Fusion Delays

[darrel.e.wise]

I posted this on the Fusion Hybrid Forum but I felt like posting it here too.

 

HEY, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, JUST TELL US THE TRUTH.

 

The American public is a very forgiving unit, but one thing they can't stand is lies and cover-ups. Ford is so busy promoting the 2013 Fusion on the internet and now with TV advertising they "forgot" to tell us that they have a problem. They have shipped 25,000 Fusions which is great but there are 20,000 sitting on the lot in Hermasillo that have a Stop Ship order on them, my special order included. It was built on October 4, 2012. I was told by a Ford Social Media Rep (Facebook) each week for 4 weeks that it was just awaiting transport and not a quality issue. I finally called customer service and got the information about the stop ship order, except he couldn't tell me what it was for. He claimed he didn't know.

 

From Ford's VP of Marketing "As you are aware, a number of vehicles have been produced but have not been released from the plant. In order to ensure a high quality launch, additional quality assurance practices are being implemented. This is resulting in increased timing from production to dealer delivery. We know you are anxious to receive your Fusions. I want to assure you the team is working diligently to get the vehicles delivered to you as quickly as possible. We estimate all the cars will be enroute by the end of December." I laud Ford for not shipping an inferior product but come on, 45% of the inventory is defective. I was told by a dealer here that they were repairing 1000 a week. If you do the math, 20000 divded by 1000 equals 20 weeks. By my calendar, that will be the end of March, not December. They would have to correct 2800 a week to make that goal.

 

Now they are shipping cars to Flat Rock "accellerate the qualilty assurance process". Call me naive, but I admit I don't understand large corporate decisions. Doesn't most of the dealerships have body shops with trained mechanics that can dissassemble and reassemble a car? If it is a headlight issue, as I have heard, couldn't they just ship headlight units to the dealers and have them fix the problem as they prep the cars for delivery. That probably wouldn't take more than an additional day. You would have thousands of locations fixing the problem and get it done a lot faster, and make your customers a lot happier.

 

That is my whole point. Why is Ford keeping everyone in the dark? Just come out and tell us "we screwed up, and built some inferior cars and will get them all fixed as soon as possible." As you can see, the letter to the dealers was filled with corporate doublespeak. And if you go to the Fusion site on Facebook, you would think everything is rosy and the cars are flying out the door and off the lots. They are even offering an additional $1000 incentive to purchase a fusion although it must be from dealer stock. Unfortunately the dealers have no stock. They are waiting for product too. How about offering $1000 to the folks who have already bought a new Fusion by ordering them, and have had to wait an excessive amount of time for their car to arrive? Which brings me to my next question which I can't get answered. In what order are the repairs being made? Are the ones that were first off the line the first to be fixed? Are the dealers cars being fixed before the special ordrers or are the already sold special orders being fixed first? I even have a case number from Customer Service and they didn't call me back within the time frame they said they would. Still waiting for the call back.

 

Sorry for the rant, but I needed to get that off my chest.

 

DEAR FORD, I AM A FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER, JUST GIVE ME SOME ANSWERS.

Edited November 8, 2012 by darrel.e.wise

[akirby]

I understand your frustration. I would be frustrated also. But I don't see where Ford is doing anything wrong. Releasing too much information on plant problems can give competitors too much info and can cause owners who don't have problems to think they have problems. It can also look bad for the supplier if it was a bad part and sometimes that's not good for business.

 

It's a fine line between releasing too much information and not enough. And what is good for Ford and its suppliers can be frustrating for consumers. They must have a really good reason to ship these vehicles to Flat Rock. They don't trust the dealers to do the required inspections and repairs and that's probably a good thing - and they have warm bodies in Flat Rock who aren't building Fusions yet so this is probably a win/win from that perspective.

 

They should give more details on your specific vehicle order though. This is one area where Ford hasn't changed enough - they're still geared around buik dealer orders.

[GammaRae]

Your math is off a bit. 1000/day for 20,000 is 20-days. Soooo...

 

But I get you. I can't even get a VIN for an order I put in 8/22 and I am starting to get very restless.

[darrel.e.wise]

Sorry, but I mistyped. The dealer told me 1000 a week. that puts it back to 20 weeks. I wish it was 1000 per day. If they could fix them all in 20 days there would be no reason economically to send them to Flat Rock.

 

Oh yes, my dealer doesn't know any more than I do about the situation. Ford has given them no updates either. I got the 1000 a week from a different dealer with only 1 Fusion on the lot and the "promise" of 7 or 8 more "soon."

Edited November 8, 2012 by darrel.e.wise

[Waldo]

This is exactly the process that Ford has used for at least the last 6 years on every new vehicle launched. Maybe the problem is that the headlights are defective. Ford found the defect and ordered the supplier to fix it. The supplier fixes it and starts sending the new parts. The problem is, if you have 20,000 cars sitting on the lot waiting for parts, where are those 20,000 parts going to come from? Suppliers only have enough tooling to supply the maximum speed of the production line. Any more and they've wasted their money. So if Ford is building 1000 cars/day, maybe the supplier can build 1100 parts/day and another 1000 on the weekends. So that's only 1500 parts/week that the supplier can provide to replace those 20,000 bad units. It's going to take the supplier over 13 weeks just to catch up, so it doesn't even matter how fast or who installs the parts, the issue is usually the supply of the parts.

 

As far as the order or repairs, it usually first-in last-out. The first cars have the most issues, so usually Ford will fix the easier cars first to get them out. Once cars are built, it means nothing to Ford financially which ones were built first. So getting more cars out sooner is a better option, so whichever ones can be fixed the fastest will get fixed first.

 

As to why a dealer can't do a repair - if it's anything related to a FMVSS requirement or any kind of federal certification then legally Ford cannot release the vehicle to anyone not certified by the government to perform the updates.

Edited November 8, 2012 by Waldo

[darrel.e.wise]

This is ridiculous. My car was built on October 4, 2012. I just got off a call from customer service, I had to call them, they never called me back after assigning a case number last Tuesday. My car is STILL SITTING ON THE LOT IN HERMASILLO. That is over 5 weeks for inspection and/or repairs. If it was on the train to Flat Rock at least I would feel that I have a glimmer of hope in getting it, but no such luck. They say they will call me if the status ever changes. I do know this. This was my first special order vehicle and most definitely will be by last.

[akirby]

This is ridiculous. My car was built on October 4, 2012. I just got off a call from customer service, I had to call them, they never called me back after assigning a case number last Tuesday. My car is STILL SITTING ON THE LOT IN HERMASILLO. That is over 5 weeks for inspection and/or repairs. If it was on the train to Flat Rock at least I would feel that I have a glimmer of hope in getting it, but no such luck. They say they will call me if the status ever changes. I do know this. This was my first special order vehicle and most definitely will be by last.

 

Your dealer should order you a new one.

[ctrcbob]

Bet I know what one of the problems is. Bet it has something to do with the MyFordTouch. Example;

 

I found a 2013 Fusion Titanium with MFT. Went to look at it yesterday (Sunday) and found that the car was in the Service Department, as it needed the MFT worked on. Well, me thinking that it was a simple update, and that what was already loaded in there would work, I tried it. Would not operate correctly. When I tried to shut off the passenger side a/c, I would get the message to "pair my phone". When my butt started to cook because the driver seat heater was on, could not shut it off. As it was, this MFT was a POS. Although I liked the car otherwise, I did not make an offer. Salesperson said that they were instructed to to the update before the car was sold. Got three calls today. First was to say the update was done. Second was that no, the update was not done, as the technician who does these updates took the day off. Third was that they now got the update done, and that it is operating as designed.

 

I will be going down there (100 miles away) and after testing the MFT and the GPS Navi, if all works correctly, I will buy, assuming I get a fair price for my trade.

 

Well anyway, like I said, I bet the delay has something to do with the MFT.

[ctrcbob]

Learned something new. Don't know where the 1.6 Ecoboost or the 2.5 engines are made, however the 2.0 Ecoboost in the Titanium is made is Spain. SPAIN. Forgot where the transmission (with no dipstick) is made.

[jeff_h]

I think I remember from reading a sticker at my dealership that the engine or transmission on the 2013 Fusion sitting in the showroom had an origin of United Kingdom.

[expresspotato]

As I mentioned in the other thread - Production at Hermosillo has actually stopped due to an unknown body panel design issue.

[jeff_h]

As I mentioned in the other thread - Production at Hermosillo has actually stopped due to an unknown body panel design issue.

 

Maybe more accurate to say that it "had" stopped, as it appears (based on looking at build dates in Etis) that it has resumed... based on Darrell's timeframe for his VIN (he notes it was built on oct 4th), maybe his was one that was/is delayed and taking a trip to Flat Rock?

[Waldo]

 

Well anyway, like I said, I bet the delay has something to do with the MFT.

 

The same MFT software is used in the Edge, Explorer, Focus, Escape, Flex, MKS, MKT, MKX, C-max and Taurus and they are all shipping as normal.

[darrel.e.wise]

I wish mine was on its way to Flat Rock. At least I would know something is being done. As of Tuesday it was still sitting on the lot in Hermasillo.

[GammaRae]

Learned something new. Don't know where the 1.6 Ecoboost or the 2.5 engines are made, however the 2.0 Ecoboost in the Titanium is made is Spain. SPAIN.  Forgot where the transmission (with no dipstick) is made.

 

Pretty sure the 1.6 is made in the UK.

[LittleJaeger75]

I have also read that the 1.6 is made in the UK.

[akirby]

1.6 is UK. 2.0 is Spain.

[ctrcbob]

All the dealers I talk with try to get me to special order a car through them. Great, except the dealer has your deposit, and the car never arrives.

 

I've ordered twice in the past, and I got burned both times. Once, when the car arrived without one of the standard features that oll the manufactures said would come standard on the car. The manufacturer had an out because if you read the fine print in their brocures, you will see where it says that the manufacturer can change spec's at any time. Dealer had my deposit. What could I do. I had to take the car.

 

Second time, the car came with "imperfections" (defects) and I believed the dealer when they said, "or our service department can fix that".

Well, they were never able to fix the imperfections. Again, Delaer had my deposit. What could I do. I had to take the car.

 

NEVER AGAIN WILL I SPECIAL ORDER A CAR. I also will not go for a Dealer Trade. I want to drive and inspect the exact car I will be buying.

[akirby]

Bob - the dealer can't keep your deposit. That's an urban myth. They may tell you they can but they can't.

[Touge180SX]

All the dealers I talk with try to get me to special order a car through them. Great, except the dealer has your deposit, and the car never arrives.

 

I've ordered twice in the past, and I got burned both times. Once, when the car arrived without one of the standard features that oll the manufactures said would come standard on the car. The manufacturer had an out because if you read the fine print in their brocures, you will see where it says that the manufacturer can change spec's at any time. Dealer had my deposit. What could I do. I had to take the car.

 

Second time, the car came with "imperfections" (defects) and I believed the dealer when they said, "or our service department can fix that".

Well, they were never able to fix the imperfections. Again, Delaer had my deposit. What could I do. I had to take the car.

 

NEVER AGAIN WILL I SPECIAL ORDER A CAR. I also will not go for a Dealer Trade. I want to drive and inspect the exact car I will be buying.

 

Bob,

 

I know it is off topic but nice to meet you brother! Active Duty FCC here.

 

Erik

[JoeyToronto]

That's why I paid a small deposit. They wanted more, I said nope, don't need it. Take it or leave it. And they took my $500 deposit. My next car won't be a Ford, not spending $34k or so on a Ford.

[ctrcbob]

Surprised at how little used Taurus' are worth. Saw a dealer ad today for a used 2011 Taurus Limited. Dealer was asking $22.900. My SHO is a 2010, so I guess it is not worth nearly as much as I thought on trade-in.

 

Mute matter for now as dealers are not getting Fusion (Titaniums). The few dealers had, are drying up. Once Ford releases them from Mexico, dealers may decide to deal. Once they become more available, I may or may not trade. My SHO is perfectly good, but my wife hates the hard brick like ride.

[ctrcbob]

Bob,

 

I know it is off topic but nice to meet you brother! Active Duty FCC here.

 

Erik

 

The Rating indicators have changed since I retired so I don't remember or know what the "FC" (in FCC) is. As you probably know, as a "CT", I was a Navy "Spook" and loved every minute. Retired before you were born. Enlisted in 1956. retired in 1977.

 

Yes, I'm old. <Grin>

 

Sorry for the off topic stuff, but you get a couple of Chiefs together, and we tell "Sea Stories".

[Touge180SX]

The Rating indicators have changed since I retired so I don't remember or know what the "FC" (in FCC) is. As you probably know, as a "CT", I was a Navy "Spook" and loved every minute. Retired before you were born. Enlisted in 1956. retired in 1977.

 

Yes, I'm old. <Grin>

 

Sorry for the off topic stuff, but you get a couple of Chiefs together, and we tell "Sea Stories".

 

Haha, I know what you mean Bob! Fire Controlman (weapon system guy) here. Waiting like everyone else for my darn Fusion AWD to show up and starting to get agravated. My wife is 30 weeks pregnant and we are trying to get this car well before she is due, we will see I guess! Just makes me mad that Ford isn't really giving any info.

[Vision67]

Does anybody here know why Ford has stopped delivering Fusions? Seems to me that honesty and transparency works best when a company is focused on building good customer relations.

 

I'm not buying a new Fusion, but I'm anxiously waiting for delivery of the new model so my company can sell me the 1 year old '12 Fusion that the sales guy is currently driving.