Select 2021-2022 Ford Bronco SUVs Recalled Over Detaching Hard Tops

Early sixth-gen Ford Bronco owners can’t quite put their hard top woes behind them just yet, as another recall has been issued.

The sixth-generation Ford Bronco has been an undeniable hit with consumers since it came back, following a quarter-century absence, for the 2021 model year. Trouble is, that return happened in a tough time for the automotive market – smack in the middle of a pandemic, when supply chain shortages and labor issues wreaked havoc on production. Early Ford Bronco owners were left staring a hard top quality woes early on – not to mention numerous recalls – and it doesn’t seem as if we’re finished with either.

Rather, The Blue Oval recently issued another recall for select 2021-2022 Ford Bronco SUVs – this time, covering 16,200 examples, due to faulty molded-in-color (MIC) hard tops that may have been manufactured incorrectly. Because of this defect, sections of the roof could separate and detach from the vehicle, leading to a scary situation that could also result in a road hazard or a crash. The faulty parts are present on both two- and four-door models, produced between September 23, 2020, and January 13, 2022.

The root cause of the issue will sound familiar to some early Ford Bronco owners – these faulty tops can exhibit delamination or cracking in the exterior skin of the roof panel as a result of environmental exposure. In severe cases, delamination can progress to the point where sections of the outer skin may detach while driving. Ford notes that this problem stems from the fact that its supplier, Webasto, built tops in a sub-optimal manner for a period of time.

Owners of impacted models may notice progressive delamination of sections of the hard top outer layer, and may also hear increased wind noise while driving. Luckily, so far, Ford hasn’t received any reports of accidents or injuries occurring as a result of this defect, but it has received over two dozen warranty complaints from owners thus far.

To rectify the issue, dealers have been instructed to inspect and replace the hard top on impacted 2021-2022 Ford Bronco models, free of charge. Owners are already receiving notification letters as we speak, but no remedy is available as of yet – that’s expected to happen by this coming November. In the meantime, owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, referencing recall number 26S32 for more information, or they can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website at NHTSA.gov.

Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.