Ford will ship and sell vehicles without chips controlling non-safety critical features

[AzScorpion]

Well this should be interesting? Now Ford will start shipping vehicles without chips controlling non safety feature. Most of these dealers can't even do a simple oil change without messing it up. Does anyone else see a disaster in the making here?

https://www.wsls.com/news/2022/03/1...-non-safety-related-chips-install-them-later/

Automotive News reports that Ford told dealerships on Saturday that they plan to sell vehicles without chips for some non-safety features, with plans to install them in the already-sold cars within a year.

Ford, like other automakers, has been dealing with a shortage of semiconductor microchips, and have a growing inventory of vehicles waiting for chips.

Sponsored

 

[halligan1201]

I'm still waiting to hear back from dealer ref the vehicle we have on order but to my understanding, at least in the Explorer, it's the whole rear control panel that is being omitted so it should be as simple removing the plastic cover piece, installing the control panel and plugging it in but with these weird times, who knows anymore.

https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/2...temporarily-drop-second-row-climate-controls/

 

[Bob902]

I am up here by the Wentzville TH assembly plant where they make the Colorado's. They continue to build the trucks and then rent lots to store the trucks. As the chips come in, they take them back to the plant to get i stalled before being shipped to dealers.

 

[AzScorpion]

Don't get me wrong I think it's a great move and keeps vehicles from pilling up just sitting. But will these be as easy as what John just listed or will there be others that are more complicated, not plug n play?

Remember all the Broncos sitting on dirt mountain last summer and then again this winter all frozen and covered in snow? With all the problems some of these new vehicles have coming directly from the plant I would think this could created even more with the dealers now having to install these parts.

 

[Kino]

I'll see if it happens to my ST:

https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/2...temporarily-drop-second-row-climate-controls/

[same link as above]

 

[halligan1201]

I'll see if it happens to my ST:

https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/2...temporarily-drop-second-row-climate-controls/

[same link as above]

What timeframe did dealer give you when you ordered? Curious as to whether there's consistency or if they're just guessing.

 

[Kino]

What timeframe did dealer give you when you ordered? Curious as to whether there's consistency or if they're just guessing.

Gonna be extensive:

I ordered through Granger. It was accepted around 12.23 [I'd have to look through e-mails] and blended 1.29. It was originally showing mid-March delivery, then 2.11, then the 3-month add-on that took it to 5.11. The Tracker date disappeared, like they all did. My modules were populated about 16 days ago, so, I assume that the chips were more-or-less installed.

I was not expecting to get the ST until sometime after the end of April at the earliest (and have posted that on the ST forums, as bad as that forum is). I seem to be correct with my prediction.

If I contacted Granger, I don't believe that they would have any better info to provide.

I'm truly not in a hurry to receive the ST. I knew and know the restraints in the industry are right now and have accepted them.

I've been wanting to get a Subaru Legacy for my daughter, and that's impossible, new or used! (Gotta get her out of my BS Badlands!)

 

[halligan1201]

Gonna be extensive:

I ordered through Granger. It was accepted around 12.23 [I'd have to look through e-mails] and blended 1.29. It was originally showing mid-March delivery, then 2.11, then the 3-month add-on that took it to 5.11. The Tracker date disappeared, like they all did. My modules were populated about 16 days ago, so, I assume that the chips were more-or-less installed.

I was not expecting to get the ST until sometime after the end of April at the earliest (and have posted that on the ST forums, as bad as that forum is). I seem to be correct with my prediction.

If I contacted Granger, I don't believe that they would have any better info to provide.

I'm truly not in a hurry to receive the ST. I knew and know the restraints in the industry are right now and have accepted them.

I've been wanting to get a Subaru Legacy for my daughter, and that's impossible, new or used! (Gotta get her out of my BS Badlands!)

We ordered through Granger too, also not concerned with wait because it's just replacing the gf Subaru. I'm guessing that we'll see it in the fall.

 

[Aonarch]

This makes sense.

Automakers might have to slowly start dropping options and reducing the selling price. Just like rear zone climate control.

We've seen this with the Ranger, where each model year, little features are removed to cope with inflation and other supply chain issues. Granted I don't think the Ranger's issue is chip related, more just margins.

This has happened before about 10 years ago when Japan got hit by a nasty tsunami and IIRC a Panasonic factory was destroyed. Some automakers (VW Group especially) had to de-content their vehicles for half a model year

 

[21CactusGrey]

I am up here by the Wentzville TH assembly plant where they make the Colorado's. They continue to build the trucks and then rent lots to store the trucks. As the chips come in, they take them back to the plant to get i stalled before being shipped to dealers.

Before I bought my Ranger way back in February 2022 I was going to test drive some Colorado's but the statement on the dealer's website referencing missing chips and some functionality not working ultimately turned me away.

 

[rydfree]

Well this should be interesting? Now Ford will start shipping vehicles without chips controlling non safety feature. Most of these dealers can't even do a simple oil change without messing it up. Does anyone else see a disaster in the making here?

https://www.wsls.com/news/2022/03/1...-non-safety-related-chips-install-them-later/

Dealers will not be soldering chips to circuit boards . They will leave out the module for the global window function to operate , the module that controls remote start , heated seats or a similar feature such as the memory seat position etc . Everybody says Ford is waiting on chips but in reality they are waiting on the completed plug & play modules that are sourced from suppliers . The suppliers such as where I work are the ones waiting on individual chips to go into the electronic modules/brains .

 

[BrassSlinger]

Dealers will not be soldering chips to circuit boards . They will leave out the module for the global window function to operate , the module that controls remote start , heated seats or a similar feature such as the memory seat position etc . Everybody says Ford is waiting on chips but in reality they are waiting on the completed plug & play modules that are sourced from suppliers . The suppliers such as where I work are the ones waiting on individual chips to go into the electronic modules/brains .

My Tremor which is being built this week better be working 100% or i won't accept delivery. I am not paying top dollar for a 90% finished product.
Heated seats better work,power everything, etc. I will walk

 

[wanted33]

Don't get me wrong I think it's a great move and keeps vehicles from pilling up just sitting. But will these be as easy as what John just listed or will there be others that are more complicated, not plug n play?

Remember all the Broncos sitting on dirt mountain last summer and then again this winter all frozen and covered in snow? With all the problems some of these new vehicles have coming directly from the plant I would think this could created even more with the dealers now having to install these parts.

Like you Dave, I can't say that I blame these manufacturers. But, I noticed it didn't say anything about the chips being replaced at a later date. I've seen that GM will give you a discount of $50 for the $500+ option that doesn't operate, because of the missing chips. That doesn't seem to be a good deal unless the chip can be added at a later date. I guess we'll see how that works out.

 

[AzScorpion]

Like you Dave, I can't say that I blame these manufacturers. But, I noticed it didn't say anything about the chips being replaced at a later date. I've seen that GM will give you a discount of $50 for the $500+ option that doesn't operate, because of the missing chips. That doesn't seem to be a good deal unless the chip can be added at a later date. I guess we'll see how that works out.

They will ship them at a later date within 1 year. From what Benny has said it sounds easy just plug n play but we've all heard our share of horror stories from members who's dealers can't even do a simple oil change. Hopefully this is easy and doesn't create more problems. One that I see is that a lot of dealers are so backed up now because of labor shortages. How long will you have to let you vehicle sit at the dealer to get these installed?

Per the article:

Ford will sell partially built vehicles awaiting chips or related components that control non-safety critical features, it told dealers today. Dealers will get the missing chips within 1 year to install on the already-sold vehicles, Ford said.

 

[Joeiconic]

Don't get me wrong I think it's a great move and keeps vehicles from pilling up just sitting. But will these be as easy as what John just listed or will there be others that are more complicated, not plug n play?

I’m guessing this is actually pretty much plug and play at the factory. If it wasn’t it wouldn’t be very efficient. So, my guess it will be an install the dealer can handle without issue. I think all manufacturers are doing this to some extent.

Sponsored