The Windshield could separate from the vehicle in a crash, thus risking injuries to the passengers
Water leaks and wind noises could also be a result of this problem
The automaker will reinstall the windshield on over 60,000 vehicles
Ford is recalling 63,294 units of the 2022 Bronco and Ranger in the United States due to a windshield that might not have been bonded correctly to the body of the vehicle.
This issue warrants a recall since the windshield plays a major role in the structural rigidity of the occupant protection cell of the vehicle.
In addition to potentially weakening the roof structure, this problem could cause the windshield to detach completely from the vehicle in a crash, which could allow passengers to fall out of the vehicles and debris to enter the cabin.
Even without a crash, this defect can be problematic for owners since an improperly bonded windshield can lead to wind noises and water leaks.
2021 Ford Ranger Lariat Tremor | Photo: Matt St-Pierre
To fix this, Ford will remove and reinstall the windshield free of charge. On vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems that use a camera mounted behind the windshield, the dealership will also perform a calibration procedure on the system to endure the windshield replacement hasn’t affected its performance.
According to the automaker, about 15% of the 39,063 Bronco SUVs and 24,231 Ranger pickups that are recalled are likely to feature a windshield that is insufficiently bonded.
All of the affected vehicles came off of the assembly line between the 8th of December 2021 and the 12th of April, 2022.
Ford has not identified the precise cause of the issue, but the elements highlighted in the documents submitted to the NHTSA include the windshield itself, the urethane, and the primer used to prepare the body for the adhesive.
The automaker will mail letters to the owners of the recalled vehicles between July 11 and July 15.
