Is your Bronco actually “Built”?

Well maybe now that the plant manager has parted ways and they have announced this new quality control guru yesterday, Things will be getting better? Even though the guru has actually been working there since the beginning of the year. I wish I worked there. I would have no problem hitting the phone directory and start calling up the food chain.

TK1215

Well maybe now that the plant manager has parted ways and they have announced this new quality control guru yesterday, Things will be getting better? Even though the guru has actually been working there since the beginning of the year. I wish I worked there. I would have no problem hitting the phone directory and start calling up the food chain.

The right thing to do would be to honest with their customers and start reporting the actual, detailed facts on every vehicle stuck in the system.

They also should stop production until every “built” vehicle was actually completed and shipped. Why continue burying unfinished vehicles on your lots when you can’t finish the ones already stacked up in lots across multiple cities.

Finally, they should stop rolling unfinished vehicles out of the plant and declaring them “built”. Why lie to your customers?

Hudman316

One must assume Ford is benefiting from falsely reporting vehicles built that are incomplete. Do they get to bill the dealership once they declare a vehicle is built (true or not)? I don’t know. Are they doing it to inflate production statistics to appease share holders? I don’t know.

All I know is the total lack of transparency about the “plant hold” status appears to imply they are intentionally hiding the facts from the consumer. I hope I’m wrong.

My Bronco was reported “built / released” on 06/08/2022. Soon after it was updated to “built / plant hold”. I was informed by a reliable source outside of Ford Marketing that my Bronco is missing 2 parts. That’s not my definition of “built”.

Unfortunately, Ford isn’t that crafty... and they aren’t trying to inflate production statistics, or hide information from customers, or anything of the sort. The issue is they have adapted a decades old production system that has been around since fax was the method of submitting orders to the “new age” where people are expecting Amazon/FedEx/UPS-style tracking of their packages (or vehicles in this case). And to be honest, it just doesn't translate well.

“Built” from a Ford production perspective effectively means it has traveled down the main assembly line and corresponds to "In Production - Produced" status. But there are a bunch of sub-statuses for "In Production". Including "Trim Line", "Body Shop", "Plant Hold", "Sent to Body Shop", "Returned to Body Shop", "To Test Center", "From Test Center", "Mod Shop", etc. It is possible for a vehicle to be "Produced" but not actually completed. The "Awaiting Shipment - Released" status corresponds to what you and I would consider as "Built", as that is when the vehicle has been fully completed and waiting for shipment to the customer. BUT, it is possible for a released vehicle to move backwards if an issue is discovered during the production process due to a recall or normal quality testing. If a vehicle is on-hold, it is impossible for the dealer (and I suspect the Ford customer service reps) to know why a vehicle is on hold, that is just not exposed to them in the tracking system. If you want to find out why, you usually have to talk to the assembly plant themselves, and dealers/customer service reps just do not have a direct communication path to the assembly plant, nor does the assembly plant have the staff to sit there and lookup individual vehicles all day to see what exactly they are waiting on.

Then you have the issue of the logistics companies. There is no publicly accessible streamlined FedEx / UPS style tracking for vehicles once they have been shipped. If it ships via rail, you will probably get a railcar number, and you can use the railroad companies systems to track that railcar number, but sometimes railcars get transferred between rail companies, or the railcars are repacked and tracking becomes unreliable. If it ships via convoy, you often will not get any tracking statistics at all. Most convoy transport companies are not big enough, and don't have an IT organization that can develop a publicly accessible website for tracking. I would not at all be surprised if many of them are using Excel spreadsheets for their own tracking purposes.

-- -- --

All that said, I'm not trying to defend Ford. I'm just trying to explain how it works internally (based on my understanding), as I know several people who work for Ford and my father is a retired Ford engineer. If you all talk to them about it, they all know certain things could be better, and they aren't purposefully hiding information. It's just difficult to correlate all the information from various systems in various parts of the company into a single pane of glass that customers/dealers/customer service reps can use.

If Ford (and the other manufacturers) want to continue fulfilling retail orders (rather than going with the more traditional dealer stock model), they really need to revamp their production and web systems and figure out ways to supply more information to customers and dealers. But that will require a substantial investment on Ford's part that (arguably) doesn't actually help them produce or sell more vehicles. It will happen eventually over time, it wasn't too long ago that it was impossible for us as customers to see any details about retail ordered vehicles without going to our dealer. But in the grant scheme of things, they have bigger fish to fry... and as with all gigantic companies, the ship just doesn't turn that quickly.

Hudman316

The problem is Ford constantly reports unfinished vehicles as built. Once they go into the system as built the computer generated emails and estimated shipping windows start rolling in week after week.

After reporting it built they update the status as “built / plant hold”. They don’t disclose the details why it’s on hold to the customer or the marketing department that interacts with the customer. Only people with high level access can see the parts the vehicles are waiting on.

The bad thing is the customer gets excited over a lie (their vehicle is not built - it’s incomplete) and the Ford Marketing representatives get verbally abused all day, everyday by irate customers that believe Ford Marketing is hiding information. They’re not. Ford doesn’t give them access to the details behind the plant holds.

One must assume Ford is benefiting from falsely reporting vehicles built that are incomplete. Do they get to bill the dealership once they declare a vehicle is built (true or not)? I don’t know. Are they doing it to inflate production statistics to appease share holders? I don’t know.

All I know is the total lack of transparency about the “plant hold” status appears to imply they are intentionally hiding the facts from the consumer. I hope I’m wrong.

My Bronco was reported “built / released” on 06/08/2022. Soon after it was updated to “built / plant hold”. I was informed by a reliable source outside of Ford Marketing that my Bronco is missing 2 parts. That’s not my definition of “built”.

Maybe @Ford Motor Company can chime in here and tell us?

There are a bunch of us in the Bronco Sport forum who were built this July and on complete hold ever since. Our vehicles have not shipped, are listed as “produced” on the visibility report and have expected ship and arrive dates but absolutely no movement. The vehicles built just days before ours are already reaching their owners. Nobody at Ford will answer any of our questions and keep pointing fingers to check the tracker and check with your dealer for updates. Both of those options give us the same “produced” and ETA information. Does anybody here know who to contact to get that more detailed reason for the hold ups? I would love to just call the Hermosillo plant and ask someone, but I don‘t speak Spanish.

RagnarKon

Unfortunately, Ford isn’t that crafty... and they aren’t trying to inflate production statistics, or hide information from customers, or anything of the sort. The issue is they have adapted a decades old production system that has been around since fax was the method of submitting orders to the “new age” where people are expecting Amazon/FedEx/UPS-style tracking of their packages (or vehicles in this case). And to be honest, it just doesn't translate well.

“Built” from a Ford production perspective effectively means it has traveled down the main assembly line and corresponds to "In Production - Produced" status. But there are a bunch of sub-statuses for "In Production". Including "Trim Line", "Body Shop", "Plant Hold", "Sent to Body Shop", "Returned to Body Shop", "To Test Center", "From Test Center", "Mod Shop", etc. It is possible for a vehicle to be "Produced" but not actually completed. The "Awaiting Shipment - Released" status corresponds to what you and I would consider as "Built", as that is when the vehicle has been fully completed and waiting for shipment to the customer. BUT, it is possible for a released vehicle to move backwards if an issue is discovered during the production process due to a recall or normal quality testing. If a vehicle is on-hold, it is impossible for the dealer (and I suspect the Ford customer service reps) to know why a vehicle is on hold, that is just not exposed to them in the tracking system. If you want to find out why, you usually have to talk to the assembly plant themselves, and dealers/customer service reps just do not have a direct communication path to the assembly plant, nor does the assembly plant have the staff to sit there and lookup individual vehicles all day to see what exactly they are waiting on.

Then you have the issue of the logistics companies. There is no publicly accessible streamlined FedEx / UPS style tracking for vehicles once they have been shipped. If it ships via rail, you will probably get a railcar number, and you can use the railroad companies systems to track that railcar number, but sometimes railcars get transferred between rail companies, or the railcars are repacked and tracking becomes unreliable. If it ships via convoy, you often will not get any tracking statistics at all. Most convoy transport companies are not big enough, and don't have an IT organization that can develop a publicly accessible website for tracking. I would not at all be surprised if many of them are using Excel spreadsheets for their own tracking purposes.

-- -- --

All that said, I'm not trying to defend Ford. I'm just trying to explain how it works internally (based on my understanding), as I know several people who work for Ford and my father is a retired Ford engineer. If you all talk to them about it, they all know certain things could be better, and they aren't purposefully hiding information. It's just difficult to correlate all the information from various systems in various parts of the company into a single pane of glass that customers/dealers/customer service reps can use.

If Ford (and the other manufacturers) want to continue fulfilling retail orders (rather than going with the more traditional dealer stock model), they really need to revamp their production and web systems and figure out ways to supply more information to customers and dealers. But that will require a substantial investment on Ford's part that (arguably) doesn't actually help them produce or sell more vehicles. It will happen eventually over time, it wasn't too long ago that it was impossible for us as customers to see any details about retail ordered vehicles without going to our dealer. But in the grant scheme of things, they have bigger fish to fry... and as with all gigantic companies, the ship just doesn't turn that quickly.

Well stated ! Not an overnight fix but one Ford should be working on !

Jenbeth

There are a bunch of us in the Bronco Sport forum who were built this July and on complete hold ever since. Our vehicles have not shipped, are listed as “produced” on the visibility report and have expected ship and arrive dates but absolutely no movement. The vehicles built just days before ours are already reaching their owners. Nobody at Ford will answer any of our questions and keep pointing fingers to check the tracker and check with your dealer for updates. Both of those options give us the same “produced” and ETA information. Does anybody here know who to contact to get that more detailed reason for the hold ups? I would love to just call the Hermosillo plant and ask someone, but I don‘t speak Spanish.

July? It’s only July 17th.

You need to relax.

Hudman316

July? It’s only July 17th.

You need to relax.

Bronco Sport, build week of 6/27, everyone on the Bronco Sport forum for that week who was built 27-30 have shipped, everyone whose modules became “live” 7/1 through the 2 week scheduled plant shutdown (weeks of 7/11 and 7/18) have live modules, are listed as “produced” on the visibility report and have ETAs that are impossible to meet since they haven’t been shipped yet. Tracker is stuck on “In Production” for all, punched. It not checked and module live date listed under it.

I accidentally activated my FordPass while someone was in the vehicle at the plant to push the button, so I actually have some info that others don’t have. I even got an email saying my FordPass has been activated and could locate my vehicle in the map (in a huge parking lot in Hermosillo). Now my FordPass won’t update, so my car has been disabled in some form or fashion (battery disconnected/zombie chip was used to move it/some other reason that those of us who don’t know anything about car mechanics wouldn’t understand).

i know that those who have been waiting for full Broncos are in a much worse waiting game than those of us waiting for Baby Broncos, our situations are completely different, but the details from the OP of this thread are exactly what we are going through with the lack of communication regarding reason for the holds.The vehicles built literally one day before ours are reaching their owners as I type while ours are stuck in limbo.

I disagree 100%. You Bronco Sport folks are not remotely close to our situation. We have people waiting several weeks to several months for vehicles made here in the USA. MAP is 20 miles from my dealership. Please stop trying to compare your couple of weeks of being frustrated to the mess at MAP. It’s like you’re complaining about your shoes being tight to people without legs.

They haven't mined the iron ore for mine yet.

Hudman316

I disagree 100%. You Bronco Sport folks are not remotely close to our situation. We have people waiting several weeks to several months for vehicles made here in the USA. MAP is 20 miles from my dealership. Please stop trying to compare your couple of weeks of being frustrated to the mess at MAP. It’s like you’re complaining about your shoes being tight to people without legs.

Wow!!! Maybe karma is keeping you and your nasty attitude from getting your vehicle. May it never grace your driveway.

Wow how about we take a collective breath here. Last time I checked us people waiting for our Bronco‘s aren’t more important than anyone else. That would be the equivalent of someone telling us to quit complaining over and over about our Bronco delays because they are tired of hearing us whine. Last time I checked people all over are waiting for products, not just cars.

Jenbeth

Wow!!! Maybe karma is keeping you and your nasty attitude from getting your vehicle. May it never grace your driveway.

Wow! Thanks for making me laugh. Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

TK1215

Wow how about we take a collective breath here. Last time I checked us people waiting for our Bronco‘s aren’t more important than anyone else. That would be the equivalent of someone telling us to quit complaining over and over about our Bronco delays because they are tired of hearing us whine. Last time I checked people all over are waiting for products, not just cars.

I didn’t say any one was important or unimportant. This was a post about Bronco delays which are unlike Bronco Sport delays.

My point was clear: Bronco Sport folks trying to compare a 10 -14 day delay to people waiting months is a stretch. Sorry if I hurt some feelings.

Hudman316

I didn’t say any one was important or unimportant. This was a post about Bronco delays which are unlike Bronco Sport delays.

My point was clear: Bronco Sport folks trying to compare a 10 -14 day delay to people waiting months is a stretch. Sorry if I hurt some feelings.

Some people say I have an attitude problem, I say screw them.
2 weeks vs 2 years is a major difference, I'm an sick of people telling me I shouldn't be unhappy with Ford's delays and the bs excuses for the delays.

Bronco V-8

Some people say I have an attitude problem, I say screw them.
2 weeks vs 2 years is a major difference, I'm an sick of people telling me I shouldn't be unhappy with Ford's delays and the bs excuses for the delays.

I’m the person that started this post. I was discussing specific problems with our Bronco orders at MAP that have ZERO to do with any other Ford model. I wanted to keep it on topic

Yes, it sucks to not know the current status of your Bronco Sport but that is unrelated to this. I got a curse set on me now for trying to keep things on topic. LOL

I want to keep the focus on the fact that MAP is reporting incomplete vehicles as built. That is why so many of us are waiting everyday on shipping for vehicles that are not actually finished.

Hudman316

I’m the person that started this post. I was discussing specific problems with our Bronco orders at MAP that have ZERO to do with any other Ford model. I wanted to keep it on topic

Yes, it sucks to not know the current status of your Bronco Sport but that is unrelated to this. I got a curse set on me now for trying to keep things on topic. LOL

I want to keep the focus on the fact that MAP is reporting incomplete vehicles as built. That is why so many of us are waiting everyday on shipping for vehicles that are not actually finished.

Nasty attitude? got news for her/him/it if it wasn't for people like me with my attitude there would be no Bronco or the reskinned escape.
Back on topic.

I am at sixteen months and counting. I ordered a WildTrak with hard top. Part of me thinks they will eventually cancel all WildTraks.

Hudman316

The problem is Ford constantly reports unfinished vehicles as built. Once they go into the system as built the computer generated emails and estimated shipping windows start rolling in week after week.

After reporting it built they update the status as “built / plant hold”. They don’t disclose the details why it’s on hold to the customer or the marketing department that interacts with the customer. Only people with high level access can see the parts the vehicles are waiting on.

The bad thing is the customer gets excited over a lie (their vehicle is not built - it’s incomplete) and the Ford Marketing representatives get verbally abused all day, everyday by irate customers that believe Ford Marketing is hiding information. They’re not. Ford doesn’t give them access to the details behind the plant holds.

One must assume Ford is benefiting from falsely reporting vehicles built that are incomplete. Do they get to bill the dealership once they declare a vehicle is built (true or not)? I don’t know. Are they doing it to inflate production statistics to appease share holders? I don’t know.

All I know is the total lack of transparency about the “plant hold” status appears to imply they are intentionally hiding the facts from the consumer. I hope I’m wrong.

My Bronco was reported “built / released” on 06/08/2022. Soon after it was updated to “built / plant hold”. I was informed by a reliable source outside of Ford Marketing that my Bronco is missing 2 parts. That’s not my definition of “built”.

Maybe @Ford Motor Company can chime in here and tell us?

Hi,
That's super frustrating. Can I ask you when you ordered it? I've heard absolutely nothing for so long that I'm beginning to think they took my money and ran. At least last year they sent out the occasionally update letter or sent a little gift. It gave you zero information but you knew they hadn't forgotten you. Right now, I'm just feeling ghosted.

Recce

I am at sixteen months and counting. I ordered a WildTrak with hard top. Part of me thinks they will eventually cancel all WildTraks.

Hi, I'm at 17 month from the original order, which wasn't actually confirmed until 3 months later. So, I don't know if it begins when I ordered it or when it was confirmed. Of course we had to re-order it in the fall 2021 and that ordered wasn't confirmed until March 2022. I have so many questions. Did re-ordering change where we were on the waiting list? I ordered the Big Bend 2-door hard top and yes I know the hard top is an issue but I want what I want. And if there are so many problems with the hard top, why haven't they made a soft top for the 2-door? Anyway, I'm sorry you've been waiting for so long, but it does make me feel a little better knowing I'm not alone.
Lodo