Cracked MIC roof action

[CUZICAN]

I haven't had any problems with my 22 Base 2Dr top yet. I live in NCal. Always garaged.
Gets up to about 108 in the summer, and maybe 35 in the mornings in the winner. Since mine is in garage a lot.... I got a feeling temps probably never reach 95 (high), and probably never < 40 (low). Humidity is probably < 40% for 95% of the time. But I'm just coming up on 15,000 on the Bronco (which is white with MIC top).

My question for those with cracked tops... are you guys in any extreme situations... temp-wise. High temps, low temps, etc.

I'm just trying to figure out if I got lucky, and why. Final question for anybody that might know... are the MIC tops all made at the same plant, or are there various MIC plants.

Thanks.

My 22 is garage kept, had 1st top replaced 1 month before my 36 month warranty ended at 26,000ish miles, 6 months later replacement top started cracking at 28,000ish miles, ford told me to pound sand, 3yr/36000 had expired and the extended warranty would not cover it because it is "considered trim". I live in South Louisiana, so our temp will break 100° a few times during the summer. As far as humidity, yes we have all the humidity.

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[Owl]

Did you try to take it to small claims court? I would think a judge would have a hard time considering a top as "trim". It would be like considering the windshield as "trim", or the A/C as "trim".

 

[Owl]

Come to think of it... I bet when they replaced the 1st top that nowhere in the order it stated it as "trim". Just saying...

 

[Booker’s Bronco]

Ford should just swap out all the MIC tops with the painted black tops for EVERY Bronco MIC customer. The tops and the rattling windows when particularly open are the two faults there are no excuses for.

pardon my ignorance but why are the painted tops better than the MIC ones?

 

[Valhalla]

I know nothing. I'd assume the process to get a surface smooth enough to paint is different than mold in color. I'd assume that surface is better at not delaminating.

 

[drewski]

pardon my ignorance but why are the painted tops better than the MIC ones?

So far, they are better. They are constructed differently as they are fiberglass and not composite.

 

[lakesinai]

I haven't had any problems with my 22 Base 2Dr top yet. I live in NCal. Always garaged.
Gets up to about 108 in the summer, and maybe 35 in the mornings in the winner. Since mine is in garage a lot.... I got a feeling temps probably never reach 95 (high), and probably never < 40 (low). Humidity is probably < 40% for 95% of the time. But I'm just coming up on 15,000 on the Bronco (which is white with MIC top).

My question for those with cracked tops... are you guys in any extreme situations... temp-wise. High temps, low temps, etc.

I'm just trying to figure out if I got lucky, and why. Final question for anybody that might know... are the MIC tops all made at the same plant, or are there various MIC plants.

Thanks.

You got lucky

 

[Owl]

Well... maybe I did get lucky. Seems like I've avoided a bunch of problems so far. The 2.7 + auto seems fine with no problems, no SW glitches, and decent gas MPG.

MICs are "Composite" -- makes you wonder about all the jets (airliners) being produced out of composites.

Still wonder if all the MICs come out of the same factory.

 

[JL8jeff]

Some of these trucks with multiple cracked tops makes me wonder if there is something out of straightness with the quarter panels and just the act of bolting the top down is somehow bowing it. It really seems odd that so many tops are fine, but some trucks crack every top they get.

 

[lakesinai]

Currently on my third roof replacement for my 20002 Badlands 2 door, 10.000 miles, garaged. I did post pictures in the past of huge cracks. As suggested in this forum I did contact the law firm in D.C. classlawdc.com As others have stated this might be a waste of time, but at least I feel better knowing I at least tried to get Ford to own up to this common defect. I have forwarded documentation to the law firm and encourage others to do the same. To the members who insist this is not a problem, ok, but for the money I invested I feel Ford should be responsible for a better solution than replacing the top repeadily with the same garbage. I must admit I was hesitant to post this so thanks for listening.

CURRENT TOP PRODUCTION: I did some research at my local Ford stand-alone Bronco store in Charleston SC. There are currently two top versions (construction methods) being shipped with new Broncos. The infamous MIC top is shipped on normal Broncos in its unpainted form, as everyone knows. The MIC top is also shipped painted on some Broncos that order painted tops on all the regular trim Broncos. Time will tell, but or seems that painted MIC tops do not have cracking or delamination issues (so far!).

The second type, fiberglass laminate tops, which appear made closer to Jeep construction methods, are shipped, painted, on all Heritage models. The telltale sign is the resin smell on new models, as well as a different well shape in the roof panel. But some standard Broncos that have ordered painted tops come with painted fiberglass tops instead of painted MIC tops, and the sales manager has not yet found any predictability between painted top Broncos receiving painted MIC tops or painted fiberglass tops, or any reason.

It's possible that Ford is transitioning to the Fiberglass Construction model for all Broncos -- and all fiberglass tops must be painted to add color. But it's also possible Ford will continue shipping the MIC tops as well -- after all, theoretically the Color in MIC tops is impregnated in the Outer skin molded to the top, (meaning paint is not necessary) -- and that seems to be failing on some samples, and not on others. My 4 year old MIC top is fine.

Check which painted tops are arriving on new models at your local Ford dealer: MIC or Fiberglass. Will be interesting to see what others find.

Will be interesting to see!

 

[Ducati1098]

CURRENT TOP PRODUCTION: I did some research at my local Ford stand-alone Bronco store in Charleston SC. There are currently two top versions (construction methods) being shipped with new Broncos. The infamous MIC top is shipped on normal Broncos in its unpainted form, as everyone knows. The MIC top is also shipped painted on some Broncos that order painted tops on all the regular trim Broncos. Time will tell, but or seems that painted MIC tops do not have cracking or delamination issues (so far!).

The second type, fiberglass laminate tops, which appear made closer to Jeep construction methods, are shipped, painted, on all Heritage models. The telltale sign is the resin smell on new models, as well as a different well shape in the roof panel. But some standard Broncos that have ordered painted tops come with painted fiberglass tops instead of painted MIC tops, and the sales manager has not yet found any predictability between painted top Broncos receiving painted MIC tops or painted fiberglass tops, or any reason.

It's possible that Ford is transitioning to the Fiberglass Construction model for all Broncos -- and all fiberglass tops must be painted to add color. But it's also possible Ford will continue shipping the MIC tops as well -- after all, theoretically the Color in MIC tops is impregnated in the Outer skin molded to the top, (meaning paint is not necessary) -- and that seems to be failing on some samples, and not on others. My 4 year old MIC top is fine.

Check which painted tops are arriving on new models at your local Ford dealer: MIC or Fiberglass. Will be interesting to see what others find.

Will be interesting to see!

There’s no such thing as a painted MIC top.

All MIC tops are molded-in color, meaning the color is integrated directly into the material during molding which is why it’s a matte, textured finish.

All the painted hard tops use a thicker sheet molding compound (SMC) fiberglass outer shell, which is smooth and then painted.

 

[Sunday Money]

You got lucky

He did not get lucky, rather he's part of the HUGE MAJORITY of MIC owners who have not experienced problems to date.

 

[lakesinai]

There’s no such thing as a painted MIC top.

All MIC tops are molded-in color, meaning the color is integrated directly into the material during molding which is why it’s a matte, textured finish.

All the painted hard tops use a thicker sheet molding compound (SMC) fiberglass outer shell, which is smooth and then painted.

Yes, I've read that, but what I see doesn't add up . . .

 

[Ducati1098]

Yes, I've read that, but what I see doesn't add up . . .

You’re likely confused because there’s 2 different types of painted tops. The original heritage style top that came out in 2023 which has a similar interior look as the MIC top, then a different one that was released in 2024 when the shadow black top was released which has the white interior.

But there’s only 1 MIC top and none of them are painted.

 

[lakesinai]

There’s no such thing as a painted MIC top.

All MIC tops are molded-in color, meaning the color is integrated directly into the material during molding which is why it’s a matte, textured finish.

All the painted hard tops use a thicker sheet molding compound (SMC) fiberglass outer shell, which is smooth and then painted.

I'm quite aware of the construction of the Original MIC. Mine broke apart, delaminated, and I reconstructed it with a carbon-epoxy mixture. If what you are suggesting is true, That would make 3 styles of top:
1. MIC (original) with the color impregnated laminated outer sheet, and standard honeycomb core, heat press fused
2. MIC with a paintable (SMC?) Outer shell, otherwise constructed same as the original
3. Alternate fiberglass top, new laminate schedule, new structural design on the inside, painted. Do those have a SMC shell?

I know there are documents from 2020 and 2021 showing a new design top, but my observations of 2024 and 2025 tops don't match those designs and I think there is more to discover about what Ford is doing.

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