📝 UPDATE Dec 12th: My Letter to the Ford Executive Team: Submitted Customer Feedback Proposal and Response

[StrictlyBroncos]

This list is surely appreciated. *Absolutely not a Ford apologist* but I've only had a couple of minor issues, none to make me have regrets or second thoughts about the vehicle. Hopefully the QC process improves.

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[Cat]

Able to share the email address so we can write to them directly about how reservation holders are being handled? 500+ days……

Hi @Booback,
I was concerned folks would want the contact info when I originally posted. I am not comfortable giving out that info at this time. We have a little toe in a very big door, and, my goal is to try and establish a communication channel where Bronco6g can work with a Ford Specialized Rep who can interface between Bronco6g Owners and Ford Manufacturing, Quality and Engineering. We can't splatter-gun our issues and communication to them; we need a process that funnels issues to Ford and provides us with a feed-back loop. Give me a minute to see if I can sell this idea. Sound good?

 

[Cat]

@Cat Job well done. Since you have their attention, and you know the correct words to get them moving maybe you could help a bunch of us out. If you get a chance (and only if you want too) mention to them how their new Bronco allocation formula for '22 made liars out of Ford and put their customers that have reservations at small dealers last. Keep up the good work. I do hope we see improvement with these needless quality issues we've been seeing.

Working for a Fortune 500 company in my second life I know that the top dogs are sometimes insulated from these type problems. Mainly because the mid to lower level management doesn't want their leaders to know they can't do the job. I would love to be a fly on the wall when that meeting starts. I've been in one of those meetings as a pion, and they ain't purdy.

I know EXACTLY what you mean, @Wanted33.

 

[Booback]

Hi @Booback,
I was concerned folks would want the contact info when I originally posted. I am not comfortable giving out that info at this time. We have a little toe in a very big door, and, my goal is to try and establish a communication channel where Bronco6g can work with a Ford Specialized Rep who can interface between Bronco6g Owners and Ford Manufacturing, Quality and Engineering. We can't splatter-gun our issues and communication to them; we need a process that funnels issues to Ford and provides us with a feed-back loop. Give me a minute to see if I can sell this idea. Sound good?

Thanks for the reply. Switch and bait on reservation holders and timely fills versus allocations, retail sales, walk-ins and later reservations is a major problem for many of us (read the 500 days thread). It would be nice to get this in front of the suits who don’t (care to) hear from customers.
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/500-days-since-reservation-club.29268/page-9#post-1002736

 

[calgecko]

What's 2 things these 3 plants all have in common?.....

Edit - in common with each other and not Ford.

I give up ... what?

 

[Cat]

A cargo ship does not change course fast, neither do large, unionized, bureaucratic companies. Jeep's famously low quality was finally acknowledged in 2014, look how long it took to finally make some progress.

2014: Chrysler VP of quality leaves after poor survey results

2021: Jeep Scores its Best Finish Yet on the J.D. Power Initial Quality StudyJeep Scores its Best Finish Yet on the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

When Ford started conceiving and designing the Bronco in the 2016 time frame, their bar for quality was set very low by the Jeep they wanted to be competitive with, Ford management felt they did not need to design the best, just design something to be "competitive". The development budgets were set accordingly and the manufacturing processes and procedures are from the, "we've always done it this way".

Ford And Lincoln Brands Rank Below Industry Average In J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study

Ford and Lincoln SUVs Are Astoundingly Problematic in 2020

Ford Explorer ranks among lowest scoring models in reliability survey

Can Ford change some things, the low hanging fruit near term, maybe, depending on how serious they are. But you have to have management and union leadership backing at all levels, documents updated, training put in place, time to train people, time for people to stop their old bad habits and start the new procedures. Will Ford allow this when it will cut throughput and bottom line profits? It's a cargo ship.

Will we see real change, or more lip service?
Ford Admits Screwing Up the 2020 Explorer Launch, Promises Not to Again

Great write-up, @North7. Very true about the huge effort to turn corporations around.

My goal is to try and establish a communication channel where Bronco6g can work directly with a Ford Specialized Rep who can interface between Bronco6g Owners and Ford Manufacturing, Quality and Engineering. We can't splatter-gun our issues and communication to them; we need a process that funnels issues to Ford and provides us with a feed-back loop. I can't help but think this would be valuable to Ford, too.

Thoughts?

 

[BroncoFish]

I wrote this e-mail to top level Ford Executives early this morning, as the Safety, Manf. & Quality issues escaping are bothering me:

"Dear Ford Executive Team,

I am writing to you today about an alarming and ever-growing list of manufacturing and quality defects related to the new Bronco, as posted by Bronco6g Forum members. Please spend some time reading this note, and viewing the attached pictures.

I am a retired Boeing Quality Leader, with 31 years of experience in Engineering, Manf & QMS, including Global Supply Chain. I have a Bronco WildTrak on order that has been reserved since July 14, 2020, and while I am excited to receive it, I am very concerned about the magnitude of safety and quality issues escaping Ford's QMS.

Let's talk about Safety first:

Customers are stranded on the road because radiator coolant hoses are rubbing on pulleys due to unfastened/loose clamps, or, wire harnesses are rubbing on the drive train because clamps are missing. Another was stranded because an alternator belt was installed smooth side down. Yet another had total loss of power because the Negative Battery Terminal was extremely loose. Repetitive reports of loose screws in the fuse blocks (pic attached).

Issues with the MIC 2.0 Hardtop are still rampant. Air pockets/delam, snakeskin, sharp edges cutting owners, significant water intrusion, gaps and seal issues, whistling to name a few.

One Customer received Black Diamond front seats and Badlands back seats. (Pic attached). Another had a hybrid driver's seat: Navy Pier back with Black vinyl front (pic attached).

Missing paint on the interior of the tailgate and fuel door (pic attached), as well as door hinges.

The items listed above are just a small sampling of recent Safety, Manf/Quality issues new Bronco Customers are experiencing. Below is my comprehensive checklist I will be using when I take delivery. These are all issues posted on the Bronco6g forum.

[This is where I inserted contents of my checklist I have been posting as of Nov 29th]. Ref: https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/pre-delivery-self-qc-checklist.29467/#post-999227

Thank you for your time and consideration of my e-mail; I know you all must have very full plates. I welcome your responses, and, if there is anything I can help with please let me know.

Sincerely,

Cat
2 Dr WildTrak, Prod Scheduled week of 12/20/2021.
Order# 5203; VIN 1FMDE5CP4NLA74127"

Thirteen hours later, I received a call from Ford's Executive Office, expressing concern and they are taking this feedback very seriously. My e-mail has been making the rounds, and has been forwarded to Manufacturing for their investigation and resolution of each item to prevent recurrence. The Executive I spoke with agreed these issues should not have left Ford's Quality Management System.

Sometimes, in big manufacturing companies, the Executives don't get alot of feedback directly from their end-users. When they do, improvement actions can be swift. Let's hope this is the case with Ford.

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The skeptic in me from dealing with big bureaucratic corporations in an adversarial way on a daily basis says that in Ford's response they were just blowing smoke and nothing will come of it. But don't listen to me. I'm a bah humbug old man in a young man's body.

 

[SoCalDawg]

Hmmm....
Honda Accord -- Marysville, Ohio
Toyota Camry. -- Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Tundra -- San Antonio, Texas...
And how many years in a row now has the Ford F150 been the top selling vehicle of all. Not to mention how many Chevrolet and Dodge trucks...

All of those using Japanese ‘process’. The highest ranked midsize & full size SUVs in reliability are built in Japan. I can appreciate American cars. Restored tons with my dad… but domestic vehicles just aren’t on the same level as Japanese made.

Remove fleet sales from the equation…consumer sales only. Drive a domestic SUV w/ 200K miles on it and then a GX or LC with 200K miles. One may feel good.. the other will feel like a bank vault.

 

[Tornado_735]

Hmmm....
Honda Accord -- Marysville, Ohio

I'm not sure I give too much praise to Honda....my Uncle retired from Honda in Marysville last year after working there for almost 40 years. He told me their QC is absolutely terrible. He actually refuses to buy one. At his retirement party, he told me that the unofficial motto of the plant was "No need to explain, just get it on the train."

My best friend growing up works at East Liberty, and also says the quality is shit. He did buy a new CRV, however.

 

[Cat]

What do you call someone taking a few anecdotes he heard second and third hand and claiming they are representative of the vehicle as a whole? Does he really think he is opening Ford’s eyes? They see the actual numbers and what is going on, someone on a forum who doesn’t even own the vehicle has no idea whatsoever as to the reality of quality or issues with the vehicle…even less so than someone who owns one who claims no issues and tries to apply that to the overall group of owners.

Ummm...

First: "He", is a, "she". <smile>
Second: I never claimed i was a "representative of the vehicle". I stated I was concerned about the magnitude of Safety and Quality issues being reported by Bronco6g members.
Third: Yes, my intent absolutely was to, "open Ford's eyes"! If Ford's eyes were open, would they allow the end-users of their product to have these Safety, Manf & Quality experiences? No Exec wants this.
Fourth: Here's my expectation for my, "reality", upon delivery: The product I bought performs as advertised.

There have been several folks who have reported they got a perfect Bronco. I want one, too!

 

[RoLyMa27]

And I think you're proving my point in spades here.
Perhaps you have a negative view on forums. But I see these forums as invaluable for sharing information and finding resolution. If not for these forums, these issues may not have been brought out publicly. We might not see how prevalent they are. And Ford execs possibly would never be privy to the issues.

The squeaky wheel gets oiled. Ever heard that phrase?

I have said this before, just like I did in my post, and I will say it again, all of the crazy shit that has been happening with the Bronco has me just as frustrated as anyone else. I just choose not to go on here and bitch and gripe and complain and throw a damn fit, cussing and screaming at Ford like a petulant child! I think forums are a great thing and yes, can bring to light many things that are tremendously useful. I hope that @Cat's letter wakes someone up at Ford, because it does seem like someone is asleep at the wheel. It just seems that all too often these kinds of threads turn into nothing but a damn bitch fest. Then when someone posts something counter to what the mob is screaming at the time they are a f#$@ing apologist? I guarantee you if something is wrong with my Bronco, I will be at the dealership every day if I have to until it gets corrected. But, I will handle it like an adult.

 

[North7]

Great write-up, @North7. Very true about the huge effort to turn corporations around.

My goal is to try and establish a communication channel where Bronco6g can work directly with a Ford Specialized Rep who can interface between Bronco6g Owners and Ford Manufacturing, Quality and Engineering. We can't splatter-gun our issues and communication to them; we need a process that funnels issues to Ford and provides us with a feed-back loop. I can't help but think this would be valuable to Ford, too.

Thoughts?

I fully agree and commend you for your efforts to get a focused effort to quality problems Bronco6g has found. We can see from the oil capacity issue @Carolina Jim tried to work with @Ford Motor Company on the forum is standard "customer service doublespeak".

I'm afraid from the history of Ford product quality, as seen in industry surveys and article links I posted, just like the 2020 Explorer launch, where Ford paid lip service in saying "Promises Not to Again", well nothing really changed and that is why the Bronco launch is like the Explorer launch.

We know if the pareto chart does not show an economic benefit to improve quality, change will be slow to come, that is why first and even second year vehicles are known to not be the best choice.

Having spent years working for a Boeing supplier, with Boeing reps at my desk and me at theirs, I completely understand your passion, but I'm afraid the auto industry is woefully behind the aircraft and space industries, as it is a completely different market.

 

[Cat]

Nice letter. These things are well within Ford's ability to control. There's absolutely no reason that we as customers should be making excuses for Ford when it comes to QC. "It's rare", "It's hard", "Every model has these issues"... c'mon. Demand better. These are expensive machines that can kill.

Your last line nailed it.

 

[Darrell]

Nice job, Keep up the good work!!!

 

[Cat]

@Cat - you are a legend. thanks for the post and the proactive letter to Ford. I just got notice my build was complete and should take delivery in the next few weeks +/- . I am going to make use of your pre-delivery checklist. I will be sure to send you pics if I have any of those above issue (fingers crossed I don't though) in case you have some additional follow up discussions with Ford.

Excellent, @mj21_OBBronco. Pics are the best!

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