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

[Rkgzx9leftcoast]

Useless?? I think you might be saying annoying, b/c it is useful for fuel efficiency standards for Ford and others (the alternatives would really upset you?). It's very effective/useful for that. Sounds like the disarm button is a hassle to remember to push or is an affront to perhaps your need to burn 'useless' gas while stopped? 4D tea makes a permanent disarm switch that might be useful for your purposes.

it's an annoying boondoggle...that makes people feel better. /

Sponsored

 

[Jawbox]

Tell them to put all chips in the ones that have been sitting outside before putting “critical chips” in new builds that will be sent out incomplete.

Chips aren't interchangeable like that. It's like saying that you should just use a starter that is laying around because you ran out of alternators. I suspect Ford would clear out the lots if they could, which is probably why they're attempting the no chip ship.

 

[mike8675309]

I don't believe there is any confidence that Ford can deliver anything, let alone chips 1 year later. They're just naming a date to name it but the reality is, as supplies remain constrained, it is unlikely their issues will be resolved anytime soon.

 

[TrailBlazerdied35]

Bronco6G folks should be happy overall to get their (less functional) Bronco earlier rather than later. These are unusual times. Like one forum member (firefox33) stated already, they aren't really giving you the full vehicle capability they signed off on for approximately a year. This REALLY means Ford should lower the price or not make us pay entirely right away. I mean if I own a Bronco for 5 or 10 years, and the radio and infotainment doesn't work for one year of it, it's not really the same product. I suspect a more comprehensive statement will be coming from Ford about this, rather than just the blurb we got from Automotive News.

I REALLY need a vehicle. I've got 217,000 miles on a 2007 Trailblazer. The gas gauge doesn't work (I have to keep track on paper), the gas door has rusted away, the LED dash lights no longer work (who the hell knows how fast I am going at night, because I can't read any dials!). Did I mention I have a mildly damaged bumper being held up by a zip tie? Or that my transmission is leaking.
HELP ME FORD! PLEASE HELP ME! I NEED A BRONCO ASAP!

 

[Roger123]

Impossible. 90% of the people in this thread say it's useless.


On my 21 I had to enable Alert + Aid and crank up the intensity to get it to be more useful.

Probably closer to 99%

 

[North7]

It’s the old “ you can’t please everyone”. I am on the fence about having a tech in the service department installing sensitive electronic components. If it is a module that contains the electronics then fine but having a tech crack open a module to install chips/ ICs makes me a bit skittish.

No one at Ford, including Techs, install chips, that is done at the module suppliers, the Techs install modules.

Electronics 101 Primer
It is not the chips that are actually missing in any shipped/delayed vehicles. Chips are simply one element, or one component, inside of an electronic assembly, sometimes called a module, device or unit. These units are held up at the supplier awaiting the actual chips to arrive so the units can be completed and tested. Only then are the units shipped to Ford.

Dealer's will not be receiving "Chips", dealers will be receiving "Complete Modules" which contain the missing chips, for example, here is a Heated Seat Control Module for the Mustang.

An example of the actual Chips, they are the small black devices, on the green circuit board, in the open module below (three examples circled in red):

Here is an example of an acutal F-150 module being replaced. Ford ICE Mountain workers or Dealers are doing nothing more than plugging in full assemblies, similar to this.

 

[Dstepovi]

Don’t understand having issues with this - seems like Ford is trying to meet demand.

I ended up purchasing a Bronco off the lot simply because I didn’t want to wait for my order to be built. Given the option of getting my order without a chip or two or not getting it for the foreseeable future - I would gladly take the minus chip option. This actually gives me hope my order might be filled sometime this year.

 

[MyFirstBronco01]

Also, some manufacturers add two technologies to assist in hot restart (a) the engine is stopped at a point where the next piston to fire in order is set to fire first once the starter rotates the flywheel, or (b) the ECU is programmed to fire the piston(s) out of the normal firing order to assist in restarting the engine. Both technologies, along with hardened and strengthened starter and ring gears, extends the life of the starter system.

Exactly. I honestly have no issues with it so I'll keep it active on my bronco. The tech is there and ready, and if its not giving me issues, theres no reason to not have it.

 

[Hilltopper]

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.

Article link: 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.​

​

Vehicles will be Drivable and Sellable​

Most recently, what appeared to be hundreds if not thousands of Broncos were piling up in Michigan. Ford said the backlog was chip-related.​

This information came of the 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. The source of the information is Automotive News, one of the automotive industries leading news sources, not "my dealer said".

I've been advised that due to Automotive News being a pay-wall publication we are not allowed to repost their articles in its entirety so I've summarized the main points above. I discovered the article through this Google News link where it was not blocked.

Two other news websites have picked up the article now as well.

The Ford Broncos Piling Up at Ice Mountain Will Get to Customers, But There's a Catch

Report: Ford to sell cars without some non-safety related chips, install them later

This seems like great news!
Do we have a rough idea of how this will impact back orders?
Crossing fingers I will someday soon have a VIN!

 

[gigidaho]

Don’t understand having issues with this - seems like Ford is trying to meet demand.

I ended up purchasing a Bronco off the lot simply because I didn’t want to wait for my order to be built. Given the option of getting my order without a chip or two or not getting it for the foreseeable future - I would gladly take the minus chip option. This actually gives me hope my order might be filled sometime this year.

you don’t understand the issue with being charged $5000+ dollars for features you don’t receive on a last years model car that you pay full price for? I didn’t realize the bar was so low for a happy customer, as a business owner I’m starting to wonder if I try too hard…

 

[Phil]

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 am sure Ford will have an agreement in place before a dealer can accept delivery of a chipless vehicle which obligates them to perform the installation.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

My lane keep assist doesn't seem to work at all compared to the Raptor. I wonder when they started shipping bronco's without chips? The lights works fine but vibration in steering wheel and actual assist part don't do much if anything.

I am sure you are probably aware, but the feature can be turned ON/OFF in the Driver Assist settings. Make sure Alert & Aide are both turned ON and the Alert sensitivity is adjusted to your desired level for the feedback you want out of the steering wheel.

 

[PrincipalD]

There are three types of people in this current situation:

1. Ship it. I want it right away and don’t care what it’s missing.
2. Don’t ship it because Ford can’t finish what it starts and if they can’t give me an unrealistic discount, it’s not worth it anymore.
3. And me. Not getting excited because I am certain mine is a safety module.

 

[mikec426]

Just wait till you get to replace your starter AND ring gear on your steed just after the precious warranty expires! You get to pull the engine or drop the trans (and most likely get a new ring gear as well) to fix all the unnecessary wear!

not to mention leaving you stranded when it fails!

Remember extended cranking wears out the electric internals of the starter motor by overheating, BUT thousands of starts causes extreme wear to the ring gear, and starter gear INSTEAD!

Hahaha this far exceeds a fuel savings you thought you were getting with your favorite eco gimmick!

How stupid of a design! The least the manufacturer could do is bathe the starter nose and ring gear in oil!

From what I understand, starters have been redesigned to withstand the extra cycles. Even if you did have to replace it... I'm not sure why people buying a $50k vehicle worry about a starter that's a few hundred dollars.

About the ring gear... I honestly don't even know what that is. I'll have to go look it up and do some more research. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up disabling my auto start/stop feature.

 

[Cable Guy]

I encourage all the outraged keyboard warriors to call your dealerships first thing tomorrow and 99 your builds (non-VIN orders) until the world is back to ‘normal’. You’ll get what you want and everyone who is cool making a trip back to their dealership down the road for essentially niceties can move up in line. Win-win. Oh, and other than this there’s nothing you can do about it but piss and moan.

Sponsored