A number of Ford quality issues and recalls have plagued the automaker for some time now, though it has responded by enacting a variety of changes as it aims to rectify those problems. Those include paying technicians to send in photos of quality issues, making quality a key component of the automaker’s reorganization plan, hiring former J.D. Power Vice President Josh Halliburton as the new executive director of quality, and using some unconventional methods to identify quality issues earlier in the process. Now, the latest effort to improve Ford quality will stem from a total of seven key focus areas, according to the automaker.
The first of these seven focus areas is improving engineering robustness, or rather, reassessing if Ford has the right standards in place in terms of testing and understanding how the customer will use a product and how it will perform throughout its lifespan. The automaker is also looking to take the risk out of new vehicle launches by reducing complexity, as well as thoroughly testing those products in the pre-production phase before customer vehicles are launched.
With more and more software and tech features being utilized in new vehicles, Ford is also looking to fix software bugs, as well as prevent them before they reach the hardware phase, let alone customers. This goes hand-in-hand with the next focus area as well – elevating supplier quality standards – and Ford has a simple approach to this, as it will reportedly refuse to do business with a supplier that can’t meet those elevated standards, vetting each and every one before making that type of decision.
Internally, Ford is also aiming to reduce the number of defects it experiences at its plants, improving worker standards, the quality of their workstations, and working more on the hiring and retention process, particularly in terms of engineers and supervisors. Additionally, for problems that do surface later on when vehicles are in the hands of customers, Ford wants to take an always-on approach in terms of monitoring and responding to issues and warranty claims.
The final piece of the puzzle relates to Ford’s recall response, as it wants to make the process as pain-free as possible for dealers and customers alike. The Blue Oval has put a team in place to redevelop the way it responds to recalls, including customer communications, as well as initiating better service via mobile repair and pickup/dropoff services.
We’ll have more on Ford’s efforts to improve quality soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
Repeat failures of certain supplier’s electronic modules that fail over and over again should be a top priority as well. A local TV news station featured a lady’s story of how her Focus has had several trans modules replaced. It has failed again and the part is on back order with no known ship date. Meanwhile the lady is struggling to get to her job and get kids to school. Totally unacceptable!!
Instead of complaining about the same thing here repeatedly, have you tried a different dealer or two just to confirm that you’re getting the straight rope from the dealer you deal with? (Try a larger dealer and ask them to contact the zone manager. This may help to shake something loose.)
Of course, in a perfect world you wouldn’t have to do this but it’s more affirmative than complaining.
Your suggestion is ridiculous……so due to Ford poor quality you want the customer to work harder and do more to get the replacement parts his vehicle should have had from day 1?…….WTF, no absolutely not, it’s not the customers job to do the legwork to mitigate issues from the OEM. The OEM should bust its hump getting communication out and then dedicate a team to getting parts out ASAP. No more of this issuing a recall only to tell the customer parts are available in 6-12 months, good luck with your defective vehicle.
Oh throttle back turbo.
I don’t want him to do anything except maybe try something else than complaining here.
You are right the OEM should put priority emphasis on warranty parts for vehicles in the field and part of that is to keep the customer apprised on progress of back ordered service parts.
But in an imperfect world, if he needs the part sooner than waiting for the system to deliver, being a squeaky wheel might pay off.
The #1 problem with Ford quality is Ford requiring their engineers to design their parts and products to a minimum durability specification that will get the part or product through the warranty period.
For example, go pull the drive shaft out of 2022 F150 and a 2022 Toyota Tundra. Place both drive shafts on a workbench and compare them. Upon doing this you will note that the Tundra’s drive shaft is more robust and durable. And this fact is not because of the manufacturer/supplier of the part, or the materials from which the part was made. Ford F150 and Toyota Tundra drive shafts are the exact same material supplied from the exact same manufacturer. The difference, Ford cut corners to increase their profits, and required the manufacturer to supply them a less durable, less robust, smaller diameter drive shaft. The end result, Ford customers get noisy, vibrating, bent, and/or broken drive shafts, typically after the warranty expires.
So yes, Ford. You need to reexamine your engineering specs, quit cutting corners, and making your intentional design decisions your customer’s problem.
In one of those “shorts” on YouTube, a mechanic showed a worn-out steering component for the Ford Transit. Next to it was a Chinese “knock-off” from Amazon Garage. The mechanic pointed out where it was sturdier, made of superior materials, and at least seemed made to far better tolerances.
I am certainly not one to cheer Chinese products, but just from the pictures one could see the superiority of the aftermarket piece.
I honestly don’t mean to pile on Ford. I want them to succeed but my recent experience with a Maverick was eye opening. After 10 months of waiting to finally get the truck things turned south quickly. The interior was full of squeaks and rattles, really the worst I’ve experienced in many years. The hybrid drivetrain shook, clunked and generally seemed “off” somehow. This was in contrast to a fusion hybrid that I used to own that was flawless. It had many random (usually non recurring) electrical issues. I had two recall notifications. According to my dealer they were overwhelmed and couldn’t even look at mine for almost 2 months. I sold it after that with less than 5000 miles luckily for more than I paid.
Throughout the 80’s Ford’s slogan was “Quality is job 1”. Fast forward to today and that has simply been discarded. NOW they believe it’s a priority again. Why did they let it get to this point? It’s cost them money, and headaches for consumers who have left to other brands. Ford has been short sighted for quick profits. Henry would be very upset, and heads (Farley) would have rolled already.
When you at the bottom there is only one way to go.
Oh and if you’re are not happy with your service you might be able to make an appointment to have your vehicle at the dealership when the company service rep is at the dealership. I don’t know if this is still available it worked for me a long time ago.