Over the past few years, Ford has faced quite a few quality woes, culminating with it becoming the most recalled automotive manufacturer of 2023. However, Ford CEO Jim Farley has since made improving the company’s initial quality a major point of focus, admitting that he wishes he would have done so sooner, to boot. Farley also tempered expectations a bit by noting that righting this proverbial ship will take years, but it seems as if the automaker’s efforts to improve initial quality are already showing up in the real world, as he discussed during Ford’s Q4 earnings call with investors.
“Yes, we committed to $2 billion of cost savings across the industrial system,” Farley said. “But to me, much more important than that, last year was the first year we turned around initial quality, 10 percent better. Yes, we lost – you talked about Pro. We lost a lot of launch volume in Super Duty because we protected the launch for quality because the vehicles were engineered through that same system. We have to put belt and suspenders (on) when we come to launch and that launch spike was the best we’ve ever seen at Ford.”
As Farley noted here, The Blue Oval held back deliveries of the redesigned 2023 Ford Super Duty as it worked to ensure that those trucks were problem-free before its launch, a practice that cost it a cool $1 billion, but has also been emulated with a number of other new and refreshed models in the months since.
FoMoCo has set “best-in-class” targets for quality for its models moving forward – some of which are scheduled to happen in 2025, while others will follow later on. The automaker is also looking to some of its rivals that have stellar reputations for quality, historically speaking, most recently using the Toyota Tundra as a benchmark for the refreshed 2024 Ford F-150.
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
Quality is job none.
I’ll believe the quality improvements when non-Ford sources report an improvement.
Until then….
Well that may be true to a point 👉! However, I bought 2 new Fords, recently, a Ford F-150, and a loaded Ford Bronco Sport Outerbanks! So far, the run great!
Farley is not moving the company forward. EV pipe dreams are failing, costing the company to much money to produce. Fix the quality and end the recalls for the money makers of the company.
When the time ever comes, to retire my 14th remake of my Ford F-150 Supercab, with an ECOBOOST V6 engine,…I may fetch a Ford F-150 Lightning! I want the EV industry MATURE more, first! Back in the 80’s, FORDS were of poor quality! Now, they’ve improved a lot,…maybe not perfect,…but better!
THE PRICE OF CARS NEED TO GET REDUCED FOR THE CUSTOMER
Dan, I ordered a 2024 ford mustang premium gt on Aug 17th of 2023. I still do not have the car. What gives?
I had previously purchased 2 new, when bought, V8 Ford Mustangs! I guess I got them when the supply chain was moving along better!? Fast cars! Great handling sports car 🏎, too! Hopefully you get your Stang soon!