Ford removing Copilot Active 2.0 on 2022 orders

[PMMePizza]

The point is when ford accepted your order they were able to produce it.
Then vendors shorted order or failed to deliver completely.

This is very fluid. One day you have stuff, they next you dont.

Its not like Ford, or any OEM, knew they sold something they couldnt build.

This is not static. OEM's do not get a shipment of 1,000,000 chips. They get promised 20k on this date, then 30k on this date. Those dates pass and no chips. Or 5k received. What are they suppossed to do?

They are aimimg at a moving target blindfolded. We all are stuck in this crap.

I understand what you're trying to say, but the way Ford is handling the communication of the issue is not acceptable. I run a manufacturing plant here in the US, and we're struggling with all kinds of commodity issues, so I'm sympathetic.

But if I pulled what Ford is pulling with me with my customers? I wouldn't have customers anymore. You can't just tell someone you can deliver a product and then change your mind 5 months later (when the advertised lead time for a complete product is "4-6" months).

Besides my dealer, Ford has emailed me once in the entire 5 month waiting process to tell me they hadn't forgotten about my order. That's it. That's just not acceptable in my book. I understand that they're facing supply chain problems, but they need to communicate that when you're dropping $70k on a truck. I have customers calling me freaking daily for updates on orders that are less than $400 . . . Is that too much? Yes. But 5 months with no updates at all is just not ok.

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[oncechance]

Nice Rant!

I second that.

 

[Mtnman1]

I disagree that Ford was able to produce the order when it was taken. Ford was very aware of the uncertainty of commodities/chips when they took my order and they absolutely knew they wouldn't be able to produce it for months (I'm hoping it is just months). However, Ford doesn't tell anyone they won't receive their truck for months because Ford is terrible at communicating. If we treated our customers like Ford treats their customers (us), we would be fired and out of business.

The only communication I have received from Ford since ordering four months ago was an order confirmation with no delivery estimate, an invitation to join Ford Pass, and an invitation to apply for a Ford credit card. I've received no communication regarding the status of my vehicle. That would be completely unacceptable in any other situation except this one because anyone on this forum has been conditioned to accept terrible communication.

Certainly chip/commodity issues play a part in the production scheduling uncertainty, but that isn't the only thing. That combined with the way Ford allocates vehicles to dealers regardless of order date makes this whole process convoluted. The commodity issues make a bad system worse.

I would also add that introducing the Maverick, Mach-E, and Lightning at this time was a terrible idea. They made a bad situation worse. Compared to F150 numbers, those sales are small, but every amount helps.

As someone who worked in the semiconductor industry for over a decade, I can assure you that the chip building process isn't random baring unexpected shut downs or natural disasters. You may not know and your company may not know what chips you are going to receive, but the fab knows how many they are going to produce and who is going to receive them well in advance. I think Ford has a much better idea than you give them credit for. Certainly the company I work for has a lot more information regarding our semiconductor deliveries than you think Ford has.

I am not defending the lack of communication at all.

But there are factors that you are not accounting for. Like sanctions against China and Russia. This is definetly effecting availablilty.

Plus Ceo of Global foundries said they are sold out through 2023. Not sure if this effects ford directly, but other chip makers have reported the same. That means no new orders. If you dont have them, your not getting any. And since there is no such thing as 100%, you probably dont have what you thought you did to failures. And even if you have an order in, youre not getting for 6 months.

Ford had no choice but to release the vehicles they have been planning, working on, and funding, for years. They have to recoup costs or there will be no Ford. There were numerous factors that no one could predict with covid, fires, earthquakes, war, sanctions, etc.

 

[Mtnman1]

I understand what you're trying to say, but the way Ford is handling the communication of the issue is not acceptable. I run a manufacturing plant here in the US, and we're struggling with all kinds of commodity issues, so I'm sympathetic.

But if I pulled what Ford is pulling with me with my customers? I wouldn't have customers anymore. You can't just tell someone you can deliver a product and then change your mind 5 months later (when the advertised lead time for a complete product is "4-6" months).

Besides my dealer, Ford has emailed me once in the entire 5 month waiting process to tell me they hadn't forgotten about my order. That's it. That's just not acceptable in my book. I understand that they're facing supply chain problems, but they need to communicate that when you're dropping $70k on a truck. I have customers calling me freaking daily for updates on orders that are less than $400 . . . Is that too much? Yes. But 5 months with no updates at all is just not ok.

This most certainly happens. Earlier this year, we went from 0 issues to crap we cant get anything to build our stuff.

Our lead times went from 7 days to 189 days over night. So all those that bought modules, sorry. Not shipping for 6 months. We also raised prices 3 times this year. Stuff we were buying for $1 is now $150.

And 1 of our controllers is 35k. A project can have 50 of these. This does not include the communication and I/O modules and related hardware.

You can call us 5 times a day. Status does not change. 6 months at least. When we know anything different, you will know.

I was told 6 months at least for my f150. Why do i need a weekly email telling me the same thing?

 

[ShadowFox]

I understand what you're trying to say, but the way Ford is handling the communication of the issue is not acceptable. I run a manufacturing plant here in the US, and we're struggling with all kinds of commodity issues, so I'm sympathetic.

But if I pulled what Ford is pulling with me with my customers? I wouldn't have customers anymore. You can't just tell someone you can deliver a product and then change your mind 5 months later (when the advertised lead time for a complete product is "4-6" months).

Besides my dealer, Ford has emailed me once in the entire 5 month waiting process to tell me they hadn't forgotten about my order. That's it. That's just not acceptable in my book. I understand that they're facing supply chain problems, but they need to communicate that when you're dropping $70k on a truck. I have customers calling me freaking daily for updates on orders that are less than $400 . . . Is that too much? Yes. But 5 months with no updates at all is just not ok.

Are you on the f150tremor forum yet? Seems to be back and forth about having to remove the Active—juicy.

 

[PMMePizza]

This most certainly happens. Earlier this year, we went from 0 issues to crap we cant get anything to build our stuff.

Our lead times went from 7 days to 189 days over night. So all those that bought modules, sorry. Not shipping for 6 months. We also raised prices 3 times this year. Stuff we were buying for $1 is now $150.

And 1 of our controllers is 35k. A project can have 50 of these. This does not include the communication and I/O modules and related hardware.

You can call us 5 times a day. Status does not change. 6 months at least. When we know anything different, you will know.

I was told 6 months at least for my f150. Why do i need a weekly email telling me the same thing?

I'm guessing when your lead times went from 7 days to 189, you called your customers and updated them with new lead times right?

When your price increase came in, you called your customers right?

I'm guessing every single one of your customers has an ETA on their shipment, and you update it when you get new information, right?

Ford just says "you'll get it when you get it". Every single one of my customers, even on items that I don't even know the lead time on has an ETA on their shipment. And I update them every time I get new information that's relevant.

 

[Snakebitten]

I ordered on 11/12/2021.
Received an email from Ford the same day
I finally got scheduled for a 4/4/2022 sometime in February I believe. Received that email from Ford.
Truck apparently was built 4/11, because I received an email from Ford that it was built and shipped.

Truck arrived at the dealership a few days earlier than the Ford estimate stated in the email.

The whole thing was a 6 month ordeal.
I admit that I was fortunate to have only one delete and no chip-hold or shipping snafus.

Ford builds thousands per DAY!

I can't imagine someone at Ford trying to communicate more updates than I received. It would be awesome, of course, if they could handle each order uniquely. But I can't see them allocating what that would require.

 

[Mtnman1]

I'm guessing when your lead times went from 7 days to 189, you called your customers and updated them with new lead times right?

When your price increase came in, you called your customers right?

I'm guessing every single one of your customers has an ETA on their shipment, and you update it when you get new information, right?

Ford just says "you'll get it when you get it". Every single one of my customers, even on items that I don't even know the lead time on has an ETA on their shipment. And I update them every time I get new information that's relevant.

No we did not call all of our customers. Price increase on website. Standard message.

Emails went out. Not realistic to call every customer we have on the planet.

Plus in most cases, purchasing is at corporate, in a different state than the plant. We dont have end user info for spare parts. Just who cut PO at corporate and shipping address.
Purchasers are informed when they call. No clue if the actual end user gets informed.

 

[Mtnman1]

I ordered on 11/12/2021.
Received an email from Ford the same day
I finally got scheduled for a 4/4/2022 sometime in February I believe. Received that email from Ford.
Truck apparently was built 4/11, because I received an email from Ford that it was built and shipped.

Truck arrived at the dealership a few days earlier than the Ford estimate stated in the email.

The whole thing was a 6 month ordeal.
I admit that I was fortunate to have only one delete and no chip-hold or shipping snafus.

Ford builds thousands per DAY!

I can't imagine someone at Ford trying to communicate more updates than I received. It would be awesome, of course, if they could handle each order uniquely. But I can't see them allocating what that would require.

At least one result would be us paying a lot more for a vehicle. Gotta cover those 400 new employees.

 

[Snakebitten]

This isn't 2 weeks worth of F150's

Barbara, can you email the owner of each one of those trucks and tell them something that's going to make them more unhappy?

 

[Kodiak]

Just of note with production for a complex machine. Orders will not be first in first out. No production with a product as varied as an F-150 will be produced that way. They will not build a Platinum Black PB with BAP, 5.5 bed and a host of other options and the next truck is an XL 5.0 White with and 8' bed. They build in "clumps" of similar vehicles so they can get the correct tooling and parts lined up to keep the assembly line moving. You want your workers to do similar repetitive actions for as long a period of time as you can to help improve the overall quality.

It sucks for someone that is waiting but that is why someone who may have ordered in March got their truck before the guy who ordered in January. They got lucky with the production schedule, that is all.

 

[Mtnman1]

Just of note with production for a complex machine. Orders will not be first in first out. No production with a product as varied as an F-150 will be produced that way. They will not build a Platinum Black PB with BAP, 5.5 bed and a host of other options and the next truck is an XL 5.0 White with and 8' bed. They build in "clumps" of similar vehicles so they can get the correct tooling and parts lined up to keep the assembly line moving. You want your workers to do similar repetitive actions for as long a period of time as you can to help improve the overall quality.

It sucks for someone that is waiting but that is why someone who may have ordered in March got their truck before the guy who ordered in January. They got lucky with the production schedule, that is all.

This was my case. Had to wait for enough others to order RCBS....but a bunch will be built week of 6/27.

I knew they couldnt throw it in the middle of Screws or Scabs..... i would have had doors bolted to the bed.

 

[oncechance]

It sucks for someone that is waiting but that is why someone who may have ordered in March got their truck before the guy who ordered in January. They got lucky with the production schedule, that is all.

I'm one of those lucky ones. My dealer told me that I must have checked all the boxes for what they were producing at the time. VIN in four days is unreal I was told and delivered in May.

 

[NewtruckinFL]

I would say after waiting quite a while for the BlueCruise update that having it is a joy on long highway road trips and totally worth the wait if you were hoping to get that option.

 

[Aron]

You can't just tell someone you can deliver a product and then change your mind 5 months later (when the advertised lead time for a complete product is "4-6" months).

Where did you see Ford advertising a 4-6 month lead time? I’m not saying you’re wrong; I just haven’t seen it. To be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a Ford advertisement mentioning retail orders at all—it’s always directing you “to your local Ford dealer.”

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