Ford will ship Broncos without chips controlling non-safety critical features

[mamamoose]

I could see this getting ugly as the selling dealer may not be same as the servicing dealer.
It's going to take coordination to get the parts to right dealers.
Dealers that didn't sell the vehicle may not want to do the service.

I'm buying mine in Wisconsin and driving it back to Ohio. I don't know if the two local Ford dealerships are going to be too happy about servicing my bronco, let alone helping me with missing chips.

Sponsored

 

[gryphon1231]

Bad news gets released on Fridays, really bad news gets released on weekends. However, depending on your point of view, such as ICE Mountain, you may see this as good news.

This information came out of the National Auto Dealers Association Show in Las Vegas on Saturday, where Ford executives spoke during a meeting of the company’s franchised dealers.

Ford will ship and sell vehicles without chips controlling non-safety critical features

Ford executives told dealers the company would provide the missing parts for dealers to install within one year.​

March 12, 2022
Michael Martinez

​

LAS VEGAS -- Ford Motor Co., attempting to ease inventory constraints, plans to ship and sell partially built vehicles that are awaiting semiconductors or related components that control non-safety critical features, executives told dealers in a meeting Saturday, according to three people present.​

​

The plan is a revision of an idea floated in July where Ford considered shipping partially-built vehicles to dealers to sit on their lots until parts became available. Now, according to the people, the partially-built vehicles Ford will send dealers will be both drivable and sellable.​

​

Ford said it would send the necessary chips within one year for dealers to install in the sold products, the people said.​

​

It was not immediately clear when it would start shipping and selling the partially-built vehicles or what models would be included in the plan.​

​

A Ford spokesman was not immediately available to comment on the plan.​

​

The automaker has been attempting to find ways to ease the glut of unfinished vehicles piling up on lots around its manufacturing plants. Most recently, what appeared to be hundreds if not thousands of Broncos were piling up in Michigan. Ford said the backlog was chip-related and that it planned to ship those vehicles within three months, pending parts availability.​

​

The ongoing chip shortage has forced a number of automakers to remove certain features to accelerate deliveries to customers.​

​

General Motors late last year said it would remove popular features like heated seats from much of its lineup, later saying customers who ordered vehicles missing that feature could have it added at a later date.​

I have no problem with this As a long as Ford and the dealership meet the following
1) they disclosed this to the purchaser
2) the vehicle is sold at a HUGE discount
3) Ford gives people the option to reorder their Bronco's if they've been sitting on dirt/snow
mountain for they last year or so rotting

 

[helifino16]

There's not enough car carriers or rail cars in Michigan to clean out those parking lots, so we are just moving from one bottleneck situation to another. If I can have it, let me go get it there. I'd risk flying into Detroit and shelling out $100's in gas to have it finally. At this point, as a 12/8 build start, mine is probably near the back anyway.

 

[Rosco]

Is there a chance that the ICE mountain group would not be a part of this plan? Ford said those would be cleared within 90 days and I think they would have visibility of their supply chain enough to plan allocations and deliver on that.
Just thinking out loud here that this news may be more related to the new vehicles scheduled to be built and ongoing builds based on forecasted shortages.

Time will tell.

 

[North7]

Originally didn't make any mention of this because it is a classic "My dealer said..."

However... My dealer said, that last week they signed off with Ford that the vehicles would be delivered to sit on the dealer lot to await chips rather than ice/dirt/etc mountain, so this news is very much in line with that.

If it is drivable without the chips then heck yeah I'll take it and park it at my house where I know 100% it won't be getting butts in the seat every day until it's completed.

The source of the information, as shown in the link in post #1 is Automotive News, one of the automotive industries leading news sources, not "my dealer said".

As you can see from their second article yesterday, coming out of the same National Auto Dealers Association Show in Las Vegas on Saturday, where Ford executives, including Andrew Frick, general manager for sales, distribution and trucks for Ford Blue spoke during a meeting of the company’s franchised dealers.

Ford pushing back dealer allocations until late May; 100,000 units lost as suppliers struggle to deliver parts

 

[porkchop express]

I'll definitely be checking out ice mountain this week to see what's going on. BTW. 16 degrees and snow this weekend, 70 degrees by mid week. Michigan weather

 

[Burnz442]

I dont really like the direction this is taking. I know people want their Broncos, but receiving them "incomplete" shouldn't be ok.

And at full price....it sounds like a great idea but it will turn out to be a mess

 

[IPTech]

Originally didn't make any mention of this because it is a classic "My dealer said..."

However... My dealer said, that last week they signed off with Ford that the vehicles would be delivered to sit on the dealer lot to await chips rather than ice/dirt/etc mountain, so this news is very much in line with that.

If it is drivable without the chips then heck yeah I'll take it and park it at my house where I know 100% it won't be getting butts in the seat every day until it's completed.

My salesman friend at our local dealer told me about this last week as well. I was also hesitant to mention much about it because he didn't have specifics. He did confirm that his dealership will be partaking in this and to expect a lot of vehicles to come their way. They're a large dealer with a ton of empty space right now, so it makes sense. I very much look forward to having my Bronco's 2 month residence on ice/dirt mountain come to an end.

 

[7722 Bronco]

I fully support this. Would have been nice to hear what types of functionality will be delayed though.

I agree. What exactly does the chip module control that is the same on all the Broncos sitting on Ice Mountain? Start/stop yes, could care less if they ever get that chip. Are heated seats in all trim levels? Something has to be a constant in all the held vehicles.

 

[Bronco Snow Dog]

How about Ford introducing a new 'Minimalist' Bronco trim line?

This may not be the right time/place/mood to bring this up, but have been thinking about the possibility of a Bronco that excluded as many frills, bells and whistles, and luxuries as possible along with excluding as many chips and complex/expensive/fragile components as possible.

This leaves a wide area to argue what is 'needed' or desired by various individuals but in my opinion all, or a very good representation, of the 4x4 features should be available.

Would be hoping that this model could be provided at a much less expensive price that would be attractive to some/many while also providing a quicker delivery during however long the chip shortages go on.

Just thinking that one of the most desirable locations for a Bronco at some point in the future, after there are a few scratches,, is at the hunting camp,, off on the farm,, or venturing out on rough overlanding or rougher off-road excursions where no one cares about the luxuries or electronics and has perhaps torn them out already... .. .

Acknowledging that opinions will vary. rak2

In hindsight, Ford should not have had so many different trims on all of their new vehicles. It's unfortunate that Ford has so many great new vehicles only to be hampered by Covid and now the resulting and apparently continuing supply constraints.

 

[timstrong20]

I would think that anyone who ordered any feature that they are not getting on delivery to not have to pay for any of those features until they actually receive them. I would urge every state's attorney general to vigorously enforce the current consumer protection laws.

I really doubt that, but I can live with it as long as we get everything it is supposed to have.

 

[adrencg]

I think this is great news because:

1. I hate that there are people who made reservations or orders 2 years ago and still haven't received their vehicles yet.

2. As someone who ordered his Bronco in January 2022, seeing that mass of cars sitting in a lot makes me realize that I'll be getting mine much later than I hoped. This news is a little encouraging.

 

[ejaffe]

I have no issue with this assuming the chips are for nicities and not necessities. I wouldn't mind them extending our warrantees for the duration of time it takes them to complete our Broncos!

 

[KompressorV12]

Probably will remove 360 cameras, heated seats, and ACC

 

[ejaffe]

“Non-safety critical features”
Many of you assume this to be auto start-stop or heated seats and you may be right. Last I checked, the air conditioner or radio isn’t a safety feature either.
And, what if the customer never returns to get final assembly performed? Does this mean it’s technically not completed and affect the title? Or, would Ford have a contract drawn up with a clause requiring you to return the vehicle for final assembly and prohibiting you from selling before it’s complete?
I fear there are some devils in these details.

Why would someone and not have the chips put in at a later date? Seems like something that can be done when you bring it in for an oil change so its not inconvenient. You are going to need it for resale or there will have to be a disclaimer that not all features are available.

Sponsored