Ford will ship and sell some vehicles with missing chips and a promise to install them...

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Ford is no different than other automakers struggling to meet demand during the ongoing chip shortage. Rather than wait around for the requisite semiconductors to roll off the assembly line, the automaker has decided to go ahead and ship some partially built vehicles to dealers and have them sold with an IOU.

Automotive News said Ford will move forward with plans to ship partially built vehicles to dealers that’ll be fully drivable and sellable, but with certain non-safety features absent. For example, in the case of select Ford Explorers, they’ll arrive with non-functional rear passenger climate controls.

Ford spokesperson Said Deep told the publication they are offering ways for customers to get their vehicles sooner during the global semiconductor shortage.

With the Explorer, buyers will receive a discount at the time of purchase. Furthermore, they’ll be able to take the vehicle to a local service center and have the missing chip(s) installed at a later date for free.

Just last month, Ford suspended output at eight factories due to the chip shortage.

BMW in November confirmed that it was removing touchscreen functionality from the infotainment systems of some of its new vehicles due to the chip shortage. Affected customers were reportedly offered $500 in exchange for having to control the system using a physical dial on the center console.

Image credit Kaboompics

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https://www.techspot.com/news/93779-ford-ship-sell-vehicles-missing-chips-promise-install.html

 

[lripplinger]

This just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. How do you know the dealership will even be competent enough. Also, what is in it for the stealerships to install the modules for "free?". Is Ford compensating them monetarily?

 

[Dimitriid]

This just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. How do you know the dealership will even be competent enough. Also, what is in it for the stealerships to install the modules for "free?". Is Ford compensating them monetarily?

Either that or they didn't *really* needed the chips to begin with: Sure some things are nicer like auto-ac and rear cameras or Android and Apple car integration but well, we've managed without those things just fine for many decades.

 

[VitalyT]

Great, I was about to get the chip, to plug in a car later.

 

[ZackL04]

Ford article lead with mid 2000’s BMW center center console pic

 

[mrvco]

I'm perfectly happily with analog controls and no infotainment time-bomb. I bought my 6spd mt, M-Sport 128i specifically because it didn't have iDrive or the exploding twin turbos.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

This just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. How do you know the dealership will even be competent enough. Also, what is in it for the stealerships to install the modules for "free?". Is Ford compensating them monetarily?

you do know any dealer that performs these repairs has to be certified by ford, right? 16 year olds with no experience can chip and tune vehicles without issue, its not hard to plug something in and click a button on a PC.

Dealerships will be compensated by flat rate for warranty repair, the same way all warranty work has been done for the last 70+ years.

Either that or they didn't *really* needed the chips to begin with: Sure some things are nicer like auto-ac and rear cameras or Android and Apple car integration but well, we've managed without those things just fine for many decades.

You dont *really* need AC at all. or seats that are adjustable. Or a radio.

 

[Benses]

Oh great, early access vehicle now. :/

 

[yRaz]

You dont *really* need AC at all. or seats that are adjustable. Or a radio.

If I'm paying $20,000+ for a vehicle that says it has AC then it better have AC.