As Ford Authority reported yesterday, 2023 Ford Escape production at the Louisville Assembly plant was paused in the middle of last week and remains offline now, with an expected restart set for February 20th. This comes after initial production of the refreshed crossover was pushed back multiple weeks last year, though that delay was caused by ongoing supply chain issues. This time around, 2023 Ford Escape production is being impacted by a quality issue – more specifically, a problem with the model’s software, according to Automotive News.
“We’re on a day-by-day basis right now and I know that’s frustrating,” Louisville’s UAW Local 862 chairman, Brandon Reisinger, told employees at the plant. “The issue we’ve got, the cluster, is a software issue. It’s not a hardware issue. If it were to get out, it would not be something that would endanger anybody … but it would have the vehicles coming back to the dealership.” Reisinger also noted that when production restarts next week, the automaker intends to make up for the units it has lost as a result of this idle time.
Meanwhile, FoMoCo declined to provide any additional details on what that software problem might consist of. “We are committed to ensuring our vehicles are built with the quality our customers deserve and will take the appropriate actions to deliver this commitment,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an emailed statement.
While the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape recently earned the highest possible rating in a revised side-impact evaluation test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the crossover has faced its fair share of supply chain issues as well. Those have prompted Ford to drop the Escape’s hands-free tailgate feature, add manual key options, and implement SiriusXM removal options, too.
We’ll have more on 2023 Escape production soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Escape news and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
Conditions normal at Recall Motors or Hold Motors, and Failure Farley is still around, wonder what their Q1 2023 report will look like?
It will look good. Better than last year. You should short Ford stock to take full advantage.
Need more news on Corsair
Ditto on the need for more info on the Corsair. None have shown up in dealers yet. What’s the hold up?
I know it has been commented on before… just wish the interior still didn’t look like a ‘Hasbro’ toy.
I have a 23 Escape hybrid and a Corsair on order. The Escape hybrid is scheduled for 3-20, the Corsair was originally 1-9 , but has been delayed 5 times and now is set for the week of 2-27. I don’t believe anything Ford tells me. Something if radically wrong when they can even do regular plant production. The Louisville plant has been down 5 of the past 6 weeks. Ford can’t seem to produce anything. Decided to wait for the Escape Hybrid for better mpg, but will start shopping Hyundai and Kia for another option. The Asian OEMs have no problem with production and even have some units on dealer lots to sell. At this rate, I don’t see how Ford will stay in business for long. Guess they just want to produce less product at a higher price . They are no longer a company with a full line to sell. Once they discontinue the Escape and Corsair , only large 3 row SUVs and trucks. So guess I might as well switch to another brand now and get a higher quality product with better styling and content
My 2023 Escape Platinum AWD Hybrid with all the options started production yesterday, according to the Ford website. It’s been on order since early October. I haven’t seen a single 2023 Escape on the road in the metro Detroit area. If this recent production stop prevents a future trip to the dealer for a software upgrade, that’s a good thing.
Agreed. Your new ride will arrive before you know it! Regards to the D!
I ordered a 23 Escape,AWD, roost on November 4th and have not yet been set for production. I received my first 45 day letter, then no more.
I hope this shut down fixes the software issue and production gets rolling again so I get scheduled.
I have a 2023 escape st line and there is still no software fix for it. If it were only cluster lights coming on it wouldn’t be bad, but my lane keeping will come on with no warning, trailer light warning pops up and I lose signal lights and so much more. I had a software issue with my 2021 F-150 as well that never did get fixed so sad to say but I will not be buying another Ford product again( I have 6).