Do Ford Executives ever read these posts (and do they even care)?

[TDs BigBendBronco]

I have enjoyed my 2002 Big Bend Sasquatch, it has 20K miles and 21 months on it. I have read so many posts across topics talking about poor quality and disappointed buyers--ranging from crummy paint jobs to blown engines. For me, I've not yet had any reason to be disappointed with my purchase (yet). I wonder if any Ford executives near the top who really matter ever read these forums, and if they care at all? I have never seen Ford execs address issues related to the Bronco so often posted in the many forums. All I have seen is a couple very quiet recalls. Makes you wonder if anyone at the top really cares at all.

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[TXBronco1313]

Ford was never good when it comes to overall quality and QA out production line but recently things have gotten out of hand. I don’t think they care to read our concerns. They care about pushing as much steel as possible out their production lines

I do have to say though, QA across the auto industry as a whole has been at a steady decline from Tesla to Toyota, GM, etc.. which goes back to what I said about their top priority is pushing as much steel as possible then pin it on the dealers to repair. We all hate on dealers and their service depts (some dealers are def bad) but think about how much recalls, failures, etc.. they deal with on a daily basis. Dealers shouldn’t be dealing with this much failure or recall volumes especially cases like mismatching seats, loose hose lines, not properly bolted engines, leaky MICs, etc…

Side story: one of my buddies is an engineer at Tesla’s plant in Austin, he invited me to tour the plant back in Feb (I would die before driving a Tesla btw) and I was shocked when the tour guide proudly said “it takes only 90 seconds for our QA process” as they were showing us their QA process which consisted of 2 ppl checking for any dings on the sides and one person driving it out the production line. Takes them 90 second for QA which I consider a joke

 

[ScLeCo]

No

 

[MNBigfoot]

Hard No!

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Who here remembers the BN Q&A sessions with whoever the Bronco brand manager was at the time? Complete joke, BN wouldn't ask any serious questions and if one snuck through you'd just get a circular answer about how they can't answer or respond, it was pretty sad watching.

 

[CarmeloS]

 

[indio22]

I have enjoyed my 2002 Big Bend Sasquatch, it has 20K miles and 21 months on it. I have read so many posts across topics talking about poor quality and disappointed buyers--ranging from crummy paint jobs to blown engines. For me, I've not yet had any reason to be disappointed with my purchase (yet). I wonder if any Ford executives near the top who really matter ever read these forums, and if they care at all? I have never seen Ford execs address issues related to the Bronco so often posted in the many forums. All I have seen is a couple very quiet recalls. Makes you wonder if anyone at the top really cares at all.

On the other hand Ford created a legit open-top doors-off rugged 4x4, which in this day and age of image and fakery is saying something. I still pinch myself that the kind of Bronco I longed for actually got created, it could have gone south so many ways like a new Chevy Blazer or generic SUV. Ford (and that includes the upper decision makers) delivered.

 

[BoldNorth]

Building on what @Lowcountry Bronco said: Anyone in a management position could not actively participate in these forums. Doing so would create records and liability for future class action suits. It's also why the Ford bot just comments on "nice Bronco" and the occasional vague "Sorry to hear this... Send me your VIN and we'll talk to your dealer." So, while it is likely that Ford engineers, employees, and possible execs read the forums, they basically can't interact as Ford employees.

Not to make an excuse for Ford, but the supply chain issues created absolute hell for manufacturing companies. Labor shortages and part shortages created daily unpredictability in supply chains designed around Just In Time continuous flow operations. Each issue and deviation request required investigation. In the end, production absorbed more variation than it was designed for. These issues are not as bad as a year or two ago, but still not 100% resolved.

 

[Headsong]

Calling BS on that last. NONE of that excuses the absolutely beyond belief horrid lack of communication. About everything.

Not to make an excuse for Ford, but the supply chain issues created absolute hell for manufacturing companies. Labor shortages and part shortages created daily unpredictability in supply chains designed around Just In Time continuous flow operations. Each issue and deviation request required investigation. In the end, production absorbed more variation than it was designed for. These issues are not as bad as a year or two ago, but still not 100% resolved.

 

[raptorusmaximus]

My understanding is the only people who look at this forum are marketing interns. The only things they respond to are fluffy things like I painted my beauty rings and they chime in and say how great it looks. The other is something that may cause a law suit or recall like "my brakes keep failing" then all they do is tell you to take to a dealer......

So.... NO, Ford product management does not care what we think or post on this forum.

 

[Aonarch]

Nope.

 

[BoldNorth]

Calling BS on that last. NONE of that excuses the absolutely beyond belief horrid lack of communication. About everything.

Like I said, not making excuses. QA process should be robust to the issues. And I totally agree with your point on poor communication, as my car has been stuck on "in production" for almost 3 months without any real information until last week...

 

[zombie]

Ford executives? Reading an online forum?

Do you even know what executives do?

 

[techdisaster]

No. Ford is too big to listen to individuals. Consumer feedback has to happen on a massive scale before they act upon anything. Your comment might be logged by bot, and placed into a database where several thousand other similar complaints have to happen before it even gets communicated on a report as a potential issue to investigate…for the next model revision.. in three years.

 

[tock13]

Until Ford values top quality, reliability and value over shareholder profits nothing would change even if they did read the forums…from the porch of their cottages on Mackinaw Island.

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