Maybe Ford should focus on quality

[Clarkdonbran]

My truck with 13,000 miles has been at the dealer waiting on a part for 44 days. Maybe Ford should focus on quality instead of drones.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/ford-drones-dead-battery-tesla-1ce43f7b

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[Scott Asheville]

Feel your pain, truly I do. Can't imagine waiting a year for a Maverick only to have it taken away and then be given the big corporate shrug. Maybe what we need is a federal law that any warrantied vehicle that can't be repaired in 30 days is immediately declared a lemon. And the owner is granted the full MSRP and a buyback. Maybe that would motivate OEMs to redirect parts from production to repair?

Although anytime the feds pass a law there's the idea of perverse incentives. I can see corrupt dealerships pretending they don't have parts for a hot car, buying it back, magically fixing the problem, and flipping the car for tens of thousands in extra profit. Call me cynical, but I can foresee that becoming a new problem from trying to fix the old problem...

Maybe a better idea is a $200 a day automatic fine starting at 30 days.

 

[Clarkdonbran]

Feel your pain, truly I do. Can't imagine waiting a year for a Maverick only to have it taken away and then be given the big corporate shrug. Maybe what we need is a federal law that any warrantied vehicle that can't be repaired in 30 days is immediately declared a lemon. And the owner is granted the full MSRP and a buyback. Maybe that would motivate OEMs to redirect parts from production to repair?

Although anytime the feds pass a law there's the idea of perverse incentives. I can see corrupt dealerships pretending they don't have parts for a hot car, buying it back, magically fixing the problem, and flipping the car for tens of thousands in extra profit. Call me cynical, but I can foresee that becoming a new problem from trying to fix the old problem...

Maybe a better idea is a $200 a day automatic fine starting at 30 days.

That has my vote! I’ve run through all the unlikely scenarios as to why it is taking so long. I don’t know if I even want my Mav after this. I love it, but I don’t trust it.

 

[Rod]

What part are you waiting on? Is the truck un-drivable?

 

[commadorebob]

I'm now two weeks post buying a vehicle I've yet to take home... Over a defective "safety" function that didn't even exist on the vehicle I traded in!

I made the same argument.

 

[Gardner79]

I'm now two weeks post buying a vehicle I've yet to take home... Over a defective "safety" function that didn't even exist on the vehicle I traded in!

I made the same argument.

I doubt that matters. The vehicle you bought in 2023 must conform to today's safety standards. That's just the law, as I understand it.

I have little doubt your point is valid - the new vehicle is probably safer than the older one, even with the missing feature. But we are dealing with bureaucracy, and the dealer has to follow it or they probably get in trouble.

My maverick is being shipped now, so I hope I don't run into this type of problem!

 

[Grumpa]

My truck with 13,000 miles has been at the dealer waiting on a part for 44 days. Maybe Ford should focus on quality instead of drones.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/ford-drones-dead-battery-tesla-1ce43f7b

I remember when Ford said quality is job number one. Now they are back to Fix Or Repair Daily! Very sad!

 

[commadorebob]

I doubt that matters. The vehicle you bought in 2023 must conform to today's safety standards. That's just the law, as I understand it.

I have little doubt your point is valid - the new vehicle is probably safer than the older one, even with the missing feature. But we are dealing with bureaucracy, and the dealer has to follow it or they probably get in trouble.

My maverick is being shipped now, so I hope I don't run into this type of problem!

Oh, I understand why. I just find it amusing. But the point stands: dealer is in a difficult position because Ford screwed up.

 

[Rod]

I don’t get the whining. This vehicle has had very few problems so far. Certainly no serious ones. But I guess if you have one of the problems, then Ford must be evil, or somehow worse than other companies at similar price points.. Give it a rest..geesh. Also, the OP doesn’t even mention what is wrong with his vehicle and what part its waiting on. As if it was more important to complain about the drone article..

 

[bgn]

I don’t get the whining. This vehicle has had very few problems so far. Certainly no serious ones. But I guess if you have one of the problems, then Ford must be evil, or somehow worse than other companies at similar price points.. Give it a rest..geesh. Also, the OP doesn’t even mention what is wrong with his vehicle and what part its waiting on. As if it was more important to complain about the drone article..

Easy to say when your vehicle has not been in the shop for 1.5 months.

OP, I would start looking into the lemon law in your state. This would be eligible in Washington State.

Help Ford realize additional losses. That's the only way they'll learn.

 

[Clarkdonbran]

What part are you waiting on? Is the truck un-drivable?

Powertrain control module. It was drivable, but the CEL was on. I’ve made that mistake before!

 

[Clarkdonbran]

I don’t get the whining. This vehicle has had very few problems so far. Certainly no serious ones. But I guess if you have one of the problems, then Ford must be evil, or somehow worse than other companies at similar price points.. Give it a rest..geesh. Also, the OP doesn’t even mention what is wrong with his vehicle and what part its waiting on. As if it was more important to complain about the drone article..

I don’t get the whining. This vehicle has had very few problems so far. Certainly no serious ones. But I guess if you have one of the problems, then Ford must be evil, or somehow worse than other companies at similar price points.. Give it a rest..geesh. Also, the OP doesn’t even mention what is wrong with his vehicle and what part its waiting on. As if it was more important to complain about the drone article..

It is the powertrain control module. You are right. I’m venting. It is like your new partner being away for over a month. I didn’t get enough time with my truck and I miss it.

 

[WNYEscapee]

Ford should have been focusing on quality for a loooong time, but sadly they haven't been.
The lengthy number of recalls I saw years ago was appalling enough to get me to leave work at a Ford dealership. I went to a Toyota dealership and found out they weren't much better.

Anyway, the list of customers whose vehicles have been sitting on the lot waiting for parts, or they have been driving without full use of their vehicle's features is longer than I'd ever seen at any other time that I've worked at dealerships. The delay in parts availability is not all Ford's fault though. As I've mentioned previously, there's notes in the system regarding the availability of parts and many of the issues still stem from continuous supply chain and labor problems. Materials are still an issue as much as suppliers being able to find people willing to come to work.
That said though, back to the lack of quality issues -- when I see recalls on the screen which are not new, but updates on existing ones which are being revised for the 18th time, one has to ask WTF have they been doing since this recall initially came out years ago and they still haven't "fixed" the problem correctly. They've been building cars for over a hundred years, they should have more than a clue as to what does/doesn't work by now.

It honestly makes me question whether or not I should be looking forward to getting my Maverick or pass on it for something else with a better known track record. I mean, just because I work at a dealership doesn't mean I can get parts for mine any faster if they're not available. It just means I'd be directly working to jump through all the hoops and endure all the aggravation I have trying to get them for my customer's vehicles for my own.

 

[710-oil-614]

If you don't trust it, lemon law it. Here in Ohio it would qualify as it has been in the shop for 45 days for the same issue.

 

[Maverickman74]

Feel your pain, truly I do. Can't imagine waiting a year for a Maverick only to have it taken away and then be given the big corporate shrug. Maybe what we need is a federal law that any warrantied vehicle that can't be repaired in 30 days is immediately declared a lemon. And the owner is granted the full MSRP and a buyback. Maybe that would motivate OEMs to redirect parts from production to repair?

Although anytime the feds pass a law there's the idea of perverse incentives. I can see corrupt dealerships pretending they don't have parts for a hot car, buying it back, magically fixing the problem, and flipping the car for tens of thousands in extra profit. Call me cynical, but I can foresee that becoming a new problem from trying to fix the old problem...

Maybe a better idea is a $200 a day automatic fine starting at 30 days.

That law would also include a $720 million spending package for the National Automotive Action Commitee. Tasked with forming a list of lobbyists to throw money at.

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