As hot of a product that the new Ford Bronco is, its launch hasn’t been without headwinds. Along with dealing with all of the supply chain bottlenecks led by the global microchip shortage, there was a big quality problem with the Molded In Color (MIC) hardtop roof option. As a result, Ford Motor Company replaced every MIC hardtop that went out, and as one can imagine, that took a while. But this past week, the last of the faulty Ford Bronco hardtop roofs have been replaced.
Following the replacements, Ford would then turn their attention back to the assembly line and play catch up on existing Bronco orders that still need fulfilling.
“We’re happy to report that we’ve completed the roof replacement for those Broncos that were being held at the Michigan Assembly Plant,” Ford Bronco marketing manager Mark Grueber told Detroit Free Press, We wanted to make sure these units were meeting our quality standards.” Bronco owners who have already received their vehicles may have scheduled or completed the replacement of the defective tops. However, some may choose to wait until after the winter season to replace the part, while others have just soldiered on with a soft top option.
Disposing Of Faulty Bronco MIC Hardtops After Replacement
“Those are being disposed of so that they cannot be re-sold or show up on a vehicle down the road,” Grueber stated in the report.
Since the defective hardtops are fully finished, they can’t be recycled. On the other hand, customers who previously expressed frustration about the wait have been celebrating the news on social media, indicating that the fix was undoubtedly worth the wait.
Ford is still moving forward with its supplier Webasto, which builds soft top and hardtop roofs for the Bronco. They have expanded hardtop production to a new plant in New Hudson, Michigan, and plans on employing 370 people with various roles that will help the company keep up with the high demand and prevent future delays for Broncos, at least in terms of the hardtop orders.
Image copyright Mattheus Pach, Muscle Cars & Trucks
