The chip shortage continues to vex Ford’s hotly demanded Bronco.
We’ve started to see the new Ford Bronco make its way out to customers in greater numbers, though a huge number of newly-built examples are still parked near the automaker’s Michigan Assembly Plant. Why? While other issues like the molded-in-color hardtop held up deliveries last fall, Automotive News‘ reporting notes the ongoing global semiconductor shortage as the main problem. In fact, some customers provided their stories, in which deliveries have been pushed back several times, amid the growing frustration surrounding the Bronco’s fraught launch.
Some folks uploaded footage to the Bronco6G forums outlining the scale of the issue. In the footage below (posted by KenStevens5150 to YouTube), you can see thousands of Bronco SUVs in the holding lot. Ford and its dealers both acknowledge the chip shortage as the reason so many Broncos have piled up, as the automaker builds what it can minus the needed semiconductors. It’s a strategy we saw in action last year with the F-150, and other automakers are taking the same approach.
A communication issue?
Collectively, American buyers have been in the midst of the global chip shortage for months and months now. It’s a well-known issue that most tolerate, for better or worse. What owners are most frustrated about, per the AutoNews report, is an ostensible lack of communication and transparency toward the affected owners.
Director of Ford’s North American Communications Said Deep told AutoNews that the present goal is to update those awaiting delivery within the next 90 days. Some who ordered the Bronco as reservations opened voiced their frustration as they still await their vehicles, while others did manage to receive their car in the past few months.
Ford Motor Company, for its part, did make past efforts to assuage customers with apology gifts, though it’s unclear exactly how much longer that may have to go on. Vehicles awaiting chips is nothing new in this uncharted era of the coronavirus pandemic and across-the-board supply chain issues. We’ll put out an update when Ford is able to clear out the existing backlog — hopefully with further news that the Michigan Assembly Plant will be able to get enough chips to balance out production woes.
When thousands more vehicles make their way out into the wild, here’s to hoping that will positively impact insane dealer markups, too.
