For the second time in less than a week, an assembly plant was shut down due to electrical problems. Late last week, production was halted at the F-150 Lightning plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Production halted today at the Ford Louisville Assembly Plant, where the Escape SUV crossover is made. But there are also Broncos, F-150s, Mustangs, and more that we’ll talk about in a bit.
How long will the Ford plant be closed?
Ford’s Louisville plant will remain closed throughout this week, through February 19, according to the . “We’re on a daily basis right now and I know that’s frustrating,” said building boss Brandon Reisinger. “The problem we have, the group, is a software problem. It’s not a hardware problem. If it did come out, it wouldn’t be something that would endanger anyone…but it would return the vehicles to the dealership.”
It comes after the F-150 Lightning is out of the factory due to “potential battery issues”. The problem was discovered in a pre-delivery quality check. But Ford still wouldn’t say what the specific issue was.
What models are included in today’s recall?
The lightning that made it to merchants has a non-stop order which means it cannot be sold until the problem is resolved. So far, there’s no word from Ford on when the factory will restart production.
Today Ford also released some of its 2022 and 2023 F-150s, Broncos, Explorers, Lincoln Aviators and Mustangs that had problems found with the 10-speed transmission. What is unusual is that it is not due to component failure or associated problems.
The problem is that there are loose screws or bolts inside the transmission when assembled. About 1,000 vehicles are affected. Bolts can prevent the transmission from going to park. Even if it is indicated that it is in the park, it may not actually be.
Ford has a lot of recalls
Of the 966 potentially affected vehicles, 600 have not been sold, according to a Ford spokesperson. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will announce the recall on February 16, tomorrow.
You know, Ford has become the poster boy for recalls. In 2022 alone, there were 66 recalls. In the previous year, there were 53 recalls affecting 5.4 million cars and trucks.
Ford CEO Jim Farley hasn’t been shy about the issue. In fact, he told Wall Street that the disappointing amount of redemptions for 2022 was a huge drain on the company. He said the automaker has spent billions of dollars taking care of recalls through warranties. Another concern is that because these quality issues happen over time, they won’t be fixed in months but possibly years, according to the Detroit Free Press.
If you have questions about your Ford product on the latest news, you can go to the center’s website. You will need to enter your VIN number, and it will give you further instructions if your vehicle has any of these issues.
