Teething Problems: Ford Bronco Owners Reporting Issues With Hardtop

It’s been mere weeks since the first Ford Bronco deliveries began, and some teething problems have already come to the fore. Owners who took delivery of early build SUVs have already reported issues with the removable hardtop roof, a major part of what makes a Bronco, well, a Bronco.

It was widely reported earlier this year that the Bronco’s “Achilles’ heel,” from a production standpoint, was the hardtop’s manufacturer, Webasto, which couldn’t make enough units to fill demand. Some owners had their build dates pushed back, others weren’t given a new one—all this, mostly due to pandemic-related delays. Then, in mid June, Ford announced that Bronco production had officially begun.

A number of owners who have already taken delivery of their Broncos have started to report build quality related problems with the hardtop on the enthusiast forum Bronco6G. Some have noticed that the headliner has begun to peel away from the roof itself three weeks after taking delivery, and others have reported strands of fiberglass sticking out of the roof panel and poor finishing on other parts of the top. Keep in mind there is no option for a solid roof on these SUVs, so these removable roof panels are the only way to go (unless you opt for the cloth-clad soft top).

It’s worth mentioning the roof isn’t the only pain point with the new Bronco. Some users provided photos near the cargo area of the SUV showing improperly secured panels above the wheel wells, sticking up so far you can see the body of the screws that are supposed to hold them in place. We reached out to Ford regarding the issues and a company spokesperson sent us the following statement:

“We continue to build, inspect and ship Bronco two- and four-door models with the molded-in-color hardtop. We are focused on delivering the highest quality 4×4 vehicle to our customers. Customers should contact their dealer if they have questions or concerns about their vehicle. “

This quality problems might be disappointing for some, but here’s the rub: It’s still early days for Bronco production, and problems like this aren’t uncommon for new cars in general early in their production run. Of course, quality issues with a new vehicle as eagerly anticipated as the Ford Bronco will be more widely reported than others. Ford is certainly aware of the issue, too, and the hope is that as the company gets a handle on Bronco manufacturing, the quality of the roofs and other parts of its new SUV only gets better.

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