After numerous production delays, the first customer examples of the Ford Bronco are on the road. Unfortunately, Ford's rugged off-roader has had a rocky start. Early adopters have noticed a glaring quality issue with the molded-in-color hardtop roof. For a model as highly anticipated as the Bronco, you would expect better quality control.

The good news is that Ford is taking swift action to fix the problem and will replace every hardtop roof. The downside is that this will inevitably cause more production delays. In a letter to customers obtained by the Bronco6G forum, Ford says it has discovered a "quality concern" on molded-in-color hardtop roofs for 2-door and 4-door Broncos that can "cause unsatisfactory appearance when exposed to extreme weather and humidity," although it doesn't affect the functionality of the roof.

Ford expects the replacement roof kits to arrive in October 2021 and will prioritize older Bronco models. Ford will contact customers who have already taken delivery of their Bronco to arrange for a replacement roof within the next few weeks.

Those who already have a scheduled production date will need to wait until October to find out when their Bronco will be delivered. In the meantime, all current builds are being held at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant to have the roof replaced. Ford will not make any new hardtop Broncos until the roofs have been replaced. As a result, Ford will be producing fewer 2021-model year Broncos than planned.

With the exception First Edition, those who ordered a 2021 2-door or 4-door hardtop Bronco that hasn't been built yet will now receive a 2022 model instead. Production of the 2022 Bronco is expected to start in late December 2021 and Ford will honor the price of the 2021 model for affected orders.

Soft top versions of the Bronco are unaffected by the quality control issue and production delays, however. Alternatively, those who already have a hardtop on order can switch to a soft-top roof. 4-door soft-top orders with a September 2021 build date will receive a complementary hardtop roof prep kit. This will enable owners to purchase an available accessory hardtop roof, which will be available in 2023.