This recall involves early examples of both two- and four-door Bronco models.
If you own an early-run Ford Bronco from 2021 or 2022, then you have a new recall to watch. Ford Motor Company submitted details to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of an issue concerning its molded-in-color (MIC) hardtop, for which the outer layer can possibly crack or delaminate. If that happens, pieces of the hardtop can detach at speed, creating a safety concern for nearby traffic.
According to the recall report, this problem specifically concerns 15,045 Broncos from the 2021 model year. A small subset of 1,155 units from the 2022 model year are also in the mix. If you’ll recall, this isn’t the first time early-stage Broncos already have faced issues with the MIC hardtops, though things do seem to be better now that the newer Broncos have a few years of production under its belt.
Affected Ford Bronco SUVs with possibly problematic hard tops were assembled between September 23, 2020 and January 13, 2022.
Ford’s engineering team cites supplier manufacturing process and equipment issues during the Bronco’s initial months as the problem. The company said that, “following a comprehensive review of investigation data, CCRG (Ford’s internal safety group) determined that Bronco 3-door hardtops, produced prior to equipment optimization in December 2021, may be subject to delamination which can progress to detachment of sections of the outer skin. Additional process improvements in September 2021, corrected the issue for 5-door hardtops.”
As of March 2026, Ford notes 25 warranty claims, two field reports and two customer complaints in the United States concerning faulty hardtops related to this manufacturing issue. However, there are no reported accidents or injuries as a result.
What’s the fix?
Ford’s fix for this problem is as straightforward as you’d expect. Owners will receive an interim notification by mail around the end of May, alerting them to the recall and that a fix is in the works. Around November 5 of this year, the remedy notification will go out, at which point owners can take their vehicles to a local dealer.
Once customers are able to get their Bronco in for repair, Ford will replace the hardtops in the recall population, free of charge. Naturally, that time frame does entail about a six-month wait, as the situation currently stands, but at least you’ll have a new top for the trouble. In the meantime, you can check whether your Bronco is included in the recall through Ford’s website (recall number 26S32) or through the NHTSA’s recall portal (recall number 26V-299).
