Back in the olden days, hood scoops were – more often than not – functional. But when it comes to modern vehicles, hood scoops rarely serve a functional purpose. The Ford Motor Company's Bronco Sport 2021 – 2024 Air Design Matte Black Hood Scoop, for example, is all show and no extra cooling or fresh air.
In hindsight, part number VM1PZ-16C630-A proved to be a poorly designed scoop as well. The Ford Motor Company has recently filed a recall for the faux scoop, which is attached to the crossover's hood by means of double-sided tape and adhesive from 3M, namely 540 polyurethane sealant.
Recall number 24E-032 reveals that 1,209 hood scoops produced between November 12, 2020 and February 21, 2024 may detach while driving. The suspect parts were sold over the counter as official accessories for the Bronco Sport. Ford is aware of 24 reports alleging loose scoops or hood scoops that had detached from the vehicle in North America alone, with the first report dated April 2021.
The Critical Concern Review Group started looking into these reports in January 2024. Come February 2024, the Ford Motor Company reviewed claims of two claims which showed minimal signs of adhesive. As the primary attachment mechanism to the hood, that's a bit worrying, to say the least.
Later in February 2024, the safety boffins identified a warpage in the honeycomb-style grille area of the accessory hood scoop. Suspect parts had been purged from the stocks of authorized distributors and dealers at the beginning of April 2024, but alas, precisely 1,209 units were sold over the counter.
Photo: Ford
Ford still hasn't identified the root cause for the warping, a condition that causes the front of the scoop to not sit flush with the hood. Needless to say, a hood scoop that detaches while operating the vehicle might damage the windshield and create a road hazard for other vehicles and traffic participants. Dealers will be required to contact customers that purchased the accessory and request said customers to return the part for a full refund.
Of course, dealers have to destroy the returned parts. There is no remedy part to speak of, and this begs the question of whether the cringe-inducing accessory will return to the Bronco Sport's accessories catalog for the 2025 model year. 2025 will see the Bronco's unibody sibling receive a mid-cycle refresh, which includes a larger touchscreen for the infotainment system and revised bumpers for slightly better approach and departure angles.
It's not clear whether the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport will also receive a hybrid version. Considering that platform brothers Escape and Maverick can be had as hybrids, the Bronco Sport Hybrid isn't really a question of when but rather of if the Ford Motor Company can make a case for a hybrid setup.
For the time being, prospective customers are presented with a three-cylinder turbo displacing 1.5 liters and a 2.0-liter turbo four-pot mill. The latter is exclusive to the Badlands trim level, which starts at $38,390 compared to $29,795 for the Big Bend.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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