Production cuts stemming from the semiconductor chip shortage and various other supply chain issues have impacted automotive production for over two years now, and things don’t seem to be improving by any conceivable measure. In fact, Ford currently has over 50,000 vehicles sitting around waiting on chips, while a number of the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning models were recently spotted at the automaker’s Dearborn Development Center test track, too. By now, we’ve come to expect at least one plant closure per month, and the latest are the Ford Louisville Assembly plant in Kentucky, as well as the Oakville Assembly plant in Canada, according to Detroit News.
FoMoCo announced that both its Louisville plant – which builds the 2022 Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair – as well as the Oakville plant – which produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus will both be down this week due to the chip shortage, which has resulted in an industry-wide total of 1.7 million units in lost production across the globe so far this year.
“The global semiconductor shortage continues to affect Ford’s North American plants – along with automakers and other industries around the world,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in a statement. “Behind the scenes, we have teams working on how to maximize production, with a continued commitment to building every high-demand vehicle for our customers with the quality they expect.”
At this point, it remains unclear on when, exactly the chip shortage might improve, let alone land in the proverbial rearview mirror. A recent study found that most new car buyers – as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce – expect it to continue through 2022, while Ford CEO Jim Farley believes that it will endure into next year and perhaps even longer.
We’ll have the latest news on Ford’s plant closures as they’re announced, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
I know I only have an Edge on order but a realistic date is unreasonable? I know you have been keeping us up dated every week, if 9 or 10 month could be it is okay times are tough!! But will we be give the offers that are out now? Free financing? I know applying now and getting the vehicle 3 Or 6 months later makes that tough but if I know I will get it I don’t mind reapplying again! But I know I will have it??
I would love to be informed of the status of my PHEV escape. It has been 3 months without a whisper. We understand the shortage problems, we would just like to have a general time frame.
I have an Edge on order that has been in production for 4 weeks now. You guys bumped up my production date and I haven’t gotten any updates. Can you please give me an update on the status.
I live in Toronto, Canada. MY 2022 Escape PHEV was built Apr 6 2022, and is still sitting at the Louisville Assembly plant lot. I keep hearing it’s a carrier delay. Ford increased it’s base prices just after my first delivery date, and because of the delay I now have an extra $2000 tacked on. (I was told because it was a dealer order there was nothing they could do). Grrrrrrrr!
Kevin, if it was a retail order in your name your dealership should have no problem getting an adjustment to the MSRP when you ordered the vehicle.