Inflation with teleparallelism: Can torsion generate primordial fluctuations without local Lorentz symmetry?

Arbitrary generalization to the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity loses local Lorentz invariance to reparametrize the orthonormal coordinate system and gives rise to asymmetry field equations. We investigate consequences of local Lorentz violation to primordial fluctuations in extended single field inflationary models based on the scalar-tensor formulation of the torsion scalar $T$ that effectively includes $f(T)$ gravity as a special case. We show that despite some asymmetry part of the field equations are removed in a spatially homogeneous and isotropic cosmic background, no subhorizon scalar-perturbation mode can survive by the time of horizon crossing. As a result, any scalar field mediated in torsion cannot generate enough primordial density inhomogeneity alone, even if it brings some de Sitter background solutions in generalized teleparallel gravity.