📣 Ford announces MIC hardtop solution (program 21B49): unscheduled orders will get MY2022, delivered & built Broncos will have tops replaced

[notlimahttocs]

So, I'm trying to sort this out....I ordered a 4 dr BB/MIC/Automatic, I have a VIN and current scheduled build date of 9/20. I could switch to a soft top in hopes of getting my Bronco either on time or at least by the end of the year. However, since I have a scheduled build date, dare I assume I'll still get it by the end of the year with a "good" MIC hard top? Part of me says, "oooooo, switch to a soft top and I'll have a Bronco equipped to have a hard top and I can save money for two years and then get the hard top then and have BOTH." Another part of me is like, "fuck it, just wait it out longer in order to have delivery with a hard top." Bottom line, in either situation, I'm curious if one or both would result in a Bronco in my possession by the end of the year?

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[martyb]

This has to be giving Ford executives terrible heartburn. Ford has too much invested in Bronco as a brand now to pull the plug but I bet it's been whispered about. Bronco has to be incinerating some serious capital at this point.

They will only care if it impacts their stock price. Expect some unrelated diversionary press release to focus the market far from this. 99.9% of the population doesn't even know there is an issue, and don't care.

 

[jay-rod427]

Silver lining. ALL commodities should be caught up by the time they get going again in 22! And when "full production" re-starts I imagine it will be VERY heavy Bronco over Ranger. So once they finally get their shit together they will pump them out at an incredible pace.

Shitty lining. Abandoned orders, dealer stock, and FCTP about to get a PHAT ADM.

I had hopes for a Spring 22 delivery, but now it looks like I may still be at least a year out.

 

[Rlack75]

Hey, you have every right to be a dick. This has been a mess.

The design issue is the unfinished edges. Initially, these were to be treated and sealed but it was never successful. The "coating" applied at the plant lasted for about a week, if that. The other issues plaguing the MIC top - thickness of outer ply, uniformity of material thickness, and forming issues within the clamshell - were perhaps made more challenging by the tooling but not necessarily impossible. This new design and tooling should aid in ALL these factors.

As for the 8/2 "full speed" production, that was the plan. Heels were firmly dug in on the engineering of the top and all fingers were pointed towards Plymouth. There was hope that the "best" of the roof units being delivered to MAP could at least be used to complete FE and stranded builds, but as more and more units were evaluated, it became clear that it was a bigger liability to release more of these out into the wild than to just scrap the thing and start over.

Like I said last night, this move HURTS... especially the "bad batch" crew of 2,200+ builds stuck at MAP, but it's absolutely the best way to address it at this juncture. A LOT of these headaches could have been alleviated by pulling the plug when the first issues became apparent, but that's not where we are.

I was hoping they’d give the Bad Batch the option of just getting a soft top instead of waiting for the hard top.
Any chance of that happening?

 

[RogueSqdn]

Earlier in the week you said I should be good, when mentioning that my build date was 8/11.

Does that still apply, or do you think the ones built this week will be ensnared by this delay?

Rereading the first page of the memo, it's talking about Jan-July builds.

 

[Lonestar777]

So, I'm trying to sort this out....I ordered a 4 dr BB/MIC/Automatic, I have a VIN and current scheduled build date of 9/20. I could switch to a soft top in hopes of getting my Bronco either on time or at least by the end of the year. However, since I have a scheduled build date, dare I assume I'll still get it by the end of the year with a "good" MIC hard top? Part of me says, "oooooo, switch to a soft top and I'll have a Bronco equipped to have a hard top and I can save money for two years and then get the hard top then and have BOTH." Another part of me is like, "fuck it, just wait it out longer in order to have delivery with a hard top." Bottom line, in either situation, I'm curious if one or both would result in a Bronco in my possession by the end of the year?

Nope. Once you have a VIN and build date you can't change your order. We're stuck in limbo.

 

[BroncoDymond88]

I love how they just listed out what customer incentives they've already given us and didn't announce any new ones, especially for the #badbatchbroncos.

 

[DFNMAN]

So I am getting pushed to a model year that doesn't offer my ordered color?

 

[Science4Lyfe]

So, I'm trying to sort this out....I ordered a 4 dr BB/MIC/Automatic, I have a VIN and current scheduled build date of 9/20. I could switch to a soft top in hopes of getting my Bronco either on time or at least by the end of the year. However, since I have a scheduled build date, dare I assume I'll still get it by the end of the year with a "good" MIC hard top? Part of me says, "oooooo, switch to a soft top and I'll have a Bronco equipped to have a hard top and I can save money for two years and then get the hard top then and have BOTH." Another part of me is like, "fuck it, just wait it out longer in order to have delivery with a hard top." Bottom line, in either situation, I'm curious if one or both would result in a Bronco in my possession by the end of the year?

The problem is you will end up waiting for the hard top and then come October, welp another issue! Delayed again! How can we believe any dates they promise anymore? It’s a joke at this point.

 

[FernieSanders]

Interesting the date on the awareness communication letter says July 21. I wonder if that is because this letter applies only to Broncos that were shipped. Does that mean Ford stopped shipping any hard top Broncos made after 7/21? My build date was 7/22. Missed it by that much (if I'm right). I'm just speculating...

does build date = blend date in this case? What if they started building my car but it never got a top? I had a 7/16 blend date.

 

[Gamecock]

They will only care if it impacts their stock price. Expect some unrelated diversionary press release to focus the market far from this. 99.9% of the population doesn't even know there is an issue, and don't care.

...and it doesn't. F is up this morning in a down market, and this info is now available to all of the analysts who cover Ford. People yesterday talking about shorting F because of this were off their rocker....unless they believe it speaks to deeper problems within the company, which could be valid. This on it's own though will make no difference at all to that valuation....as can be seen this morning.

 

[LHD]

So I’m screwed. Built 7/12 stuck in dirt mountain and likely there for another couple months AT BEST. I have parts lined up and waiting for a SEMA build and booth space slotted. At this point it looks like we will have to fill that space with an FJ40.

 

[WuNgUn]

Sure, it's mid August... summer is not even over and we might see Broncos in March... or worse, next June. It's all over but the swag now...

Not even any swag dude!!

 

[Dennis the Menace]

Updated by Administrator with full FAQ and Customer Satisfaction Program info.

Full Order Holder FAQ:

Awareness Communication - Upcoming Customer Satisfaction Program 21B49
(Certain 2021 Model Year Bronco Equipped with a Hard Top Roof Roof Panel Delamination)

Some extra info from @PREMiERdrum



All new tooling and an altered design. It became quite clear that even when manufactured exactly to spec that the design was flawed.

The timeline here is optimistic, but the right move nonetheless.


No. MIC hardtop production for unscheduled First Edition builds will resume late this year with the updated hardtop design. I wouldn't expect this until probably November, as the new tooling still needs to be completed, installed, and tested before production of the new hard tops can begin. Once that happens, they have committed to building new MIC hardtops for all units that have already been delivered, then the "bad batch" Broncos trapped at MAP, THEN for production of new units.



Hey, you have every right to be a dick. This has been a mess.

The design issue is the unfinished edges. Initially, these were to be treated and sealed but it was never successful. The "coating" applied at the plant lasted for about a week, if that. The other issues plaguing the MIC top - thickness of outer ply, uniformity of material thickness, and forming issues within the clamshell - were perhaps made more challenging by the tooling but not necessarily impossible. This new design and tooling should aid in ALL these factors.

As for the 8/2 "full speed" production, that was the plan. Heels were firmly dug in on the engineering of the top and all fingers were pointed towards Plymouth. There was hope that the "best" of the roof units being delivered to MAP could at least be used to complete FE and stranded builds, but as more and more units were evaluated, it became clear that it was a bigger liability to release more of these out into the wild than to just scrap the thing and start over.

Like I said last night, this move HURTS... especially the "bad batch" crew of 2,200+ builds stuck at MAP, but it's absolutely the best way to address it at this juncture. A LOT of these headaches could have been alleviated by pulling the plug when the first issues became apparent, but that's not where we are.

I think it is time for Ford to start sending out as many Broncos with soft tops as they can and send us the MIC tops when they have the issues solved. Most of us have been waiting over a year for our vehicles.

 

[P52Ranch]

The design will look very much the same (and be the same color, to those of you asking). Main points to address in the update:

- Rolled /finished edges where there were formerly raw cuts.
- Thicker, more uniform outer layer of material.
- Improved injection process to fix forming issues in the clamshell.

Also, I've seen several people asking why they can't just get their truck now with a bad roof and replace it later. Two huge problems will prevent that from happening:
- Ford doesn't want any more "bad" units running around beyond the few hundred already out there.
- They want no part of shipping any more of these things than they already have to. Freight is going be enormous on them and there is a substantial risk of damage while shipping. I doubt they have a packaging and logistics plan for them but I can imagine it's going to be incredibly costly.

I wonder what the thicker outer layer will do to the gross vehicle weight ratings and center of gravity? There were already limitations on the roof rack for Sasquatch 4 doors. Will this affect the 2022 roof rack re-design?

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