Mike Webb from the Bronco6G forum took a video of thousands of parked Ford Broncos near the Michigan Assembly Plant. Motor1.com reached out to the automaker to find out what was going on. A spokesperson told us these SUVs were waiting for quality checks before shipping them to showrooms.

If this explanation is accurate, then it seems like Ford needs to beef up its quality control team because the Bronco is in high demand. Dealers would love to have these SUVs to sell. Also, leaving the vehicles sitting outside at least leaves the possibility of them somehow getting damaged.

There have been quality control issues with the early examples of the Bronco. One issue was with the hardtop that included honeycomb or snakeskin-like pattern appearing on the exterior of the panels. Inside, the headliner was separating from the roof.

Photos also showed that lateral play in the soft top mechanism could hit the roll bar when raising or lowering the roof. This was causing pieces of paint to chip off the roll bar.

Another roof-related issue was excessive wear to the fabric soft top. The problem was allegedly related to the material rubbing against a piece of plastic when folded down.

There were also reports of a whistling sound coming from the mirrors and grille when the SUV is going over 30 miles per hour. Ford released a technical service bulletin saying the noise was from airflow through a gap between the grille and hood, and the company said it was working on an improved seal.

Ford needs to solve these issues because the Bronco is an early success and is even conquesting customers from other brands. The Blue Oval says 70 percent of the customers for the SUV don't already own a Ford vehicle.

Ford has reportedly planned a significant part replacement campaign aimed at the issues that have affected the hardtop roofs of the full-size 2021 Bronco SUVs. The automaker intends to replace every single molded-in color (MIC) hardtop that every Bronco optioned with it has received, after a spate of issues that have popped up with some of the examples delivered thus far. The replacement process is expected to start in October for those who have already received a vehicle with this option.

A draft of a five-page letter from Ford to dealers has been posted on the Bronco6G forum this week that details the implications of the planned roof replacement campaign.

"An appearance/quality concern on the molded-in color hardtop roof for 2-door and 4-door Broncos was identified," the letter from Ford reads in part. The issue does not impact the functionality of the roof but can cause unsatisfactory appearance when exposed to extreme water and humidity. As a result, we've made the decision to replace all molded-in color hardtop roof panels on all 2-door and 4-door Bronco vehicles produced to date. This includes Bronco which have been delivered, are in transit, and unit which have been built and are awaiting final quality release at the plant."

The issues reported with the hardtop include discoloration, blemishes and delamination since deliveries have begun earlier this year, with the hardtop supplied by German roof specialist Webasto. While Ford has indicated that some of the issues are linked to environmental factors such as high humidity, the automaker hasn't suggested just how much humidity or water are needed for this issue to pop up, and it goes without saying that humidity is not in tight supply across the U.S. any year. A replacement program had been suspected for the past few weeks as a possibility, but has become official only this week.

Ford stressed that the issue only affects the appearance of the hardtop, rather than its functionality, so owners can continue to use the roof with no safety concerns.But the automaker hasn't indicated just by what the issues with the hardtops are caused: a manufacturing process, a lack of some kind of surface treatment, or the choice of materials used in roof production itself?

While the replacement program for those who've already taken delivery could amount to a minor annoyance, the issue is expected to have a much greater effect on those who've only placed their orders but haven't received their Broncos or a build date. In the same letter Ford states that the automaker will produce fewer Broncos for the 2021 model year as a result of this issue, and will provide an updated timeline in October, which is when the replacement roofs are expected to start shipping. One other nuance of these projected delays is that buyers who've placed an order for a Bronco that isn't a First Edition will have their orders pushed back to the 2022 model year, production of which will start in December. A switch to soft-top roofs in the order process will also be made available to buyers who haven't received their SUVs.

"As a result of continued roof challenges, we will be producing fewer 2021 model year Bronco vehicles than initially planned," the letter posted on Bronco6G forum reads in part. "If your 2-door or 4-door Bronco hardtop order has not been scheduled for production yet, except for First Edition, you will be receiving a 2022 model year Bronco. More details on 2022 model year ordering will be available in coming months. 2022 model year production is forecasted to begin in late December 2021."

So those who've already received a Bronco, even with these issues, are perhaps the luckiest ones when it comes to this replacement program.
"To give some substance to this letter, all of this was independently confirmed by my dealer earlier this week," Kamil Kaluski, Hooniverse East Coast Editor wrote in a blog post. "I have a Bronco on order with no production date scheduled. Of all the orders my dealer took, they were only able to deliver seven vehicles. Of those only one had the 2.7-liter V6 engine. One has transmission issues. All were soft-tops."

The five-page letter itself, reposted on Hooniverse for easy reading, contains a pretty extensive FAQ for those who've placed an order for a Bronco with a hardtop, as there are quite a few nuances to the order priority and production schedules.

Needless to say, this is a pretty significant development for the Bronco, which has already faced a number of delays in its approach to mass production related to the pandemic, the chip shortage and other supplier issues, while the smaller Bronco Sport has had a trouble-free commercial launch.

Bronco® brand, the Ford outdoor brand of Built Wild™ and only-4x4 vehicles, revealed the 2021 Bronco Riptide custom build vehicle, designed with West Coast fun and factory-backed accessory personalization in mind.

Following the 2020's Bronco OG and Bronco + Filson Wildland Fire Rig concepts, the new Bronco Riptide project vehicle is designed for spontaneous outdoor adventures. With the roof off, doors removed and replaced with tubular doors, and surfboard rack and boards above, there is plenty of open air for the fun and sun to shine in.

The Velocity Blue exterior is meant to evoke tropical ocean hues. With durable marine-grade vinyl-trimmed seats in Black Onyx and Dark Space Gray and rubberized washout flooring, the Bronco Riptide custom vehicle never shies away from a carefree day at the ocean shore.

"For this Bronco Riptide project, we imagined a customer who enjoys the open air and a free-spirited West Coast lifestyle," said Missy Coolsaet, Bronco color and materials designer. "We wanted the vehicle to demonstrate how Bronco customers can personalize their vehicle, letting different types of customers visualize what they might want to do with their future Bronco."

Based on the 2021 Bronco four-door with Sasquatch™ Package for even more Built Wild capability, the Bronco Riptide vehicle features 35-inch mud-terrain tires mounted to 17-inch factory wheels with optional Ford Performance beadlock rings, Dana™ AdvanTEK® electronic-locking front and rear axles, a high-clearance suspension system with Bilstein® position-sensitive long-travel shock absorbers, plus exclusive Bronco Terrain Management System™ with seven G.O.A.T. Modes™ designed to help ensure Bronco goes over any type of terrain.

The vehicle showcases many Ford accessories available to retail customers at their dealer at time of purchase. Bronco customers can add the cost of factory- and dealer-installed accessories to their financing and roll it into their monthly payment. Accessories used on Bronco Riptide include a Bestop® mesh Bimini top, a Yakima® bike rack with Santa Cruz™ mountain bikes, and a RIGID® LED lightbar and mirror-mounted off-road lights. In addition, a unique prototype front steel bumper gives the Bronco Riptide project vehicle added Built Wild durability and capability.

Like the two Almond™ surfboards inspired by surfers and craftsmen of all varieties, the Bronco design team came up with two prototype crossbars that are bolted to the sport bars to show how overhead racks can be easily mounted without interfering with the soft tops.

Powered by a 2.7-liter EcoBoost® engine with 10-speed SelectShift® automatic transmission featuring Trail Control, Trail One-Pedal Drive* and Trail Turn Assist, the Bronco Riptide vehicle blends torque and performance that fits with its nature-inspired design.

"Thanks to the Bronco modular design, we were able to outfit the vehicle with adventure gear that allows for freedom and versatility," said Coolsaet. "Whether heading off to the mountains or along the California coast, the Bronco Riptide custom vehicle is ready for adventure."

Fans of colorful cars, rejoice, as the Ford Bronco will be getting some new hues for 2022. After listening to the enthusiast community, Ford revealed at this past weekend’s Woodward Dream Cruise that the popular SUV will add two distinctive colors to its repertoire of paint options.



The new colors are Eruption Green and Hot Pepper Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, so needless to say they’re not just adding more blacks, whites, and silvers. And in addition to those two new ones, Cyber Orange will now be available on the Base and Big Bend trims.

There aren’t any photos yet of the Bronco in Hot Pepper Red (it can be seen on some of Ford’s other vehicles), but the Blue Oval has released images of it in Eruption Green, and boy does it look nice. And what’s particularly special about that color is that it was actually inspired by the old Bronco’s Mallard Green, a color that was one of 34 available on the 1973 Bronco.

Unfortunately, the addition of these colors comes at a price, as three of the existing paint options will be dropped for 2022. Those colors would be Antimatter Blue, Lightning Blue Metallic and Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat. That still leaves potential Bronco buyers with one other bright blue and red in the form of Velocity Blue and Race Red, but the departure of Antimatter Blue is certainly an unfortunate one, as the dark navy color was a nice alternative for those who wanted a more subtle look for their Bronco without going down the traditional monochrome route.

Fortunately, these three colors will still be available until 2021 ordering is closed, while the two new colors are expected to begin production in December of this year.

The Ford Bronco is a hot commodity, so it’s surprising to learn the upcoming Bronco pickup has reportedly been cancelled.

While Ford never officially confirmed plans for the model, the Bronco-based truck was expected to arrive in 2024 and battle the Jeep Gladiator.

That apparently isn’t happening as Automotive News talked to two “knowledgeable” sources, who told them the truck has been scrapped. Ford has reportedly communicated this decision to suppliers, but there’s no word on why the project was shelved.

Since the truck was never officially announced, it’s not surprising that Ford is being tight-lipped about reports of the cancellation. However, Ford’s Mike Levine told the publication “We continue to see strong demand for our full portfolio of rugged trucks and SUVs, including Bronco-brand utilities and our best-selling Ford truck lineup.”

That could be part of the reason the Bronco pickup was axed. The model was expected to borrow heavily from the Ranger and likely would have cannibalized sales from the truck. While Ford officials recently told us 70% of Bronco customers are conquest buyers, that would be hard to replicate in the truck segment where Ford is already the dominant player.

Jeep didn’t have this problem with the Gladiator as it doesn’t overlap with the Ram 1500. That being said, the model was initially expected to spawn a Ram Dakota successor but it was apparently axed before being reborn as an electric unibody pickup that will ride on the recently announced STLA Large platform.

Many were surprised when FoMoCo announced that that the 2021 Ford Bronco would be available with a manual transmission, given the fact that most automakers don’t bother to offer them in many vehicles these days. Take rates on manuals have declined rapidly in recent years as automatic transmissions become better and better, and it often feels like the manual is on borrowed time at this point. However, a relatively significant number of 2021 Ford Bronco buyers have opted for that model’s seven-speed gearbox thus far.

Roughly 25 percent of 2021 Ford Bronco owners have chosen the seven-speed manual transmission, Bronco Brand Chief, Mark Grueber, told Ford Authority Executive Editor, Alex Luft, in a recent interview. That’s particularly strong, especially given the fact that the manual is only available with Ford’s 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 – not the more popular 2.7L EcoBoost V6.

As Ford Authority reported yesterday, over 50 percent of Bronco buyers have opted for the Sasquatch Package so far. Earlier this year, Ford revealed some more interesting statistics surrounding the (at the time) 125,000 orders it had taken for the reborn SUV, including the fact that 66 percent of reservations were in fact converted to an order.

A whopping 73 percent of order holders opted for the larger four-door model, while 60 percent went for the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 over the smaller I-4. The four most expensive trim levels – Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak, and First Edition – accounted for a significant 70 percent of those orders as well.

Another option that has proven to be rather popular is the molded-in color hardtop, which has unfortunately faced some quality issues in recent weeks after Ford’s supplier – Webasto – struggled to produce enough tops to fulfill demand. As a result, Ford will replace every MIC top that’s been produced so far, and has pushed all unscheduled Bronco orders to the 2022 model year.

We’ll have much more on the Bronco very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and non-stop Ford news coverage.

It's unofficially official that there's going to be a ford bronco Raptor, a more aggressive, go-fast desert-off-roader version of the new Bronco. As to its specifics, Ford hasn't quite spilled the beans—yet. However, we can presume a good amount by looking at the venerable F-150 Raptor combined with Bronco Raptor spy photos, meaning you can expect Fox LiveValve shocks, beefier suspension hardware, wider fender flares, and 37-inch tires.

Furthermore, thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, a few new details on the ford bronco Raptor have emerged on the Bronco6G.com Forum, according to what some have allegedly seen by poking around in the Bronco's ordering system. The most basic tidbit is that a new body code—one that wasn't listed for model year 2021—was discovered and identified as the Raptor, indicating that we're looking at a 2022 ford bronco Raptor (while also confirming the most basic assumption that the Raptor version of the Bronco will actually exist). In case you haven't looked at a calendar recently, that's right around the corner!

The Bronco Raptor looks to be four-door only, like the current F-150 Raptor (which is only available in the four-door Crew Cab), so if anyone was looking forward to an aggro two-door Bronco, tough luck.

According to Bronco6G's discovery, the "373A" package would constitute a base 2022 ford bronco Raptor, and a "374A" package (that includes a Lux Package, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and a wireless charger) would comprise the high-end Bronco Raptor. An Everglades trim also was seen in the '22 Bronco ordering system.

Like the F-150 Raptor (and also the Bronco's direct competitor, the Jeep Wrangler), the Bronco Raptor is poised to be draped in some fun colors such as the newly revealed Eruption Green, Hot Pepper Red, Code Orange, and Desert Sand.

These ordering system insights fail to answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the Bronco Raptor: What engine will it have? The current Bronco is available with a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 rated at 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque and a twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 rated at 310 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.

The F-15o Raptor's 450-hp, 510-lb-ft twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 would be cool but just doesn't make sense, since it's already in the other Raptor. The most reasonable engine upgrade for the beefier Bronco Raptor might be the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 that was expanded to more of the Ford Explorer lineup for model year 2022. In the Explorer it makes 400 hp, a power figure that would definitely get the job done in a desert-devouring Bronco.

Unfortunately, a high-horsepower V-8 Bronco Raptor doesn't seem likely. Never say never, though; everybody's doin' it, and it wouldn't hurt to sling something crazy under the hood of a limited-edition Bronco Raptor. Who would have thought that Ram would jam a 702-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 into its Ram 1500 pickup, or that Jeep would stuff a 470-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 into its Wrangler, or that Ford would entertain the thought of adding a blown 5.2-liter V-8 option (out of the Mustang Shelby GT500) to its F-150? The Ram 1500 TRX, Jeep Wrangler 392, Land Rover Defender V-8, and forthcoming F-150 Raptor R could theoretically pave the way for a V-8 Bronco Raptor (perhaps called the Bronco Raptor R?).

As pictured on TheBronco6G.com forum, the Bronco ordering system says "Raptor." That spells doom for the Warthog name, which had been bandied about the rumormill as a possibility. Perhaps "Warthog" was just an internal name for the project. In any event, the Raptor name is more recognizable thanks to the decade-long legacy of the F-150 Raptor. Ford has trademarked both the "Bronco Raptor" and "Warthog" names, so we're guessing both could possibly be involved, though the sun seems to be shining brighter on the Raptor option.

Lastly, when will the 2022 ford bronco Raptor be officially revealed? Ford unveiled its ford bronco R race truck at the 2019 SEMA event in Las Vegas, so there's always a chance we could see the Bronco Raptor at the show's 2021 occasion. On the other hand, this timeframe could be much too rushed, particularly given Ford's now very public issues even getting the first batches of regular Broncos into customers' hands. Don't count on seeing these before next year, we bet.

The combination of a white-hot new car market, a slew of delays, and an incredibly sought-after product has worked out in Ford dealers' favor. Across the country dealers are adding thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars of markups to Broncos on the lot. Those who want one today will have to pay up or get in line. But when you finally get to the front of the line, don't assume you're safe: Some shady dealers are trying to add huge markups to pre-ordered Broncos just days before delivery.

That's what happened to the couple that runs the Pipsburgh Views YouTube Channel. After about a year of waiting for their Bronco 4-Door Outer Banks—which they ordered from a dealership that the husband used to work at—the couple was notified six days before delivery that the dealer was adding $10,000 markup over the MSRP they had agreed to. Their $52,810 truck became a $62,000 hostage overnight. They countered with $5000 over sticker, already a wild concession, but the dealer isn't sure whether to accept. After all, the business knows if the couple denies delivery they can sell it off the lot for a wild price.

Unfortunately, this doesn't appear to be an isolated incident. Another user in a thread on the Bronco6G forum says his dealer tried to pull the same thing, forcing him to move his order. Another in a Facebook Group spotted by automotive writer Zerin Dube says that his dealer is trying to squeeze another $5000 out of him at the last minute. Others say that their dealer will not commit to a price until the truck comes in, reserving the right to add markups and effectively negating the purpose of ordering directly. And in these situations, many expect a call from Ford will clear things up. According to Ford spokesperson Mike Levine, that strategy might not get you far.

"MSRP is MSRP," Levine said in an email to Road & Track. "Dealers are independent franchises and ultimately the final price a customer will pay for any vehicle is agreed between themselves and a dealer that’s at, below, or above MSRP. If a customer isn’t happy with their dealer experience, our team can help them find a different dealer that’s a better match."

These markups are nothing new. American auto dealers have a history of adding money to hot, anticipated cars. But it's particularly weird and predatory to add markups to special-order cars, especially when the original order was for a vehicle at MSRP. We must reiterate that you should never pay above sticker price for a vehicle that is not highly limited in production and even then you may not ever make that money back. The Bronco is good, but few cars ever have been worth tens of thousands over their sticker price.

The high-performance version of the Ford Bronco will indeed use the Raptor name from the F-150 pickup, Ford CEO Jim Farley confirmed in a tweet with a teaser video showing a glimpse of the new off-roader. This more powerful variant of the SUV will debut sometime next year, Ford says, and is likely to feature suspension upgrades and a more aggressive look to go along with its name.

The idea of a badder Bronco has existed for a while now, and we had previously heard rumors that it would use the Warthog name. But it makes sense for Ford to keep it in the Raptor family, as the latest F-150 just debuted its Raptor variant recently and the next-generation Ranger mid-size pickup will reportedly add a Raptor model for the U.S. at some point in the near future.

Along with the different grille we can see here, it's likely to have a wider stance, chunkier tires, uprated shocks, and a more powerful engine, likely some sort of turbocharged V-6. We should have more information about the Bronco Raptor in the coming months as Ford starts to trickle out some details about its various upgrades.

The revived Ford Bronco is getting its first recall. The passenger-side airbag can open prematurely when it deploys. This put the SUV out of compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208 regarding occupant crash protection.

This recall affects 553 examples of the new Bronco. These units have build dates from July 18, 2021, through August 17, 2021. Dealers will replace the passenger airbag to fix the problem.

According to the chronology in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documentation, Joyson, the airbag's supplier, found an example that opened before the activation of the micro gas-generator during a routine lot acceptance test. The company brought this issue to Ford’s Critical Concerns Review Group on August 12, 2021.

Further testing showed the premature opening only happening in airbags folded by one of six workers. Joyson found a person who started in this position in late June, and the worker was adding an extra fold to the bag. Previous lot acceptance tests had never randomly selected the bags folded by this person.

Ford did tests to evaluate the effects of an airbag opening prematurely. The automaker found a risk of not meeting crash standards and decided a recall was necessary.

The company has no reports of injuries related to this problem. Joyson has modified its process control and detection methods to avoid problems like this in the future.

Ford will contact affected Bronco owners by mail starting November 15 to tell them about this recall. Customers can then schedule the repair with their local dealer. Also, showrooms can't sell any in-stock Broncos with these faulty airbags until the problem is fixed.

While not a safety recall, Ford has also pledged to replace the hard tops on affected Broncos. The original panels had quality control and fitment issues. Deliveries of the new ones should finally begin in October.

Last year, the internet was all abuzz with disappointment when the Bronco launched without the option to pair the 2021 Bronco's Sasquatch off-road package with a standard seven-speed manual transmission. Nor was it available with the bigger 2.7-liter powerplant; you could only row your own with the 2.3-liter Ecoboost engine. About 12,000 Bronco fans flocked to Change.org to log their feedback and requests for manuals with a variety of colorful and explicit reasons why they needed one.

After a year of pleas, it appears Ford is listening. The Blue Oval confirmed to its Bronco reservation holders this week that it’s finally coming through with the combination you’ve been waiting for (im)patiently: a 2022 Bronco with the Sasquatch package will be available with a manual transmission on Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond and Badlands trims.

In a road test, our own Kristen Lee claimed a two-door Badlands Bronco with the seven-speed manual, and she found it to be friendly with a generous level of torque on tap. Expect the Sasquatch/manual combination for 2022 models to offer a similar feel, but with the added factors of 35-inch tires, Bilstein shocks, high-clearance fender flares, and front- and rear-locking differentials.

Soon, Ford will be closing out its production for 2021-model Broncos and moving to the 2022s. In an email, Ford said, “Within two weeks, our 2022 model-year Build & Price tool and ordering system will be available, and we will send you an email invitation to place your order.”

Other additions for 2022 include new color options (Hot Pepper Red and Eruption Green), a new available powder-coated steel front bumper, and new special edition and limited-production offerings like the Bronco Raptor SUV, which will become available next summer. Vroom.

For those looking to order this new configuration, Ford says delivery timing will depend on several factors, including reservation time stamp, vehicle model and configuration, part availability (unsaid: chip availability) and the number of Broncos your dealer receives.

The brand says to expect deliveries to begin in Q1 of 2022.

As Ford Authorityreported last year, Ford filed to trademark “Everglades” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on June 5th, 2020. Roughly a month later, the automaker also filed to trademark that same term in Mexico. Then, in September, the 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades showed up in the vehicle’s official order guide with no additional information provided. Now, Ford Authority has learned that dealers were recently informed that the upcoming model is indeed on the way for the 2022 model year.

The 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is a special-edition model that will be built in limited quantities, with no guaranteed availability for current order holders. The Everglades will come equipped with a factory-installed snorkel and winch and will be available in the summer of 2022. Ford declined to provide any additional details about the special model but did say that more information – including pricing and full specifications – will be available in Q1 of 2022. Interestingly, Ford Authority spies captured a Bronco hybrid with a snorkel back in June, which can be seen in these photos.

The Everglades is one of a number of upcoming special edition 2022 Bronco models, including the recently teasedFord Bronco Raptor. According to the previously leaked order guide, the Everglades will only be available as a four-door model – just like the Raptor – will be offered in a color called Desert Sand, and will come equipped with a marine-grade vinyl interior.

In addition to the Bronco Raptor and Everglades, 2022 Bronco models with the Sasquatch package can now be ordered with the seven-speed manual, as Ford Authority confirmed yesterday. Other changes for the 2022 model year include a new Capable front bumper plus a roof rack for four-door Broncos equipped with the Sasquatch package. Finally, Wildtrak models will swap their standard MIC hardtop for a soft top.

We’ll have more on the Bronco Everglades soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.