Sponsored

Wolf Man

Well-known member
First Name
WolfMan
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Threads
42
Messages
456
Reaction score
413
Location
Silver State
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat
Occupation
Retired
People are clamoring for Ford F-150s now trapped in Detroit parking lot


If you happen to notice a random parking lot filled with brand new (unsold) Ford F-150 trucks — or any other fleet of brand new vehicles — this is what a semiconductor shortage looks like.

People are sighting new stockpiles off I-96 west of Detroit and calling the Free Press, which took photos and drone shots Thursday to document the issue.

The situation is a multibillion dollar industry headache that won't go away.

"The chip shortage is a supply chain nightmare from hell," said market analyst Jon Gabrielsen, who consults for manufacturing industry clients in North America.

Ford F-150 People are clamoring for Ford F-150s now trapped in Detroit parking lot F150 1



"In the supply chain, missing just one part means you cannot produce the entire vehicle that uses the part. But with chips, it is any one of dozens of chips. And unlike a temporary delay due to a late shipment or even COVID impacting a single supplier plant, it takes years to design, build, and start up a chip plant so getting beyond the situation is not a short-term issue."

Both foreign and domestic automakers are affected. They've reported economic pain inflicted by the parts shortage in first quarter earnings and forecasted for 2021.

Industry leaders have made the Biden administration aware of the situation, caused by a combination of factory shutdowns, growing demand from every industry that uses technology and a limited number of suppliers.


"While the industry has always been capable and resourceful, the answer to this issue isn't easy and seems to be growing tougher with each passing day. If anyone relying on a source of chips isn't on edge right now, they're not paying attention," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.

"Vehicle production around the world has been hit by this shortage and no region has figured out a short-term remedy. This is a global problem requiring many players to solve it," he said Friday. "We are looking at production issues for much of the rest of the year for nearly all major automakers. There's just no quick fix."


Ford is a high-profile victim because it has so many new vehicles hitting the market in 2021: The Ford F-150, all-electric Mustang Mach-E, Bronco and Bronco Sport.

"Cars are 2021’s version of toilet paper in 2020. We are taking a lot of retail orders because we don't have anything (in stock)," Chad Wilson, general manager of Wilson Ford in Saginaw and Midland Ford, told the Free Press on April 1. "Normally, between our two stores, we'd have 150-180 F-series in stock. I think right now there might be 10."

The semiconductor shortage — combined with parts shortages created by the central U.S. winter storm in February — prompted Ford to build F-150 trucks and Edge SUVs in North America without certain parts, including some electronic modules that contain semiconductors.

"Ford will build and hold the vehicles for a number of weeks, then ship the vehicles to dealers once the modules are available and comprehensive quality checks are complete," the company said in a statement March 18.

Ford and pretty much everybody else globally have reduced production, temporarily closed factories and issued temporary layoffs.

"We are working closely with suppliers to address production constraints and will ship the completed vehicles as soon as we can," said Kelli Felker, Ford global manufacturing and labor communications manager. "The updates needed for these vehicles are tied to basic vehicle functions, such as windshield wiper motors. They are relatively simple updates."



Ford has said if the shortage is extended through the first half of 2021, as expected, it could mean $2.5 billion in economic damage.

General Motors has left open its options to manage the parts shortage, too.

“When there is a shortage of semiconductors that impacts production, in some cases we intend to build vehicles without certain modules and will complete them as soon as possible," GM has said. "This will help us quickly meet strong customer demand as more semiconductors become available. Several of GM’s plants have recently utilized this process and we will complete those vehicles as soon as possible.”

Automakers hope to make up production in late 2021.


These days, automakers and technology companies are competing with small companies for semiconductors. For example, a Texas engineering firm selling sensors that take temperature readings needed when pouring concrete at building, highway and bridge construction sites is seeing a squeeze, the New York Times reported on Friday.

"Like many other things in the modern world, from computers and cars to cash registers and kitchen appliances, the sensors require a couple of common, inexpensive semiconductors that have suddenly become a very scarce commodity," the Times said.

The headline read: "It’s a Roller-Coaster Ride: Global Chip Shortage Is Making Industries Sweat. The internet-connected world is completely dependent on the production of semiconductors."

*For the complete original story and more photos from the Detroit Free Press click the link below.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...f-150-semiconductor-chip-shortage/7175158002/
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
Wolf Man

Wolf Man

Well-known member
First Name
WolfMan
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Threads
42
Messages
456
Reaction score
413
Location
Silver State
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat
Occupation
Retired
Perhaps all these parking lots are Ramp 59?
 

Raicilla

Active member
First Name
Rudy
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
40
Reaction score
53
Location
Upper Left Coast
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat SCREW AMB 157" PowerBoost 7.2kW
...and yet, every time I turn on the tube, I see 8 or 9 F-150 commercials!
aarrrgghh!
 

85Mustangman

Well-known member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
225
Reaction score
152
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Vehicles
2021 XLT Supercab/ 6.5 box, 2.7, 302A, Antimatter
Occupation
Retired
...and yet, every time I turn on the tube, I see 8 or 9 F-150 commercials!
aarrrgghh!
I know... at first I thought it was kinda cool... “look hon, that’s the truck I’m getting”. Not it’s like ffs, they can’t even build the ones they HAVE orders for... don’t take any more orders!
 

r-model

Well-known member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Sep 19, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
82
Reaction score
55
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Vehicles
2015 Competition Orange Mustang GT with some goodies, 2021 F150 XLT 302A Velocity Blue (ordered)
Occupation
designer

Sponsored

WoodstockC

Active member
First Name
Carl
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
33
Reaction score
15
Location
Woodstock,CT
Vehicles
Acura RDX and GMC Yukon
I know... at first I thought it was kinda cool... “look hon, that’s the truck I’m getting”. Not it’s like ffs, they can’t even build the ones they HAVE orders for... don’t take any more orders!
Now my wife say "hey that's the truck your waiting for "
 

GreggT

Well-known member
First Name
Gregg
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Threads
0
Messages
118
Reaction score
140
Location
Fort Payne, AL
Vehicles
2021 Lariat Screw, SRX Cadillac
Occupation
Retired
The real sad part about this situation is the absolute lack of communication from Ford to the dealers on the special orders sitting on these lots.
I have one sitting there, in spite of three different calls to Ford, no one seems to have a clue about my truck other than it is sitting there lacking parts. Two representatives referred me back to my dealer who can't get anything from Ford, the other just told me she had no idea. A very sad situation!
 

MDH

Well-known member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 18, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
80
Reaction score
66
Location
Freeport, ME
Vehicles
2021 F-150 Powerboost
Occupation
Retired
The real sad part about this situation is the absolute lack of communication from Ford to the dealers on the special orders sitting on these lots.
I have one sitting there, in spite of three different calls to Ford, no one seems to have a clue about my truck other than it is sitting there lacking parts. Two representatives referred me back to my dealer who can't get anything from Ford, the other just told me she had no idea. A very sad situation!
I'm in the same boat! Totally agree, there needs to be meaning communication of trucks that are build and in need of parts for final shipment.
 

Maggioa

Well-known member
First Name
Anthony
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
69
Reaction score
40
Location
Rio Rancho, NM
Vehicles
2021 Mazda CX 5, 2018 Hyundai
Occupation
Retired Air Force, Currently a Federal Employee
The real sad part about this situation is the absolute lack of communication from Ford to the dealers on the special orders sitting on these lots.
I have one sitting there, in spite of three different calls to Ford, no one seems to have a clue about my truck other than it is sitting there lacking parts. Two representatives referred me back to my dealer who can't get anything from Ford, the other just told me she had no idea. A very sad situation!
I get the exact same from my dealer... no one can give me a straight answer.
 

Gman73

Well-known member
First Name
C
Joined
Nov 27, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
146
Reaction score
88
Location
Ontario
Vehicles
2018 Ford F-150, 2019 Ford Ranger, 2021 Ford F-150 on order
Occupation
Facilities Manager
The real sad part about this situation is the absolute lack of communication from Ford to the dealers on the special orders sitting on these lots.
I have one sitting there, in spite of three different calls to Ford, no one seems to have a clue about my truck other than it is sitting there lacking parts. Two representatives referred me back to my dealer who can't get anything from Ford, the other just told me she had no idea. A very sad situation!
I think we are all in the same boat, I tried calling Ford Corporate (have 3 case #'s) what a waste fo time those calls were and the best I can get from the dealer who has worked to try and find answers is that my truck which I thought had made it off the line just prior to the chip shortage announcement by Ford is waiting on modules. So Ford obviously sat on this for a while before announcing to the public. SO I agree the lack of transparency at all levels of Ford has been terrible.
 

Sponsored


solarity

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
174
Reaction score
127
Location
Western NY
Vehicles
Acura MDX
The answer is they don't know. They are lacking key parts from different suppliers. They are in uncharted territory right now. They have no way to give us an accurate estimate and this could take months for us with a truck on Ramp 59. They have no method to track the trucks in purgatory, as it would normally be there for a few days. I assume they install parts as they come available for vehicles that they have all the parts for. If we are lucky they might release them in the order they were received.

We honestly should stop ruminating on it, as it isn't going to help. Myself included, I have been checking the pals app, watching Pioneer74 posts to see other's status. It is just wasting time and getting my hopes up. If we just forget about it and go about our day, then it will be less painful and it will just show up.

I am not defending Ford or saying your concerns are unwarranted. I am saying I understand what is going on and why the communication is bad, they just don't have anything good to say yet.
 

powerboost

Well-known member
First Name
Jim
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
178
Reaction score
294
Location
Portland, Oregon
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat 4x4 Powerboost loaded
Occupation
retired technician
Here at Ramp 59.....My truck got a glove box door added today! I hope it still has the new truck smell when I finally get it. Someone put a potato chip on dash. Great to see it getting a chip also during shortage. :D:oops::rolleyes: My idea of humor......my truck is scheduled to be built 6-14 Lariat 4x4 Powerboost with most every option.... got to laugh a little.
Ford F-150 People are clamoring for Ford F-150s now trapped in Detroit parking lot IMG_5070
 

kenpitt

Well-known member
First Name
ken
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
58
Reaction score
32
Location
19506
Vehicles
ford f150
Occupation
retired
...and yet, every time I turn on the tube, I see 8 or 9 F-150 commercials!
aarrrgghh!
Yes, I see that, and my truck was ordered Nov. 18th and I'm still waiting.
 

Raicilla

Active member
First Name
Rudy
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
40
Reaction score
53
Location
Upper Left Coast
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat SCREW AMB 157" PowerBoost 7.2kW
...just sayin'

 

Raicilla

Active member
First Name
Rudy
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
40
Reaction score
53
Location
Upper Left Coast
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat SCREW AMB 157" PowerBoost 7.2kW
...and yet, every time I turn on the tube, I see 8 or 9 F-150 commercials!
aarrrgghh!
Did you see this one?
The All-New 2021 F-150: Work It Out | Ford

Sponsored

 
 




Top