With various supply chain issues plaguing automakers for the past two-plus years, each is struggling to secure the materials it needs to produce enough vehicles to meet demand. This has prompted a number of companies to build vehicles missing certain features and then store/park those vehicles until the required parts are available. Ford calls these models “vehicles on wheels,” and it has been doing precisely that for quite some time now, though it had more than 40,000 of those vehicles on wheels parked as of last September. However, those vehicles are now expected to arrive at dealers by next year, the automaker has revealed.
More specifically, Ford plans on shipping this large quantity of vehicles on wheels during the fourth-quarter of 2022, which means that dealers should receive a pretty substantial amount of stock by the end of the year. This timing falls in line with previous comments from Ford CFO John Lawler, who stated that the automaker’s inventory levels would shrink in Q3 before improving in 2023. However, CEO Jim Farley isn’t quite as optimistic, recently stating that he doesn’t see an end to the automaker’s supply chain crisis any time soon.
Over the past few weeks, Ford Authority has spotted a host of these vehicles on wheels sitting around Michigan, including a bevy of 2022 Ford F-150 pickups and quite a few Ford F-150 Lightning models near the Flat Rock Assembly plant. Many Ford F-Series trucks were recently awaiting Blue Oval badges, which the automaker gets from from a Michigan-based supplier called Tribar Technologies, Inc.
While its supply issues figure to continue for some time, Ford is focusing on fixing its quality issues, according to Farley, who recently said that “quality is my number one objective so we’re not going to release anything until it’s right.”
We’ll have more on Ford’s production challenges soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
God, I hope they’re on wheels
They are. No TIRES, mind you, but wheels? Yes.
/s
Are they completing the vehicles and then shipping them, or is Ford pawning them off on dealers to create Potemkin Villages of vehicle fleets that can’t be sold (but for which dealers are physically responsible for)?
Get ready for discounts on these vehicles, since they are 2022 model year, and by the time they get to dealers, the 2023 model year will be out. I don’t imagine all these vehicles are private orders, a large amount are probably dealer stock.
Where will these vehicles come from? Ford can’t even seem to fill the orders of people who’ve waited over a year for their order. A sale of “leftovers” and low-demand models? Big deal.
Ford is pathetic , can’t build their own vehicles because they have outsourced 90% of the vehicle . Sure wish someone like Elon Musk would offer 35 a share and Take it over . Nobody seems to get anything useful done at Ford , except stealing a suppliers software, now they have to pay a 100 million settlement. So now we know Ford is also stupid thinking they could steal the software and not pay fees anymore
$35/share is way too much, but I think you may be happy in the future. IMHO, dividing Ford into two parts was the first step in Ford and Tesla merging. Time will tell
Ford will not merge unless the Ford family has control of merged entity or is forced to by risk of bankruptcy.
Re: My 2023 Maverick XL. I am waiting for two things. First, I want to be one of the first to use Ford’s EV-Hybrid specific order plan, where I can order directly from the corporation’s electric division. Second, I am still waiting for my local dealership (looking at YOU, JC Lewis of Savannah) to forward any one of my three pre-orders to the corparation. Meanwhile, I’m getting around quite well in my 2000 F-150.
Ordered 350 deisel kr in February. Still no build date set. Going to order a 23 tomorrow because I have no faith in getting my 22. Really don’t want the 22 anymore anyway, it’s basically a year old if I get it.
I got tired of waiting to order a 23 mustang that i bought a 23 camero LT1 RS/SS
I didn’t realize until recently. Like other “American” companies, GM is now owned by China. Just like the largest pork manufacturer “Smithfield”. So many other companies owned by China.
I put down a deposit on a 2022 F150XL in late March, 2022. I was told it would take 2 to 3 months to get the truck. On July 3, 2022 I received an email from Ford stating it was completed and it would delivered to the dealership in three weeks. The delivery date has been bumped 4 times since since the initial delivery date. It has already passed the last delivery date (today is 10/28/22) by 4 days. I expect the new delivery date email to say 11/8 to 11/14/22. I get an emai with new delivery date 5 days after the last promised delivery date, so I should get it tomorrow. The dealer sales person gets tired of me calling when the delivery due date passes. He told me in reality it would be late November or December, 2022 before I get it or probably early 2023 before I get my truck. Ford should agree to 2023 title, or give me a depreciated value for a 2022 vehicle when I receive my truck.
Later, Frank Devooght, 10/28/22
It seems hit-and-miss. I ordered a 2022 F150 Lariat Powerboost Feb 10, 2022, took delivery May 30,2022. A week short of four months. It took four weeks after it was built, for it to get on a train
Can’t get 2023 MY on a title for a vehicle certified to 2022 MY.
I’d try to see what compensation you might get for it being delivered at end of year.
If you can wait, you could try to flip it and order a 2023 but remember the 2023 MSRP is up from 2022 but a good flip might well cover that.
Sad sad sad
I ordered a King Ranch F150 fully loaded in November of 2021. My Father in law ordered a similarly configured one minus the moonroof in December and he lives in a rural area with a small market dealer. Within a week he had a VIN and within a month he had a build date. I never received a VIN and his truck had one delay and was delivered in April of this year. In May I still didn’t have a VIN and canceled my order and went with a different vehicle that arrived at my dealer. I have since had 3 emails including one this month from Ford saying they have faced supply chain issues but are working hard to build my F150 that was canceled. I completely understand the supply chain challenges but with so many issues it is much more than just the supply chain that is the problem with Ford. As a long time Ford customer I am seriously considering trying another manufacturer. To run out of badges for your vehicles is just comical.
Sounds like your dealer didn’t cancel your order and is planning on selling your cancelled truck when it comes in.
As for the badges, fords mistake was apparently single sourcing this part and when the supplier was shut down due to a deliberate release of a cancer causing heavy metal into the local watershed, Ford came up dry on badges.
Why they didn’t ship without badges and then retrofit them later surprised me. (Unless badges were other only item. Which I find more plausible.)
I ordered a 23 F350 when the banks opened up.
I figured if I get it in May or June (with all the parts on it) I will finish the deal and drive it off.
You cant ship the vehicles you have now ! I ordered a Maverick almost a year ago, i know everyone has waited a long time. Now its in a rail lot somewhere in florida, wont get it for another month ????????????????? Im just about over the whole thing.