Ford has good news for buyers waiting on a Bronco SUV and frustrated owners waiting on a roof replacement. The company has cleared its backlog of partially built Broncos awaiting new plastic hardtop roofs. The news means that thousands of new Broncos should be on the way to dealers and buyers shortly.
It also allows dealers to step up the pace of roof replacements for existing owners.
Background: The Bronco’s Rebirth
The Ford Bronco name returned to the streets and dirt roads after a 25-year absence this year. The 2021 Ford Bronco is a midsize SUV with serious off-road chops and evocative styling that brings the boxy lines of the 1966 original into the 21st century.
It is available as a 4-door/5-passenger model or a shorter 2-door/4-passenger model.
It won plaudits from reviewers and a prestigious design award from a jury of artists and architects. But it has also been plagued with roof problems.
Three Roofs, Two Problems
The Bronco is offered with a choice of three roofs. Ford has faced production hiccups with two of them.
A painted metal hardtop faced production delays so severe that Ford ultimately delayed it into the 2023 model year. For buyers who ordered it, Ford offered the chance to switch to a molded-in-color plastic hardtop or wait with protection against price increases.
The plastic roof has its own issues. Early customers complained that the roofs grew discolored on exposure to humidity or rain. The problem seems to be cosmetic – we’re aware of no one citing a leak. But buyers were understandably disappointed.
Ford corrected a problem in the manufacturing process that should eliminate the issue. The company then pledged to replace every plastic roof, free of charge.
Ford also offers a soft top for the 2-door Bronco. We’re aware of no reported problems with it.
Replacement Roofs and a Backlog of Vehicles Needing Them
Replacement roofs began trickling in during September. Some shipped to dealers, so they could start repairing vehicles already sold.
But, by that time, the company had filled a factory parking lot with thousands of newly built Broncos awaiting new roofs before they could ship to dealerships. Some of the replacement roofs had to stay at the factory to fix those.
Sales success meant almost all of them were already spoken for. But buyers had to wait.
Ford now says, via Instagram, that it has finished replacing all of those roofs, freeing those cars to be sent to buyers. The move also means all of the replacement roofs produced from here on out will go to dealerships, so they can speed up the process of replacing roofs for owners already driving their Broncos.
Bronco owners who haven’t made arrangements to have their roof replaced should contact a dealership to schedule the repair, Ford says.
