DESCENT control

[LilBroBadlands]

Has anyone seen this message? “Descent Control Now Active Press Trail Control Switch To Exit”. It is in the manual and says due to “some” user input this message occurs. I saw this happen at Off-Roadeo in a 22BL when using trail control, coming to a stop on flat and level, then applying the parking brake and (?) putting in park. I took a pic. I can’t replicate this in my 23BL and was wondering if someone knows how to force this message to appear, purely out of curiosity. Thanks!

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[Dan in Nevada]

I came across that message accidentally and searched for what it meant. As far as I could tell, nothing useful is in the owner's manual or online.

I finally was able to figure it out, and here is what I think I know:

To engage "Descent Control", you have to have "Trail Control" on and engaged. By engaged, I mean you have to have selected a speed. Just hitting the button isn't enough.

With that done, come to a complete stop and pull the control to engage the parking brake TWICE. With the second pull, you'll get that message, plus the "Trail Control" light will be blinking instead of steady. Also, if the rear differential lock has been activated (Rock Crawl GOAT mode, manually, etc.), it will be turned off. I'm assuming this is so that the wheels can be independently braked.

Descent Control ends up being very cool and makes what could be a scary descent extremely manageable and comfortable. With no pressure on the accelerator pedal, the BS will barely be moving. You have to actually accelerate to go downhill, even a steep grade. If you back off the gas pedal, it immediately slows to an extremely slow crawl.

The only caveat I can think of is that when you hit the "Trail Control" button to disengage "Descent Control", it all gets turned off. Probably a good idea to be stopped at that time.

Anyway, no idea why this is undocumented, but it's one of the best features I've come across. Hope this is useful to others.

 

[LilBroBadlands]

This is a really great answer. Thank you so much! I’m going to try this tomorrow.

 

[Dan in Nevada]

Went out again today and messed around. Not quite sure how this works right now, but if I'm in Trail Control Mode and moving, then stop but leave the shifter in Drive, I only need to pull up on the parking brake once to get into Descent Control Mode. The main thing is that I can always get into that mode when I want to. There appear to be multiple ways to do it.

I did verify that hitting the Trail Control button does NOT put you back into Trail Control mode. Instead, Descent Control and Trail Control are both turned off.

 

[LilBroBadlands]

I tried it today and it’s exactly what you describe. I can’t find this documented anywhere else, surprisingly!

 

[Trist0n]

Wait there’s a whole mode for descent? Thats wild, I can’t believe that’s not a highlighted feature

 

[LilBroBadlands]

It’s pretty wild and it works. I discovered it accidentally while accidentally applying the parking brake twice while using trail control.

 

[Dan in Nevada]

The ability to use just one pull on the parking brake MIGHT be if the vehicle is on a downhill (pitched nose down). Not sure, but just had that thought based on "Hill Start Assist" which would have to be able to detect pitch to work as advertised.

 

[Dan in Nevada]

Same here (2024 Badlands). So I'm confused now as to when or if you ever need to pull the brake twice. I suppose it doesn't matter - if one pull doesn't do it, then do it again.

Still, the biggest mystery is why the documentation is so hazy on the subject. I'm 69 and have been four-wheeling the old fashioned way my whole life with a manual tranny, transfer case, a really low-low granny gear, and generally knowing what you're doing. It's been hard to adapt to letting the tech do it for you. The Descent Control feature has been the stand-out reason to love the tech. You'd think Ford would want to advertise it instead of making it an "Easter Egg" you have to find by accident.

 

[Dude]

The Bronco Sport Owners Manual documents an error message in the following section (see pic)

TRAIL CONTROL - TROUBLESHOOTING

TRAIL CONTROL - INFORMATION MESSAGES

When the message shown by OP in Post #1 is displayed, the Trail Control LED is flashing (one way to see this message is described earlier which includes pulling up once (or twice) on the Parking Brake switch)

Descent Control is built into Trail Control - trail control works going downhill or uphill or on level ground

Descent Control likely is not a separate mode and what people are seeing when the message is displayed is likely output by the Trail Control feature

 

[Dude]

The prior post lists this message in the Trail Control section:

Trail Control Not Available with Park Brake Applied: You need to release the park brake to use trail control.

Could be that pulling up on the Park Brake switch (once or twice) while trail control is active is affecting the Trail Control feature in some way (the message shown in the prior post probably could have been written more clearly)

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