03/15 Build Week

[OCDoug]

Mine was produced 3/17. A month out from that and it is still TBD on the ETA. The dealer is reaching out to Ford for a better update.

I'd love to hear what your dealer is able to find out. My dealer claimed Ford wouldn't tell them anything and could not offer any kind of ETA.

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[BW|KR|21]

Finally got my 2021 King Ranch! 601A High package. This truck is what dreams are made of!

 

[BW|KR|21]

I'm not sure, I could check with my salesman. The truck has
been in production since 18 March! Salesman acts annoyed if I ask about it. That's what is so great about Pioneer74 he has no agenda, just shows you the report!
Really sorry for the rant, just totally frustrated!!

that’s unreal! I would be extremely frustrated as well. Continue your rant, it’s justified

 

[KiloWhiskey]

My Rig still has not updated (its N/A). Build date was 3/19 and its just sitting waiting. Fully loaded PB XLT. My ETA before it went to N/A was 4/24, but with the way thing are going, I HIGHLY doubt that will happen. I am trying to be patient, but at the same time am annoyed. People have spent a lot of money on these Trucks. I would like to think that Ford would get their butts in gear a little more.

 

[KiloWhiskey]

If Ford doesn’t pull their head I’m canceling my order. I have a fishing boat I need to tow. Chevy and dodge are looking quite nice right now. This is pretty unacceptable. People spend over 50k on a rig and they can’t even get their asses in gear?! Who CARES if gamers want their little video cards. The kids can wait. Adults are busy. This is so damn frustrating. Sorry for the rant all.

 

[OCDoug]

I asked a few questions on the other forum and got responses from a couple of Ford employees. Nothing revelatory, but thought some of you might be interested in the responses.

Questions:

1. Given that my last update was Produced 3/17 and there hasn't been any update in over a month, is the best guess that my truck is built waiting for chips (or seats)?
2. There seem to be trucks built before, after, and on the same day as mine that made it to Ramp 59 (Origin Received) and have been stuck at that step instead of the Produced step. It sounds like these are also built but waiting on chips (or seats). Is there a difference between these groups besides the location that they are being stored (Priority/ETA)?
3. Does Ford really not know when and how they are going to get the necessary chips (and seat foam) to fulfill these orders (causing them to actually not have ETAs)? Or do you think the actual ETAs for these limbo trucks just being kept close to the vest to hopefully avoid people ditching their orders?

Response:

1. Maybe part of it, could have been wheel liners or something that started to get tougher to find around that time. You kind of fell into an odd period of these shortages where they knew more shortages were possible but didn't yet know the scope, and also before the next wave of DTP shutdowns. I suspect your truck may have been waiting for parts or something for a short period, but then they had the two week DTP shutdown, and it seems since that shutdown even trucks that were on the line are taking more time to get to Produced, which may be because they are playing catch up. Yours may have also NOT been missing anything, and it's just taken a while to get a shipping company that goes in the direction it needs to bring it to you. There has been a shortage of truck drivers as well that has impacted shipping and delivery of a lot of items.
2. Not sure on this one
3. It's way more the former. Without giving out details that aren't bad but not sure how public Ford wants everything to be, we funny enough had a company meeting yesterday and they answered some questions on this stuff, and while Ford has large and very engaged teams on part procurement and whatever else is needed, a supply chain is complex and large when it comes to building a truck like F-150 and things can stop at many different points even before the supplier Ford is directly tied to. Generally not an issue when things are flowing normally, because it's in the best interest of the supplier to keep things moving. But things aren't flowing normally. While I am not involved in main manufacturing decisions, I am pretty highly confident that Ford doesn't have ETAs down to specific trucks and is just hiding them. Keep in mind that you wouldn't normally have the info Pioneer is providing unless your salesperson provided an update, and if Ford wanted to keep things quiet they would be asking dealers to cover things up more, which I haven't seen any sign of.

Further response from Pioneer on #2:

Your truck is built but waiting on something. Ramp59 trucks have been transported to an offsite holding lot to wait for whatever they are lacking to become available. Yours hasn't been transported offsite.

 

[Mountaineer]

My sales guy was on vacation this week, but got back to me yesterday with the "update" from Ford. Ford's reply was that it was "produced but waiting at the plant for release." That was it.

@OCDoug thanks for asking those questions in the other forum. I am in the same boat you are and any info helps.

It would take minimal effort and create minimal risk to say "this truck is waiting on X and we don't know when that will happen/get here, but we are working on it." I would think Ford would want to communicate more when there are production issues instead of less.

 

[Knickell]

Finally got my 2021 King Ranch! 601A High package. This truck is what dreams are made of!

Very nice! Welcome to the F-150 fold!!

 

[DaHealey]

Well I got an update on my truck from the dealer.

For reference - Platinum 701A build. Blend date 3/17. Built 3/19 according to Pioneer. No update since. Still says ‘In Production‘ on Ford’s tracker.

Here’s the update. I’m officially stuck in microchip shortage. Has been sitting in a lot (NOT Ramp 59) for the last month. The Dealer wouldn’t give me an estimate, nor would Ford give him one.

Some interestin info for others. Ford stopped taking all Stock orders. They are only building Retail orders from now on, so don’t expect ‘off the lot’ trucks if they don’t already exist. Chips will be allocated to unfinished trucks first as they come in - so anybody with a build date today or in the future will be waiting behind the rest of us with build dates over a month ago.

 

[chill_will]

Well I got an update on my truck from the dealer.

For reference - Platinum 701A build. Blend date 3/17. Built 3/19 according to Pioneer. No update since. Still says ‘In Production‘ on Ford’s tracker.

Here’s the update. I’m officially stuck in microchip shortage. Has been sitting in a lot (NOT Ramp 59) for the last month. The Dealer wouldn’t give me an estimate, nor would Ford give him one.

Some interestin info for others. Ford stopped taking all Stock orders. They are only building Retail orders from now on, so don’t expect ‘off the lot’ trucks if they don’t already exist. Chips will be allocated to unfinished trucks first as they come in - so anybody with a build date today or in the future will be waiting behind the rest of us with build dates over a month ago.

Thanks for the info. I assume I’m in the same boat...blend 3/29 and produced 4/1. No update since and no movement on the dealers tracker. Any idea on the rate they will be fulfilling these idle builds?

 

[solarity]

If Ford doesn’t pull their head I’m canceling my order. I have a fishing boat I need to tow. Chevy and dodge are looking quite nice right now. This is pretty unacceptable. People spend over 50k on a rig and they can’t even get their asses in gear?! Who CARES if gamers want their little video cards. The kids can wait. Adults are busy. This is so damn frustrating. Sorry for the rant all.

If you need a tow vehicle ASAP, then buy off the lot. The issue isn't limited to just Ford, but industry wide. At the start of the pandemic, auto manufacturers cut orders on lots of parts, for the expected down turn. When people were home they started ordering more consumer electronics like iPad, laptops, PCs and consoles for gaming, school, and remote working. Electronic companies placed additional orders with the Fabs that produce the silicone semiconductors to meet the growing demand. These Fabs are operating at full capacity to meet the demands of backlog of electronics companies.

Fast forward 6 months, there is a surge in automobile purchases. One problem is that the automotive companies cancelled/cut orders and the fabs are already booked producing consumer electronics.

Auto companies tried to forecast what they would need, but just like your local weatherman was wrong about the 10% chance of rain.

 

[powerboost]

If you need a tow vehicle ASAP, then buy off the lot. The issue isn't limited to just Ford, but industry wide. At the start of the pandemic, auto manufacturers cut orders on lots of parts, for the expected down turn. When people were home they started ordering more consumer electronics like iPad, laptops, PCs and consoles for gaming, school, and remote working. Electronic companies placed additional orders with the Fabs that produce the silicone semiconductors to meet the growing demand. These Fabs are operating at full capacity to meet the demands of backlog of electronics companies.

Fast forward 6 months, there is a surge in automobile purchases. One problem is that the automotive companies cancelled/cut orders and the fabs are already booked producing consumer electronics.

Auto companies tried to forecast what they would need, but just like your local weatherman was wrong about the 10% chance of rain.

If you have planned time sensitive tow coming up, there is a website called Turo that is private parties renting cars and trucks by the day or week. Could fill the void until new truck arrives. My son in law rented a late model truck and drove cross country to pick up new travel trailer from factory as his new truck hadn't arrived yet.

 

[KiloWhiskey]

If you have planned time sensitive tow coming up, there is a website called Turo that is private parties renting cars and trucks by the day or week. Could fill the void until new truck arrives. My son in law rented a late model truck and drove cross country to pick up new travel trailer from factory as his new truck hadn't arrived yet.

I appreciate that information. I own my boat with a friend so he has a truck, but when I want to go and he can’t that’s the problem. Personally I think microchips for trucks are far more important than someone’s gaming PC

 

[jcarrico]

I appreciate that information. I own my boat with a friend so he has a truck, but when I want to go and he can’t that’s the problem. Personally I think microchips for trucks are far more important than someone’s gaming PC

That's capitalism brother. PC and other tech had higher demand and have high profit margins. It sucks for us right now, but its the beast we've created.

 

[KiloWhiskey]

That's capitalism brother. PC and other tech had higher demand and have high profit margins. It sucks for us right now, but its the beast we've created.

Stop making sense. I hate when people do that. hahaha. I know, it sucks a lot. They better figure this stuff out on all fronts because they are losing money like crazy.

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