Leaking Braptor Hardtop Dealer says is normal

[Dnewman9]

After 3 days at the dealership trying to recreate the leaking issue, even though there was water all over the interior after an overnight rain the morning we dropped it off, the dealership sent us home with “it’s normal, all roofs leak” Very frustrating and I even engaged Ford on here for help with no success.
Attached are a few pictures of our top, what is concerning is the rear gap on the second row, passenger side. The driver side is tight in towards the center of the vehicle and the gap is consistent with the front two. On the passenger side that third gap is large and the top is pushed out away from the truck? I loosened all the top latches and could not get them to move around leading me to believe I probably need to pull the top off and see if there is adjustment elsewhere? Anyone have any suggestions on how to align the top?

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[Dnewman9]

Btw, the last two pictures are 45 degrees facing the front of the truck, you can really see the gap.

 

[Xjeepowner]

No way I would except this. Post on every social
media website, call your local news stations and if you have to take them to small claims court. You can sue for up to 10,000.

 

[Xjeepowner]

That really pisses me off that Ford won’t stand up and honor their warranty!

 

[Ducati1098]

Contacting Ford on here isn’t going to do anything for you.
Go to a different dealership. No reason this shouldn’t be warranty.
If water leaks were normal, there wouldn’t be multiple TSBs for top leaks in other places.

 

[Shawn of the Dead]

All roofs leak on $90K vehicles. What utter bullshit.

 

[KillerPenz]

Just because it's normal (for a Ford hard top), doesn't mean it's right.

Either go through Ford (here or by phone) because in my experience they do reach out to dealer and sort of get involved. Or try another dealership. Just because Ford & Webasto (assume it's still them) don't know how to make a hard top, doesn't mean you have to live with a bunch of leaks!

 

[lakesinai]

After 3 days at the dealership trying to recreate the leaking issue, even though there was water all over the interior after an overnight rain the morning we dropped it off, the dealership sent us home with “it’s normal, all roofs leak” Very frustrating and I even engaged Ford on here for help with no success.
Attached are a few pictures of our top, what is concerning is the rear gap on the second row, passenger side. The driver side is tight in towards the center of the vehicle and the gap is consistent with the front two. On the passenger side that third gap is large and the top is pushed out away from the truck? I loosened all the top latches and could not get them to move around leading me to believe I probably need to pull the top off and see if there is adjustment elsewhere? Anyone have any suggestions on how to align the top?

Well, I've lived with my 2021 hardtop for nearly 2 years and 37,000 miles. Mine leaked a little at first at the front, but after repeated on-off cycles, it resolved itself in a few weeks. I think your best option, now that you've documented your leak with Ford, is to work on it yourself. It appears to me from your photos that some of the gaskets are misaligned, compressed or slightly twisted. Someone could have leaned on them when the top was off, don't know the age of your car or how much you take the roof off. Could have come that way from the factory.

If it were me, I'd take off all three panels, let the sun get to them, gently guide them back into place if needed, and reinstall the panels at end of day. I personally have found that MIC top leakage is best resolved by taking the top off for a while. Enjoy the Sun. Time is on your side. Repeated on/off cycles is what that top needs. Mine doesn't leak all, and it comes off alot!

Thats my experience.

 

[Mikey1287]

Mine was leaking at first and i posted on here about it. Ford reached out on here and got the ball rolling for my dealership to get it fixed. They even lined up a water specialist to travel to my dealership. It's fixed now.

Good luck!

 

[flip]

Assuming the center panel isn't messed up I would start with the cap and work forward. Hard to tell if the passenger side of the cap is back and in or if the center is just that far off. Has the top been off prior? The scratches in the last pic, did someone try to pry around on the center panel or are they just normal trail striping?

Where exactly was the water coming in at and are the cap alignment pins still in place?

 

[BlueBronco]

call your local news stations

This always makes me lol. You think a local reporter wants to chase down a story about one guys leaky top? Besides, watch a local news broadcast and see who buys most of the advertising, spoiler alert, it is local dealerships.

OP, yeah that is some bs that all roofs leak, but by your description, it sounds like the panels aren't fitting correctly. Are all the latches closed tight? When my wifes first Bronco was delivered one of the front latches was the wrong part and it wouldn't close. Verify everything is correct then completely remove the panels and inspect the seals. Re-install the panels and try to see if you can get things more centered and sealed. Probably should have done so before taking it to the dealership.

 

[flip]

Here ya go.
Hard Top Alignment - 5-Door
Repair

1. Evaluate margin and flushness of the hard top front panels to the windshield header.

1. NOTE: Do not adjust the center roof receivers if the flushness is within specification and visual appearance is good
   • Adjust the center roof receivers if the hard top front panels are too high or too low at the vehicle centerline.
   • Note the direction and amount of adjustment required for the front panels.

1. Fold down the LH sun visor against the windshield.

1. 1. Turn the three L-shaped latches on the hard top front panel LH , unlocking them from the roof.
2. 1. Unlatch the hard top front panel LH latch at the top of the windshield.

1. Remove the hard top front panel LH .

1. Fold down the RH sun visor against the windshield.

1. 1. Turn the three L-shaped latches on the hard top front panel RH , unlocking them from the roof.
2. 1. Unlatch the hard top front panel RH header panel latch at the top of the windshield.

1. Remove the hard top front panel RH .

1. 1. Turn the 3 turn handles on the center roof panel, unlocking them from the rear roof panel.
2. 1. Unlatch the LH side and RH side flip latches of the center roof panel.

1. Remove the center roof panel.

1. 1. Loosen the latch receiver fasteners. Do not completely loosen the fasteners.
2. 1. Do not adjust the center roof receivers if the flushness is within specification and visual appearance is good.

1. NOTE: Steps 12 and 13 to be performed simultaneously.
   1. Install the center panel on the vehicle and push rearward until nominal gap to the rear cap assembly is achieved.
      
      
      
      

      Panel margin between the center panel and rear cap assembly

      7.0 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Hand tighten the receiver fasteners when the desired fit is achieved.

1. NOTE: Steps 12 and 13 to be performed simultaneously.
   1. Install the center panel on the vehicle and adjust until nominal flushness to the rear cap assembly is achieved.
      
      
      
      

      Panel flushness between the center panel and rear cap assembly

      0.0 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Hand tighten the receiver fasteners when the desired fit is achieved.

1. Install the front panels on the vehicle and adjust to achieve the desired fit.
   1. Panel flushness - Adjust the center receivers up/down to resolve issues where front panels are not sealing tight with the front header seal.
      
      
      
      

      Panel flushness between front panels and front header seal

      2.7 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Panel margin - Inspect the front panels for presence of large Vegas. Adjust the panel margin by the receivers on pillars A and B.
      
      
      
      

      Panel margin between front panels LH and RH	7.5 mm ± 2.5 mm
      Panel margin between front panels and front header seal	13 mm ± 2.5 mm

1. NOTE: Install all the bolts finger tight before final tightening.
   Carefully remove the hard top panels after the desired fit is achieved.
   1. Tighten the fasteners.
      Torque: 177 lb.in (20 Nm)
2. 1. Tighten the fasteners.
      Torque: 177 lb.in (20 Nm)

1. Install the center and the front panels. Check the fit to ensure correct fitment as per specifications.

1. Install the center and the front panels. Check the fit to ensure correct fitment as per specifications.

1. Replace the hard top front panel or the center panel if the desired fit is not achieved.
   
   
   
   

   Mating panels	Replacement panel
   Front panel to front windshield header	Replace faulty front panel
   Front panel to center panel	Replace faulty front panel
   Center panel to rear cap assembly	Replace the center panel

 

[flip]

Here ya go.
Hard Top Alignment - 5-Door
Repair

1. Evaluate margin and flushness of the hard top front panels to the windshield header.

1. NOTE: Do not adjust the center roof receivers if the flushness is within specification and visual appearance is good
   • Adjust the center roof receivers if the hard top front panels are too high or too low at the vehicle centerline.
   • Note the direction and amount of adjustment required for the front panels.

1. Fold down the LH sun visor against the windshield.

1. 1. Turn the three L-shaped latches on the hard top front panel LH , unlocking them from the roof.
2. 1. Unlatch the hard top front panel LH latch at the top of the windshield.

1. Remove the hard top front panel LH .

1. Fold down the RH sun visor against the windshield.

1. 1. Turn the three L-shaped latches on the hard top front panel RH , unlocking them from the roof.
2. 1. Unlatch the hard top front panel RH header panel latch at the top of the windshield.

1. Remove the hard top front panel RH .

1. 1. Turn the 3 turn handles on the center roof panel, unlocking them from the rear roof panel.
2. 1. Unlatch the LH side and RH side flip latches of the center roof panel.

1. Remove the center roof panel.

1. 1. Loosen the latch receiver fasteners. Do not completely loosen the fasteners.
2. 1. Do not adjust the center roof receivers if the flushness is within specification and visual appearance is good.

1. NOTE: Steps 12 and 13 to be performed simultaneously.
   1. Install the center panel on the vehicle and push rearward until nominal gap to the rear cap assembly is achieved.
      
      
      
      

      Panel margin between the center panel and rear cap assembly

      7.0 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Hand tighten the receiver fasteners when the desired fit is achieved.

1. NOTE: Steps 12 and 13 to be performed simultaneously.
   1. Install the center panel on the vehicle and adjust until nominal flushness to the rear cap assembly is achieved.
      
      
      
      

      Panel flushness between the center panel and rear cap assembly

      0.0 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Hand tighten the receiver fasteners when the desired fit is achieved.

1. Install the front panels on the vehicle and adjust to achieve the desired fit.
   1. Panel flushness - Adjust the center receivers up/down to resolve issues where front panels are not sealing tight with the front header seal.
      
      
      
      

      Panel flushness between front panels and front header seal

      2.7 mm ± 2.5 mm

2. 1. Panel margin - Inspect the front panels for presence of large Vegas. Adjust the panel margin by the receivers on pillars A and B.
      
      
      
      

      Panel margin between front panels LH and RH	7.5 mm ± 2.5 mm
      Panel margin between front panels and front header seal	13 mm ± 2.5 mm

1. NOTE: Install all the bolts finger tight before final tightening.
   Carefully remove the hard top panels after the desired fit is achieved.
   1. Tighten the fasteners.
      Torque: 177 lb.in (20 Nm)
2. 1. Tighten the fasteners.
      Torque: 177 lb.in (20 Nm)

1. Install the center and the front panels. Check the fit to ensure correct fitment as per specifications.

1. Install the center and the front panels. Check the fit to ensure correct fitment as per specifications.

1. Replace the hard top front panel or the center panel if the desired fit is not achieved.
   
   
   
   

   Mating panels	Replacement panel
   Front panel to front windshield header	Replace faulty front panel
   Front panel to center panel	Replace faulty front panel
   Center panel to rear cap assembly	Replace the center panel

 

[JJCastle]

Love when dealers try to "jedi mind trick" you with the this is normal thing. The 2019 silverado I traded in had a little issue where if you tugged down on the steering wheel a little, the whole thing would slam down in my lap (as if the adjustment lever was open, even though it wasnt). Dealer told me that was normal. I finally told them I wanted that in writing, so when the truck went into a telephone pole I would have them on record. They ended up replacing the whole steering column.

 

[Dnewman9]

Thank you for the laugh, that picture is awesome!!!
This thing leaks buckets, hopefully to your point the gaskets have not formed to the misalignment, The more I think about it I need the dealer to fix this and if the gaskets are deformed, replace it all.

Well, I've lived with my 2021 hardtop for nearly 2 years and 37,000 miles. Mine leaked a little at first at the front, but after repeated on-off cycles, it resolved itself in a few weeks. I think your best option, now that you've documented your leak with Ford, is to work on it yourself. It appears to me from your photos that some of the gaskets are misaligned, compressed or slightly twisted. Someone could have leaned on them when the top was off, don't know the age of your car or how much you take the roof off. Could have come that way from the factory.

If it were me, I'd take off all three panels, let the sun get to them, gently guide them back into place if needed, and reinstall the panels at end of day. I personally have found that MIC top leakage is best resolved by taking the top off for a while. Enjoy the Sun. Time is on your side. Repeated on/off cycles is what that top needs. Mine doesn't leak all, and it comes off alot!

Thats my experience.

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