Various supply chain problems have wreaked havoc on automotive production for over two years now, and Ford certainly isn’t exempt from that. Instead, the automaker has worked to continue building as many vehicles as possible by producing them without certain features or removing non-critical options such as Wi-Fi hotspot, which was recently removed from a number of Blue Oval models. Now, sources familiar with the matter have told Ford Authority that 2022 Ford Explorer production is being impacted once again, this time with a SiriusXM removal option.
The new SiriusXM removal option – officially dubbed SiriusXM Removal Credit – has now been added to 2022 Ford Explorer production as a free-standing option across all trims, since this particular feature is standard equipment across the entire range. At this time, it does not appear to be a mandatory option, but it may have been included as a way for customers to get their crossovers faster if they don’t need or want satellite radio functionality.
At the moment, it’s unclear if this change will impact 2023 Explorer production, which is slated to begin at the Chicago Assembly plant on November 7th, 2022. As Ford Authority previously reported, the 2023 Ford Explorer will carry over from the 2022 model with no changes to trim levels or colors, though it’s possible Ford may offer a few tweaks later in the model year. Those would represent relatively minor changes, however, and nothing resembling the refresh that the Chinese version of the long-running crossover recently received.
While many expect the chip shortage to ease as soon as early next year, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently stated that he believes supply chain issues will continue to impact production for the foreseeable future, and at this point, the automaker is simply working around whatever problems arise. Regardless, it’s clear that at least in the short term, these sorts of removal options are likely to stick around.
We’ll have more on the Explorer soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Explorer news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
Had an Explorer, recall after recall after recall. Every time you’d turn the steering wheel, scraping in the steering column.
Needless to say, it got traded recently….
What could we ever do about a supply chain issue from China that’s been going on for years with no end in sight? Build here instead? Don’t be silly! Americans don’t want to work! And we could never maintain the profits we make with Chinese slave labor! Do you even know how much it would cost to install suicide nets around our factories? And quiet quitting and synergy and 110%…