As most are already aware, the semiconductor chip shortage has severely impacted automotive production in recent months. And even though Ford has focused on building its most profitable and strategically important vehicles during these unprecedented times, the 2021 Ford F-150 has still faced numerous production cuts, mainly due to a fire at a Japanese chip plant, and even a train derailment that destroyed a number of new pickups. The automaker was able to ship a large number of F-150s stored at various locations around Detroit recently, and now, it’s poised to remove a feature quite a few people aren’t fans of in an attempt to get more F-150s in the hands of owners – auto start-stop.
According to a letter sent to Ford dealers that was seen by Cars Direct, consumers now have the option to remove the auto start-stop feature from their pickups through the end of 2021. Those that choose to do so will receive a $50 credit and will presumably see their trucks being delivered a little sooner, due to supply constraints.
The change will reportedly take place on 2021 Ford F-150 pickups produced in August and September, but Ford also noted in the letter that “some previously scheduled stock orders” will be “spec changed” to remove the feature, so it may not be too late for trucks that were already scheduled for production.
This move isn’t unprecedented, as General Motors eliminated start-stop and cylinder deactivation on some of its 2021 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups earlier this year. However, there’s one problem associated with foregoing start-stop on the F-150, as well as those GM pickups – it could negatively impact fuel economy. Ford says that trucks built without the feature will come with updated EPA numbers on their window stickers but stopped short of confirming just how much fuel economy would be impacted by the change.
We’ll have more on the chip shortage’s impact on Ford production soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Can I pay $50 to permanently disable auto start/stop on my 2020?
At least it’s available unlike what those clowns at GM are doing. Who takes away wireless charging, heated rear seats, and many other things on a 70k truck or on a 130k “luxury” suv?! GM does apparently. Ford is one of the hardest hit on the chip shortage yet you don’t see them doing the crap GM has been doing.
I wonder why Ford didn’t create a path to build a low technology “content” version? (Not a low technology version, because no modern vehicles are low tech)
Building and shipping product is the prime objective. Why they didn’t have any plan for a supply interruption on their most important product is quite troubling.
It’s less damaging to deny the availability of certain items like stop- start or seat heaters or even My Key. The alternative is Zero production. Zero revenue. Thousands of people sitting at home. Otherwise functional suppliers being swamped by slowdowns and all the rest of the cascading effects of the factory not running.
Something needs to happen in this industry to secure the availability of these chips!
That something is probably going to include the automakers forming a consortium to build chips themselves.
These electronic components cannot be viewd as just another vendor part any longer!
This is such an frustrating feature. I drove my last truck for 14 years. Then I test-drove my now 2018 F-150, by myself, and it cut off at a dangerous intersection. I thought there was something wrong with the truck. Turned the key off and back on to restart it. Then I found out about this jem of a feature.
I’ll be ordering a kit to disable mine in the fall when my warranty is up. I don’t understand why it is mandatory and not something you can enable if you wanted it?
Remove your battery cable then add it back. This disables the fuel saver
Stop start is a bunch of crap it sucks!