In recent weeks, Ford has made a number of production cuts at most all of its North American plants as the global semiconductor shortage continues to be a massive problem. While the automaker has stockpiled a number of 2021 Ford F-150 models in Detroit that are awaiting chips before they can be completed, Ford is now extending downtime at a number of its key U.S. manufacturing facilities.
These latest production cuts will take place at the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant, Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant, and Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant, with temporary shutdowns at each scheduled to take place the weeks of May 3rd and 10th.
Each of these plants has already faced idle time in recent weeks. The Flat Rock Assembly Plant, where the Ford Mustang is produced, as well as the Chicago Assembly Plant, which builds the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, have been shut down since the week of April 12th, while the Kansas City Assembly Plant, which builds the Ford F-150 and Ford Transit, has been idle since the week of April 19th.
In addition to these closures, the Ford Oakville Assembly Plant – which produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus – will be down the week of May 3rd, while the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant will only build medium-duty trucks and Ford Super Duty chassis cabs the weeks of May 3rd and 10th.
Ford CEO Jim Farley recently participated in a White House summit with other automakers, chipmakers, President Joe Biden, and members of Biden’s staff addressing the global microchip shortage. In that meeting, Biden promised that legislation addressing the issue and congression funding to support production are on the way.
Despite some, like Farley saying that the chip shortage should be over by Q3, many analysts have recently stated that they believe it could go on at least through the end of the year, causing production shortages of two- to three million vehicles around the globe.
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I’m looking for a Ford Explorer ST in or around Seattle Washington they are over priced at 60,000 & above I been driving fords for 54 yrs I love fords I need Ford to love me back and break the price down on the ST
Bought my Explorer ST in February. It was around $52k. I’m wondering if they are pricing higher as supply is low? Our local Ford dealership did not have a single Explorer (not a single ONE) back when I started looking in February but the small town 45 miles over where my husband works had 1 ST in the exact color I wanted. I got lucky. Then of course the dealership here in town had 4 of the ST’s on the lot I noticed when I drove by a couple weeks ago. Good luck!
Everything right now is being sold at or above MSRP due to demand and lack of inventory/lack of incoming inventory.