2021-2022 Ford Bronco Roof Recall (26V299)
Ford Motor Company · 16,200 vehicles · Reported May 12, 2026
Ford Motor Company is recalling 16,200 2021-2022 Ford Bronco vehicles. The 3-door and 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hardtop roof panels may have been manufactured improperly, which can allow sections of the outer roof panel to separate and detach from the vehicle. A detached section of roof can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Owners first received an interim notice; check NHTSA for whether the remedy is now available for your VIN.
Recall 26V299 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V299000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 26S32 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | May 12, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2021-2022 Ford Bronco |
| Units affected | 16,200 |
| Component | Structure > Body > Roof And Pillars |
| Safety risk | A detached section of roof can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| Fix | Interim notice issued; remedy may now be available, check NHTSA for current status |
What is wrong with the 2021-2022 Ford Bronco in recall 26V299?
The 3-door and 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hardtop roof panels may have been manufactured improperly, which can allow sections of the outer roof panel to separate and detach from the vehicle.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles. The 3-door and 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hardtop roof panels may have been manufactured improperly, which can allow sections of the outer roof panel to separate and detach from the vehicle.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2022 Bronco with recall 26V299?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A detached section of roof can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A detached section of roof can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the roof and pillars.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V299?
Recall 26V299 covers 16,200 vehicles: 2021-2022 Ford Bronco.
NHTSA lists 16,200 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Ford | Bronco |
What is the fix for the Bronco roof recall?
An interim notice went out first. Check NHTSA to see if the final repair is now available for your VIN.
Dealers will inspect and replace the hard top as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed May 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S32. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 12, 2026.
When was recall 26V299 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 26V299 to NHTSA on May 12, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 23, 2020 | First affected vehicle built (per Ford Motor Company's filing). |
| May 12, 2026 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V299000. |
| May 28, 2026 | Letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 4 months ago. If your Bronco was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Bronco is part of recall 26V299?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V299 is open on your Bronco, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Bronco owners do about recall 26V299?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V299000 applies to your Bronco.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Ford dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Write down when symptoms involving the roof and pillars happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Bronco owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 605 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 21 of them about the body, doors and seats.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the body, doors and seats have been filed since recall 26V299 was reported (3) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 605 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 21 of them involve the body, doors and seats. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2022 Ford Bronco: 376 complaints in total, 14 about the body, doors and seats
- 2021 Ford Bronco: 229 complaints in total, 7 about the body, doors and seats
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the removable hardtop was cracked. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the removable hardtop needed to be replaced.
2021 Ford Bronco owner, IL, NHTSA complaint 11648860, filed March 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated the rear translucent heavy plastic panel was loosened due to the breakdown of the plastic tabs used to secure the rear panel in place.
2021 Ford Bronco owner, OK, NHTSA complaint 11655838, filed April 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the rear window clips fractured, causing the window to detach and fall onto the roadway in traffic. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been diagnosed by the dealer and determined that the failure was the depillar clip.
2021 Ford Bronco owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11543374, filed September 8, 2023
Can recall 26V299 make my Bronco a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Owners often ask whether this roof and pillars recall means their Bronco qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Body and latch defects on the 2021-2022 Ford Bronco may seem minor until a door opens while driving or a seat will not lock. Problems that return after repair belong in your records.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
A recall with no fix can support a buyback on its own.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
Recall repairs depend on parts. Owners can wait days, weeks or months, usually about one to three months in our cases, and those days count toward California's 30-day out-of-service rule.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Bronco been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Ford Bronco recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V299
Is the 26V299000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Bronco is part of recall 26V299000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V299000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Ford. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.