(Bloomberg) — Ford Motor Co.’s popular new Bronco suffered another snag in its launch, with the automaker replacing all hardtop roofs on the sport-utility vehicles it has built so far and delaying production of new models to fix the problem.
In a letter to customers, Ford said it discovered a problem with the roofs that creates an “unsatisfactory appearance when exposed to extreme water and humidity.” The company said replacement roofs won’t arrive until September and in the meantime it’s holding thousands of already-built Broncos in parking lots near its Michigan factory as they await repairs.
The snafu comes days after Ford told buyers of its new electric Mustang Mach-E that their deliveries would be delayed by six weeks due to the global shortage of semiconductors. Both models are key parts of a model line overhaul that has given Ford positive momentum, with shares rising 58% this year.
The molded hardtop roofs for 2-door and 4-door Broncos, which were made by the supplier Webasto AG, “did not meet our standards,” Said Deep, a Ford spokesman, said in an emailed statement. “The issue does not impact the functionality of the roof, but can cause unsatisfactory appearance.”
This is the second setback related to the Bronco’s roof being built by Germany’s Webasto. Ford had to delay the launch of the Bronco from spring to summer because the supplier couldn’t get roof production up and running due to travel issues amid the pandemic.
Automotive News reported on the latest roof problem earlier.
Production Delay
Ford is prioritizing replacing the roofs on already-built Bronco, including those in holding lots and buyers’ driveways. That means some of the more than 125,000 orders for the revived SUV will be pushed to the 2022 model year. Production of those 2022 models won’t begin until December, Deep said.
The automaker continues to build 4-door models of the SUV with soft-top roofs, which are not affected by this quality problem. Deep said most buyers have chosen the hardtop roof.
To try to make it up to customers waiting longer for their EV, Ford is offering Mach-E buyers 250 kilowatts of charging for free. For Bronco buyers, it is giving buyers posters of the SUV, off-road rides with professional drivers and other gifts.
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