After expressing regret for not focusing on improving quality sooner, Ford CEO Jim Farley set out to right that proverbial ship and achieve best-in-class results in that area over the coming years. Over the past year or so, Ford’s quality has indeed improved – at least, according to a few recent studies – but the automaker continues to deal with recalls and excessive warranty costs stemming from prior model years. Regardless, Farley is rather optimistic about Ford quality continuing to post improvements throughout this year, too.
“We are so pumped up about this year. We’ve made a lot of progress on quality and cost last year,” Farley said at the Detroit Auto Show, according to the Detroit Free Press. “It’s our chance … to take our future in our own hands to perform like we should. But we’re focused on much more than recalls. We’re focused on short-term, three months in service and long-term powertrain durability. Our quality story will start to evolve this year. It will, of course, be on reducing our volume of recalls. But we’re increasingly focused on long-term powertrain durability.” Farley added that Ford is “investing in more robust transmissions and engines and different kinds of hybrid systems for better quality.”
This focus is already paying off, as the 2024 Ford lineup posted improvements in initial quality over prior years, with the refreshed Ford F-150, specifically, avoiding a dozen recalls thanks to the automaker’s new processes. Those include implementing new ways to spot quality issues before shipments of refreshed and redesigned vehicles begin, even if that means delaying that process.
This improvement also showed up in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), in which Ford ranked above the mass market segment average this time around after owners reported experiencing 179 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) – a big improvement of 21 PP100 when compared to the 2023 version of the same study. On top of that, the Ford Explorer ranked second among all mid-size SUVs in that same study in terms of individual models.
Though it did outperform the segment average.
Interest-free financing and more on the coupe and convertible pony car.
A way to determine who damaged a parked vehicle.
It appears to be in like-new condition, too.
A sliver of its total $36 billion dollar net loss.
The first time we've heard about that possibility.
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Farkley doesn't believe the swill he is spewing.
But he hopes the public will.
WE KNOW BETTER!!
Right on.
Sourced parts are probably the largest issue here. So testing has to be the number one issue. Of course total project costs are always a factor as well. But company's like Ford have been doing this for awhile now, so they really should have a better handle on this.
When your only foci are EVs and boy-racer niche models, there's just no time, LOL.
Not having a transmission or all that other engine garbage is bound to help Ford reliability. They need to focus on the future.
First of all Farley needs to be gone, yesterday! He spews whatever the stockholders want to hear. The BS push for EV’s above all else, now after the gate was open for years he wants to shut it! As a Ford dealership MECHANIC for decades and living firsthand through all of FoMoCo’s ups and downs this is the worst!!! These ecoboost engines and virtually all of the transmissions are problematic. Poor design, poor durability and so costly to repair. Can Ford right the ship ? Maybe. Instead of gadgets and fluff design and build affordable vehicles. They can do it. They just have to want to. Going broke is a good incentive!!!!
Yes, Ford was late addressing quality. But to the naysayers just remember, the Ford family calls the shots and they don't want their name on substandard products.
Why did it take Farley over 4 years to figure out that quality matters? It might be improving, but that is from a very low point. In the meantime, Ford has lost thousands of customers forever, including some in my own family.
I agree for over 30 years I have bought new Fords only but the wife's 2021 Bronco Sport Badlands was the last. From interior rattles to mysterious drive line noises and a infotainment system that gave everything from black screen to the radio coming on by itself and I might add her 2018 Edge Titanium had the same infotainment problems. I didn't leave Ford, Ford left me
As another pointed out, supplier quality needs to be addressed immediately. Past performance doesn’t insure future quality. Ford needs to back up suppliers standing by to respond to failures. Considering the cost of failure, so-so suppliers simply can’t be tolerated.
To taught that build, hold and inspect is the solution to high quality products dates back to the pre-Deming era.
Farley doesn’t have a clue and it shows in the products he produces.
It really sounds like Farley is offering everyone Kool-Aid but the only people who are drinking it is the people at Ford. As long as people are buying cars Farley doesn't care about quality.
I was born and raised on Ford. My Dad and I retired from Ford. I have never driven anything but Fords. But, I will never ever buy another new one. We have a 2019 Escape with the EcoCrap engine!Four of my close friends engines have blown up with as little as 22,000 miles up to 80,000. That is unacceptable!
Ford knows how to build great engines: 300 straight six,289,302,351 etc I have owned them over the years!
You need to take care of your customers, stop buying the cheapest parts to build vehicles, stop being so greedy!
“Lead the heard, NOT FOLLOW!”
Sure, a lot of recalls are of vehicles that were engineered before Farley started, but come on already - Farley has been talking about improving quality since 2020, and we've yet to see it happen. I don't get how he could have worked at Toyota for 17 years and not immediately top-down implemented their system of ever-improving quality at Ford.
Quality - or to be more clear, long-term reliability - is 99% about excellence in engineering, which is implemented - and supported - via corporate doctrine from higher ups or not. The buck stops with you, Farley!