FORD MAVERICK DELAYS AND CHIP SHORTAGE

[Bob_Snow]

What date is more important? The actual date you placed the order or the date when the dealer placed your order in the system correctly?

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[theway-yay-ting]

What date is more important? The actual date you placed the order or the date when the dealer placed your order in the system correctly?

The latter - the only thing that matters is when the dealer actually got it into the system correctly.

 

[edcrawfordlv]

Ford doesn't produce everything themselves, they outsource plenty of parts. Once upon a time Ford, Chevy, Chrysler used to keep a ridiculous amount of parts on hand for production and then they learned lean manufacturing practices from things like GM partnering with Toyota during their collaboration in the 80s (NUMMI). In this day and age of supply chain insanity I'm sure lean production is such a nightmare.

Missing in the "Lean" or "Just in time" is the Toyota concept that suppliers close to you > suppliers far away from you. I'm sure everyone thought "chips are small, if they run late we can throw them on air transport".

 

[johnpbrewer]

You took my spot! I just got an email moving from March 14 to 21.

I'm certain they mean "module" when they say "chip." There is no way that a tier-one module supplier is sending modules to Ford minus some particular "chip." I don't know of any high-volume automotive ECUs in the past dozen years or so that had field-installed micros - everything has been flash based.

The suppliers are contracted to deliver functional, tested modules to Ford, and the module supplier has a contractual warranty burden as well. No supplier will ship partial modules and be able to warrant them after someone else, even the OEM, performs rework.

Yeah. And any chip that could just be popped into a socket could easily pop back out during rough driving conditions. It's likely a module that is lacking the required component to complete it.

 

[johnpbrewer]

Might it be that to maximize output it's faster to put chip modules in vehicles while on the production line rather than pull mostly-completed trucks back in to add chip modules they didn't get? Sure, this isn't fair to those who've been waiting longer for their order, but I'm guessing Ford is most interested in volume and efficiency right now. Just a wild guess. I'm engaging in SWAG like everyone else.

I think you are correct. Much more efficient to keep the production line fully moving, clearing out part inventory, keeping overhead down, keeping productivity up, than pulling back trucks 99% built to install an electronics module.

 

[BobS]

The allocation system is only a disaster for the extreme minority of people who have ordered from very small dealers. It works for Ford because they're success depends on their larger markets, not the small ones. It is what it is, hating their successful allocation system is silly. It's not like Ford is a company that popped up ten years ago, they've been doing this long enough to know what works. People hating on the allocation system are just bitter that they're a victim of their small dealership. In a normal market, it's not an issue, even the small dealers will get their allocated units eventually, in a destitute market like we're in now, the small dealers suffer. Ford isn't about to change their successful system to appease the few disgruntled small market customers. Hate the circumstances of a global pandemic and the supply chain issues that have resulted. Don't hate Ford's successful allocation system.

While it sounds like the larger dealers are getting all of the allotments, they have way more orders as well. I ordered an XLT Hybrid from a large dealer (Chapman) on July8th and still have no idea when I'll ever get a build date. Tim Bartz mentioned they had and allotment of 30 for this month. Sounds like a lot until you realize they have 450 orders. At this rate there is simply no way they will get orders filled in 2022. The allotments are proportional to the number of orders. Long story short, we are all in the same boat.

 

[Thomas]

Consider yourself lucky. I ordered October and did not realize till January when dealer called and said ford can't complete my order. Dealership did not do order correctly. No rovp or covp.

My dealership won't even discuss it

 

[Mark Rash]

This article has some additional info and perspective on the chip shortage. As with most things, it's complicated and there are several variables at play here. Some of this started when automakers lowered their chip orders early in the pandemic because, naturally, they expected to build and sell fewer vehicles. So some of the chip manufacturers shifted their capacity to other chip-dependent products that would continue to sell throughout the pandemic.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/features/why-automotive-chip-shortage/

 

[Delzona]

Correct. People hear Texas and assume we don’t get cold at night/morning.

And yes, I understand I am using the term “cold” loosely. I am from Nebraska so that’s much colder. I know.

I agree, we here in Tucson get cold nights and mornings sometimes below freezing! Folks seem to forget that when it's been 70+ during the day and the sunsets the temp can drop 30+ degrees! You feel that temp change!

 

[James D]

Time to call those dealers and cancel those Lux packages people!

Dropping lux would be a mistake and it will not guarantee a build date. Once you drop you cannot change your order back. Most of those upgrades are impossible to add later. In the cold, on my Mav there is nothing like heated seats and heater leather steering wheel. The heated side mirrors and wipers make a big difference too.

 

[Delzona]

What dose this mean for me? I am confused? I ordered on Oct 13th 2021 Xlt, co360, fx4, spray in, Awd, 4k tow, sun roof, rear window, and bed extender, alto blue.
I got an email over a week ago stating my build will be March 13th. Is that still good? I got a Vin too?

It's still good, but could be delayed due supply issues. If you've received emails from Ford then they should contact you again if you build is delayed.

 

[Delzona]

Right! Who the hell cares about crash avoidance?

Damn those stupid blind spot monitors anyway.

Not to mention rear view mirrors! They're just crutches for the weak of neck.

And windshields! First we allowed goggles and then, before we knew it, glass everywhere!

And don't get me started on brakes...

Well stated!

 

[Delzona]

You took my spot! I just got an email moving from March 14 to 21.

You posted one too many meme, Ford remembers

 

[Sweet Willie]

Telling older orders not to drop as they would get filled first assumes they are filling older orders first which we all know is not the case. Its a random roll of the dice for all. Anyone that ordered 6 months ago should have already gotten their truck.

But some of us have not.

 

[Delzona]

I see what you mean. I was thinking the opposite... that when they say they are "short of chips" it really means they don't have the module. And that when the modules finally come they could just pop them in.

I didn't occur to me that whoever makes the modules would ship them to Ford without the chips in them. I think my interpretation is more likely, but I don't have anything to back that up.

I read last year on an F150 forum that when the "chip" shortages hit they were actually talking about modules. I firmly believe this the same thing with Maverick "chip" shortage. It's in all actuality different control modules which are easily installed once it arrives on site. So, yes it does make sense, from one POV, to continue producing a vehicle that will only need a module or two to make it complete. However, I hope we Maverick folks don't end up with acres of unfinished trucks like F150s and Broncos have!

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