Tailgating is an incredibly popular pastime in the US, and this has led manufacturers to include “tailgate friendly” features on some of their vehicles. Honda used to put a picnic table inside the CR-V, and even Toyota joined in the fun for a little while with its “party mode” button.”
But one of the strangest inclusions has to come from Ford. Yes, the frunk in the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E can double as a cooler, but the thing we’re thinking of is far less obvious. The company assumes you’ll end up partying outdoors at some point, so it’s included a way to open bottled beverages in the back of almost every Bronco.
There’s a hidden bottle opener in your Bronco
Broncos are pretty cool vehicles, with spacious cargo areas. This makes them ideal for both camping and tailgating, two events where Ford assumes you may want to enjoy a “cold beverage” or two.
The problem is, a bottle cap isn’t the same as a ring pull. They’re on there pretty tight and usually require some kind of tool to prize off. Many people have a bottle opener on their keys, but just in case you haven’t, Ford has decided to include one with every Bronco.
With the regular Bronco, the bottle opener is located on the driver’s side rear painted pillar. Just pop the tailgate and look inside the roll cage-type part, you’ll see a bottle opener-shaped hole right there. Some drivers are a bit concerned about chipping the paint, while others have pointed out it’s easy to lose a cap inside the pillar’s tubing. So use it at your own risk, but it is there, and it does work.
Things get a little easier with the Bronco Sport. That SUV has an obvious bottle opener built right into the trunk. Unlike with the Sport’s big brother, there’s no danger of losing a cap in this one. The stainless steel tool is pretty chip-proof too.
The only vehicle left out of the party is a Bronco Two-Door, which apparently lacks the bottle opener feature altogether. But if you own a two-door, or any other non-Bronco vehicle, don’t worry. The bottle opener is a bit of a gimmick anyway, and there are plenty of other ways to crack open a cold one.
Anything is a bottle opener if you try hard enough
While the included bottle opener is a fun feature on the Bronco, and a nice little tailgate talking point, the true party animals amongst you will know just how unnecessary it is. You can use almost anything to open a bottle if you know what you’re doing. Including a lighter, a sheet of letter paper, or even another part of your vehicle like the latch that keeps the door closed.
All you need is a way to apply upwards force to the small bit of cap that hangs over the side of the bottle’s opening. Any square surface can do this, but be aware that a bottle cap is a bit of sheet steel with a somewhat sharp edge. So it’s likely to gouge a chunk out of anything you’re using, especially if you get the angle wrong.
As a result, using anything wooden, painted, plastic, or chrome to open one is generally a bad idea. Unless you just don’t care what happens to said component. Practice also makes perfect with this kind of thing, so get your technique down on a sacrificial counter top or other robust item before moving on to more complex openings.
Oh and if you’re opening a beer or two, make sure you don’t decide to drive afterwards. It’s been frowned upon for decades now, and authorities are only making it harder to get away with it.
