Video: closeup looks at some MIC tops today at dealer

[SPITmadFIRE]

Greetings fellow RS owner! I unloaded mine when it developed the oil leak that signified the head gasket would need replacement for a second time but it was a fun car up until that point.

I would caution anyone here who thinks that Ford will just leap to fixing this hardtop issue to read about the gaslighting that went on prior to the automotive news media getting ahold of the initial head gasket problem in the RS. They blamed owner after owner for abuse of the engine for six months plus while RS engines (a hotter version of the 2.3 in this Bronco) blew up until a journalist discovered that the factory was putting the wrong head gaskets for the Explorer on the RS by reading part numbers based off pictures sent to him by a buddy of his who was a Ford tech. Only after that expose did Ford agree to fix the problem, and not with a recall, as I’ve seen some suggest with the top - they did it with an FSA which allowed them more flexibility in terms of conducting the fix. Then when they did, they put too little/the wrong kind of sealant on the correct head gasket for close to a year before revising the shop manual so that cars like mine would develop an oil leak again and require yet another head gasket replacement if the block didn’t crack first. I’m not saying Ford won’t make this right eventually, but you need a wake-up call if you think it’s going to be a walk in the park. You will have to fight for every inch you get, trust me.

I got lucky with the head gasket issues — bought my 2017 RS new in July of ‘17, only put a few thousand miles on it by the time the FSA program came out for the head gasket. The procedure for determining if you got a new gasket or a new engine was essentially to pressure test it for a few hours and if it dropped at least 1psi (?? why not ANY amount of drop?!) you got a new block. If it didn’t, you only got the head gasket. I think the program started late December of 2017 or something? I had my work done in January 2018 and demanded they pressure test my car overnight for at least 12 hours. Luckily, my gasket hadn’t become a problem yet and there was no change in pressure.

Ford then revised the FSA silently without notifying any of us to swap out the sealants like you mentioned — we never got notice about needing a different sealant. When I brought my car in about the front timing chain cover leak (due to the wrong sealant) I even pointed at the very TSB Ford released updating the sealant to use for this repair. My dealership insisted it wasn’t the sealant. They didn’t realize I had taken photos of the sealant literally drooping and dripping with oil from the timing chain cover. They replaced it with the correct sealant, but in the process they crimped my turbo oil feed line which I just got replaced recently after dying my oil and driving for 1,000 miles

So yeah, as someone who bought their RS brand new and still loves to drive it, I recently switched my Badlands MIC order to a soft top LOL. Little faith in Ford’s FSA/recall program left.

Photos attached for the Ford performance tax, as well as a shot of the totally-not-defective sealant used on my timing chain cover.

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[bigtexyahoocom]

I got lucky with the head gasket issues — bought my 2017 RS new in July of ‘17, only put a few thousand miles on it by the time the FSA program came out for the head gasket. The procedure for determining if you got a new gasket or a new engine was essentially to pressure test it for a few hours and if it dropped at least 1psi (?? why not ANY amount of drop?!) you got a new block. If it didn’t, you only got the head gasket. I think the program started late December of 2017 or something? I had my work done in January 2018 and demanded they pressure test my car overnight for at least 12 hours. Luckily, my gasket hadn’t become a problem yet and there was no change in pressure.

Ford then revised the FSA silently without notifying any of us to swap out the sealants like you mentioned — we never got notice about needing a different sealant. When I brought my car in about the front timing chain cover leak (due to the wrong sealant) I even pointed at the very TSB Ford released updating the sealant to use for this repair. My dealership insisted it wasn’t the sealant. They didn’t realize I had taken photos of the sealant literally drooping and dripping with oil from the timing chain cover. They replaced it with the correct sealant, but in the process they crimped my turbo oil feed line which I just got replaced recently after dying my oil and driving for 1,000 miles

So yeah, as someone who bought their RS brand new and still loves to drive it, I recently switched my Badlands MIC order to a soft top LOL. Little faith in Ford’s FSA/recall program left.

Photos attached for the Ford performance tax, as well as a shot of the totally-not-defective sealant used on my timing chain cover.

Smart man. Funny how literally every RS owner I’ve talked to has some variation of this story. I was on my third trip to the dealer for my definitely sealant related oil leak which I informed them about each time but simply HAD to wait for them to replace the oil feed line and the banjo bolt first. They said it was Ford protocol even though they claimed to agree it was the sealant. Also LOVE those Fifteen52 wheels!

 

[Kev]

Well my dealer called and told me they had recieved a couple Bronco's today! Of course I headed out there right after work... They were both mic top 4drs and I wanted to have a closer look at those! Now, I'm a ford fan... Have owned mostly Ford's my hole life with a couple Chevy's and a Nissan.. maybe a kia mixed in... That shit will never happen again.... Just so I'm being clear.

So yeah the Mic tops... They need some sorting. I'm actually not as sad about being bumped to Aug 16 now... Which was updated to "day of" today. So that's good I guess.... Anyhow, watch the vid. I go over what I found with the ones I looked at today. I do have faith that ford will do right by the people that already have them, somehow... I told my dealer that issues like the ones I pointed out to him aren't going to fly if my comes like this and they'd need to note/document it and contact ford about it immediately... We both agreed to cross that bridge when we get there... Haha. Also, if you like Carb Grey or Area51 this is a pretty decent look into those! So yeah... Here's the vid!

Would you accept delivery of this MIC Top on your Bronco???

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

Smart man. Funny how literally every RS owner I’ve talked to has some variation of this story. I was on my third trip to the dealer for my definitely sealant related oil leak which I informed them about each time but simply HAD to wait for them to replace the oil feed line and the banjo bolt first. They said it was Ford protocol even though they claimed to agree it was the sealant. Also LOVE those Fifteen52 wheels!

The worst part was that the turbo oil feed line was more than likely an issue as well as the sealant. From what I heard, so many turbo oil feed lines were crimped during the head gasket procedures because the techs would not properly secure the weight of the turbo when it was removed from the back of the block. The oil feed lines weren't built to dangle the entire weight of the turbo, thus crimped lines and broken banjos.

edit: cannot recommend Fifteen52 highly enough. When those wheels were first released specifically for the RS, I had lengthy conversations with a few customer service folks at Fifteen52 and they were all super pleasant to deal with. The finish on them is immaculate, and even years later a good wash makes them look brand new again. The ten pounds of brake dust the RS generates every few hundred miles does not help them stay shiny, though

TL;DR about the Focus RS saga: do not rely on Ford FSAs or recalls. I've had to teach my dealership's service advisors and techs about these finicky issues multiple times just to get my warranty work properly completed. The only thing that makes me continue going through the pain is the love I have for how this RS feels.

 

[Lazerus]

I just don't see any way that passed QC without an 'override'.
Pure supposition:
Ford has decided the (correctly) the PR hit over these tops is way less than one for halting production again. An absolutely reasonable business decision. However, if that's the case, be straight with your customers.
'We understand the quality of these tops do not meet acceptable standards. But we felt it more important to get you your Bronco as soon as possible - with a top that will work in the interim - while we sort out these manufacturing issues. Once we begin producing tops that meet the high standards you expect from your Bronco, we will replace these units at no charge'.

It would ease all the anxiety over this and make Ford sound like a thoughtful, conscientious company.

 

[timhood]

I’m just trying to picture exactly how this would play out.

1. You get a call from your dealer that your Bronco is in. Excitement ensues!

2. You arrive at the dealer and notice the MIC isn’t perfect. Some honeycomb and rough edges.

3. You tell your dealer that you want ford to replace it but you want to move forward with the deal.

At this point, what happens? Do you:

A. Leave the Bronco on the lot until your dealer sends pictures to Ford and gets confirmation that they will replace the top and then return to sign? I’m skeptical that all dealers would partake in this.

B. Sign the papers, drive off, and then trust the dealer and Ford to come through for you?

C. Something else?

I’m actually asking for advice because I’m sure my mic will be messed up.

If you choose option A, at some point, you will be asked to either purchase the vehicle or it will be considered "rejected" by you and the dealer will be able to sell it to a walk-in customer.

If you choose option B, I predict Ford will definitely not be doing any warranty replacement over the honeycomb texture showing on the top. They will likely say it's just a normal look for the top. In fact, it may very well be. Really, if it doesn't reflect a structural or integrity issue, what is the problem here? If the top were smooth, alligator skin textured or furry, ultimately, that's the way the top was intended to look, cosmetically.

Now, portions where the top looks to have unfinished edges exposing the interior of the top to the elements could potentially be a valid claim, especially if an actual problem arises.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Really, if it doesn't reflect a structural or integrity issue, what is the problem here?

This akin to missing a swath of base coat on a body panel and the primer showing through. Yes, the clear coat and primer will protect from corrosion, but nobody is going to say it's acceptable for the paint to not be uniform in appearance.

 

[shieldsy]

People who are well aware of the MIC issues and STILL continue with their MIC order, delivery and acceptance are a bigger glutton for punishment than I am.

I can just see the thread after thread after thread over the next five years on the '21 MIC Broncos. The anger that will be expressed when Ford doesn't solve what FMC deems to be cosemetic issues to the customers benefit, even though the customer knew the score when they purchased, will be unlimited.

 

[Reaper]

Dear Ford,

I don’t mind the honeycomb for a bit until you get things sorted. You can ship mine and I promise not to complain.

Sincerely,
7/2 Blend

 

[blanchardsbronco]

Stopped at my locsl dealer. Had bad comp written on the window still. Here are some pictures of the edges right next to it.…..

 

[timhood]

This akin to missing a swath of base coat on a body panel and the primer showing through. Yes, the clear coat and primer will protect from corrosion, but nobody is going to say it's acceptable for the paint to not be uniform in appearance.

Is it, though? I'm not even remotely an expert in this process, but I could see where someone (Ford) could say that the pattern showing is a normal by-product of pressure-forming the two outer panels to the inner honeycomb. Take an item and press it hard enough against another item and there will be an impression left.

I mean, the same argument could be made about paint. We've all seen the orange peel that mass manufacturers leave from the factory painting process. Yet we all know it is very possible to not have orange peel. And still, no manufacturer is going to accept a warranty claim for orange-peel paint if that's the way they are shipping them out.

 

[timhood]

Is it, though? I'm not even remotely an expert in this process, but I could see where someone (Ford) could say that the pattern showing is a normal by-product of pressure-forming the two outer panels to the inner honeycomb. Take an item and press it hard enough against another item and there will be an impression left.

I mean, the same argument could be made about paint. We've all seen the orange peel that mass manufacturers leave from the factory painting process. Yet we all know it is very possible to not have orange peel. And still, no manufacturer is going to accept a warranty claim for orange-peel paint if that's the way they are shipping them out.

I should add that I'm saying I'm OK with that honeycomb. I definitely would not want to have it. And I'm hoping that by the time my Bronco arrives, if there's a way to prevent it, mine won't have it. But I'm also not holding my breath that this would be accepted as a warranty flaw, particularly when the only remedy is replacing the whole top.

 

[UNBROKN]

They might, but it appears there might be more issues that don't crop up for a few weeks down the road. Might as well document it to add to it when it happens.

My dealer just told me that these defects fall under "fit and finish". They need to be addressed in the first 6 months (at the most). He thinks Ford will fix the issue with tops that look like this.

 

[Carolina Jim]

I don't think there is any doubt the MIC top is a Lemon.

Perhaps the Broncos that were delivered in late June caught Ford by surprise. "Holy shit I didn't think we were shipping anything THAT ugly."

But Broncos leaving MAP today? --- hell everyone from Jim Farley's wife on down knows MICs are under the microscope. If Ford ships it today, it meets their standard

Read the Bronco warranty document:

WHAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY?
Damage Caused By: customer-applied chemicals (pg 13)
Damage Caused by: freezing, water or flood (pg 14)

Accept the top at dealer delivery...it is YOURS

 

[SnowBronco]

Would you accept delivery of this MIC Top on your Bronco???

I've seen three different tops now. All three have been in vastly different shape. The one in the video is the worst. The one in my previous video was totally acceptable under the circumstances... I'm pretty sure the first one I saw was the newest. These 2 I saw yesterday were much earlier builds. I don't think any of the new ones coming out now will be quite as bad. So... In answering your question... Would I except? I would if documented and my fleet manager made it known to ford.. as I said in the first post. Worst cast it does have delamination and starts leaking and falling apart... Then they have it warranty it .. best case... That's the worst it gets.... Doesn't leak. Fine...

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