	Soft	Soft	Cannot be activated
Sand		4H, 4L selectable	Extra	Available below 24 mph when in 4L	Locked	Normal	Soft	Can be disconnected
Mud/Rut		4H, 4L is available	Off	Available below 24 mph	Locked	Normal	Soft	Can be disconnected
Rock Crawling		4L, no others available	Off	Available below 24 mph	Locked	Soft	Tight	Automatically disconnects
Baja		4H 4A not selectable	Off	Open Can be locked below 24 mph when in 4L	Open Can be locked at any speed	Aggressive	Tight	Can be disconnected in 4H or 4L

How to Select a G.O.A.T. Mode

You can manually adjust your G.O.A.T mode on your 4WD shifter dial. When you turn the dial the G.O.A.T. system will come up on your panel. Each G.O.A.T. mode has an associated graphic and animation. So, for Sand, you’ll get a depiction of sand, for ECO, you’ll get green leaves.

For the rest of your drive, the icon for your G.O.A.T. mode will remain in the upper left corner of your dash cluster.

G.O.A.T. Mode Availability

Before figuring out how to use your G.O.A.T. modes, you should probably know which modes you have. Each Bronco trim has its own lineup of modes. (Almost) every trim will offer Normal, ECO, Slippery, and Sand. Modes like Rock Crawl and Baja are significantly more limiting.

Here’s a breakdown of which G.O.A.T. modes are available with each Bronco trim.

G.O.A.T. Mode FAQs

Are G.O.A.T. modes useful?

About as useful as the pre-programmed buttons on your microwave. While you could manually adjust temperature and time, if you cook popcorn a lot, having a popcorn button is great. Likewise, if you rock crawl a lot, having a rock crawl button is great.

But, for them to be useful you need to know what each button does. While some of these modes are unipurpose, others are a little more specific.

Can you change G.O.A.T. modes while driving?

Most G.O.A.T. modes can be swapped between while driving. If you want to go from Normal to ECO and back again at highway speed, go nuts. But modes like Rock Crawl that default to 4L will require you to go into Neutral gear first. So, you can’t randomly swap to Rock Crawl in the middle of the interstate (that makes sense, right?).

What about towing?

While you’re towing, you may get a message saying that your Bronco has changed to Normal mode for improved towing performance. While the Raptor has a tow-specific G.O.A.T. mode, no other trim currently has one.

What if you pick a drive mode that’s not available?

If you pick a drive mode that’s not an option, you may get one of a few messages. If you get “Drive Mode Not Available,” or “Drive Mode Selection Reduced Due to System Fault,” you need to pick a different drive mode. If you see a message that says “Drive Mode Preconditions Not Met,” check your 4WD mode, differential locks, and stabilizer bar.

What happens if you try to lock the differential or disconnect the sway bar when in a drive mode?

If you select an action that a drive mode won’t allow you’ll just get an error message. Pick a new drive mode to use that feature.

Can you add G.O.A.T. modes to your Bronco?

Not officially, but yes. Using an OBD Scanner and software a lot of people have been able to successfully unlock Sport mode. It’s not fool-proof though, so think about your mode needs before picking out a trim.

What’s the best G.O.A.T. mode?

The entire point of G.O.A.T. modes is that they’re all perfect for individual situations. The best mode for rock crawling and highway driving isn’t the same, and which you love the most will depend on which you find the most useful.

Do G.O.A.T. Modes Make the Bronco the G.O.A.T?

Drive modes aren’t anything new, but these cover an impressive range of driving situations. Features like the mode-specific camera views are something a lot of off-roaders will find useful.

G.O.A.T. modes are currently available on Ford Broncos and Ford Bronco Sports. While Ford offers terrain modes on vehicles like the F-150, these are distinct. These terrain-based modes are definitely a major advantage for people who really do plan to drive their Bronco across every type of terrain.

Not sure what Ford Bronco you want? Check out our comparisons of the various Bronco models below.

• Bronco Black Diamond vs Badlands
• Bronco Black Diamond vs Big Bend
• Bronco Black Diamond vs Outer Banks
• Bronco Black Diamond vs Wildtrak
• Bronco Big Bend vs Outer Banks
• Bronco Big Bend vs Wildtrak
• Bronco Big Bend vs Badlands

Source: Bronco Raptor Brings GOAT Modes to Life on Its 12 inch Dash Ford Muscle | 2021 Bronco Owner’s Manual Ford | GOAT Mode Guide Bronco 6G