Something is afoot at Ford with the 2020 Ford Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator SUVs. Reports indicate that Ford is quietly shipping thousands of the 2020 Ford Explorers and 2020 Lincoln Aviators from the Chicago factory where they are built to the Flat Rock Plant south of Detroit. Workers in Detroit are frantically trying to solve issues with the vehicles.
The nature of the issue that is delaying deliveries to the dealer is a mystery. Dealers waiting for their Explorer and Aviator orders are saying they are only being told that there are “manufacturing issues.” At least one dealership has stated that it is having to appease buyers who have preordered the 2020 Ford Explorer or 2020 Lincoln Aviator.
aviator
One Ford source says that no one in Ford corporate is letting them in on what the problem is with the vehicles. Some of the vehicles are being pulled from dealer lots. Jim Seavitt, president and owner of Village Ford in Dearborn, says that he is glad Ford pulled the vehicles and is delaying shipments. He says delivery delays are better than having owners coming back in for repairs.
Workers are said to be working 24/7 at the Dearborn plant to fix the issues. As the vehicles are repaired, they are being shipped. Sources cited in reports at the plant have claimed that there are a number of issues. One that sounds the most severe is reportedly the use of X-rays to diagnose chassis problems on the Explorer.
The 2020 Ford Explorer is also said to have transmission issues that keep it from going into park or sense that it is in park. Some vehicles are said to have rolled away because the computer isn’t setting the parking brake. 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviators also reportedly have climate control issues that have the AC systems blowing heat only.
The Aviator is specially said to have an issue with the auto-leveling suspension and are arriving at the dealership with suspension in failure mode. A Ford source cited by Detroit Free Press claims that physical changes are being made at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in anticipation of extra parts being needed. Flat Rock typically builds the Mustang, but production has been stopped on weekends with only Explorer and Aviators being fixed according to reports. A recall has been issued on the vehicles due to parking brake issues.
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Source: Detroit Free Press
Comments
What is wrong with Ford lately? These two are so important for both the brands. About time someone more experienced enters Ford HQ and takes the CEO’s seat. Bill Ford should know better.
Amen!!!
> Lowest-bid parts?
> Inadequate design / QC?
> Indifferent assembly-line labor?*
Last seems least-likely due to profit-sharing incentive that reduces with costly-fix issues.
Wow. That is bad bad bad news
Who made the decision to build this in Chicago, they should be fired. When you have great locations like lorain, where you already have a great workforce, just waiting to go back to work.
Biggest problem is elimination of real driving testing of prototypes, replaced by computer simulations.
Oh No!!!!!! A couple of Telluride’s might have the wrong seat belt buckle!!! ?
Companies have procedures and systems to get it right. Some may be outsourced part issues, but, clearly, some issue are poor engineering and validation. Why? Ford is stretched thin. Problems everywhere. Government regs that change and reek havoc. Seems they have had to redeploy people based on the matters at hand. If they have numerous issues on a single vehicle ready for market, then the company is not under control. For some reason they are not functioning the way they are set up to function. Again, to many things going on. Big things, that demand some of their best people redeployed. Wouldn’t want to be a U.S. car company right now. Two businesses in one. Build the vehicles of the day, get ready and develop the vehicles of the future, mandated by many Governments. China will drive the electric side. Tesla makes hundreds of millions now selling unused credits to other manufacturers who need them. That will only grow. Maybe their credits will be up for bid some day. By the way it takes all of at least 5 years to conceive, engineer, and be ready to build a vehicle. Good luck with that today. Seems like a crap shoot. Hope our guys survive.
Customers don’t care about internal problems. They spend their hard earned money for a vehicle so is it too much to ask to deliver the stupid thing when the customer expects it?