Recall Date: 5/12/2026
NHTSA ID: 26V299
MFr. Campaign Number: 26S32
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Affected Components: 3-door and 5-door molded-In-Color (MIC) hard tops
Potential Number of Units Affected: ~16,200
The recall covers 2021-2022 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with 3-door or 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hard tops. The 3-door population spans production from September 23, 2020 through January 13, 2022. The 5-door population spans September 23, 2020 through October 22, 2021.
By model year, 15,045 are 2021 Broncos and 1,155 are 2022 Broncos. The hard tops are supplied by Webasto Roof Systems. Ford estimates approximately 5% of the population may exhibit the active defect.
Because these vehicles were not produced in VIN order, Ford recommends owners confirm applicability by calling Ford's toll-free line (1-866-436-7332) or contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer.
The defect involves the outer skin of the MIC hard top. As a result of environmental exposure, the exterior poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer can delaminate or crack relative to the polyurethane (PU) substrate underneath. In severe cases, the delamination can progress to the detachment of sections of the outer skin while the vehicle is being driven.
The safety risk is a road hazard for following drivers. A detached panel section in the roadway increases crash risk for other road users.
Drivers can typically see this one coming. Affected Broncos may show progressive delamination of the hard top outer layer, and owners may hear increased wind noise while driving. Either symptom should trigger a service appointment.
The remedy is inspect-and-replace. Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer for inspection. Hard tops exhibiting cracking and delamination will be replaced at no cost. Replacement tops will be manufactured using updated processes to address the original adhesion concern. Dealer notification is scheduled for May 12, 2026, interim owner notification for May 27-29, 2026, and final remedy owner notification for November 5, 2026. VINs are searchable on NHTSA as of May 12.
Ford's Critical Concern Review Group opened the investigation on January 22, 2026, after reviewing NHTSA Vehicle Owner Questionnaire complaints related to cracking and delamination on 2021-2023 model year Bronco MIC hard tops. In February 2026, Ford engineering and Supplier Technical Assistance reviewed supplier production data and found that process optimization had occurred in September 2021 followed by equipment optimization in December 2021.
Through February, March, and April 2026, Ford engineering induced delamination in test vehicles to replicate the field condition, conducted thermal cycle testing with the supplier, and ran a customer clinic on March 30-31 to inspect 2021-24MY Broncos. Testing confirmed that cracking can occur on the PMMA panel during thermal cycling when the area of delamination is large enough.
Following the comprehensive review, Ford's CCRG determined that 3-door hard tops produced prior to supplier equipment optimization in December 2021 may be subject to delamination that can progress to detachment of outer skin sections. Process improvements introduced in September 2021 corrected the issue for 5-door hard tops. As of March 19, 2026, Ford was aware of 25 warranty claims, two field reports, and two customer complaints in the U.S., received between December 2021 and December 2025. No reports of accident or injury have been attributed to the condition. On May 5, 2026, Ford's Field Review Committee approved the field action.
For a full view of Ford recall activity and cross-OEM trends from earlier this year, see BizzyCar's Q1 2026 Recall Report.
Read the BizzyCar Q1 2026 Recall Report →
Bronco owners are highly engaged with their vehicles — and visible. Hard top issues become Bronco forum threads and Instagram posts quickly, which means dealers who can act ahead of those conversations have an advantage. With interim owner notification on May 27-29 but final remedy notification not until November 5, dealers also have a multi-month gap to manage between inspection and parts availability.
BizzyCar's Recall Outreach product cross-references a dealer's customer database against open recall data to flag affected vehicles and initiate automated two-way SMS outreach. For Ford dealers, that means coordinating the inspection appointment now, and then re-engaging the same customers when replacement tops are available in November — without losing them to the gap. Book a demo.