Ford’s two-door and five-door hard top Bronco has been recalled due to a roof issue that could crack or delaminate, potentially causing debris to fall onto traffic.
The issue could be an embarrassing spectacle for Bronco owners with hard tops, as they could be called out in traffic by other car owners whose vehicles are struck by debris.
Thus, the issue could pose a safety risk to other motorists, who may be hit by debris from a Ford Bronco’s roof while driving.
Ford has acknowledged the problem and issued a recall to replace the faulty hard tops.
Ford Recalls 16,200 Broncos
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall report, 16,200 Ford Bronco model years 2021 and 2022 have been recalled.
The American automaker’s team looked into supplier process records to determine the population of the affected parts. The vehicles in question use Molded-In-Color (MIC) hard tops, which, according to the report, “may exhibit delamination or cracking in the exterior skin of the roof panel that may progress to detachment of sections of the outer layer while driving.”
The issue affects “MIC hard tops on vehicles built between September 23, 2020, and January 13, 2022, for 3-door body styles, and between September 23, 2020, and October 22, 2021, for 5-door body styles.”
15,045 units of the 2021 model, and 1,155 units of the 2022 model year Ford Bronco vehicles have been affected by the issue.
Description of the Issue
The recall report states that environmental exposure can lead to delamination or cracking in the exterior skin of the Bronco’s roof panel, which may get worse over time. It reads:
“Vehicles equipped with 3-door and 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hard tops may 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 detachment of sections of the outer skin while driving.”
The NHTSA reports that if the outer layer of the hard top detaches while driving, it can “create a road hazard for other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.”
Revealing the root cause of the issue, the report mentions that the “supplier process and equipment parameters for MIC hard top manufacture were not optimized.”
Customers can identify the issue on their hardtop Broncos by looking for progressive delamination on the outer layer of the roof. In addition, they may notice an increase in the wind noise in the cabin.
The issue was opened for investigation by Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) on January 22, 2026, after the NHTSA received complaints related to cracking and delamination of Bronco MIC hard tops.
Ford is aware of 25 warranty claims related to the hard top problem as of March 19, 2026, apart from two field reports and two customer complaints in the USA. However, it is unaware of reports of accidents or injuries related to the MIC hard top issue.
NHTSA Announces Remedy Program for Affected Customers
As per the recall report, Ford Bronco owners “will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to inspect and replace vehicle hardtops that exhibit cracking and delamination per the supplied technical instructions. There will be no charge for this service.”
The replacement MIC hard top will be manufactured using an updated manufacturing process “to address previous adhesion concerns.”
“Mailing of remedy owner notification letters is expected to occur on November 5, 2026. The date VINs are planned to be searchable is May 12, 2026,” the report added.