Ford's CEO Jim Farley has revealed that the company replaced two-thirds of its leaders in the industrial system, manufacturing, supply chain, and engineering departments following the problematic launch of the 2023 F-Series Super Duty.
The launch was marred by software issues and semiconductor shortages, leaving thousands of nearly finished trucks parked across the United States until they could be fixed.
>>> VW ID. Tiguan Prototype Shows Production Design, Drops ID.4 Look
A Catalyst for Change
Farley described the Super Duty launch as "a catalyst for change" in an interview with the Detroit Free Press.
He said that managers with an "it's good enough" mentality were let go, leading to a significant hiring overhaul.
Ford has since recruited hundreds of new leaders and fostered a culture that prioritizes problem-solving over finger-pointing.
When issues arise now, the company immediately addresses them and identifies root causes, rather than releasing vehicles and dealing with recalls later.
"In the past, we would have released that (Super Duty) and it would go to the dealers, and then we would have recalls," Farley said.
>>> NHTSA Intensifies Probe Into 1.1M GM Vehicles Over Brake Failures
"We didn't want to pass along any of the problems to the customer. It sounds very simple.
But it's not because that means that we had to slow production down."
Quality Improvements Paying Off
Ford recently ranked first among mainstream brands in JD Power's Initial Quality Survey, indicating that the changes are already yielding results.
However, Ford still leads the industry in recalls this year and must maintain its commitment to quality to compete with rivals like Toyota.
"The real challenge is executing high-quality new-vehicle launches and production over a period of five, 10, 15 years," said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.
>>> Daihatsu Mira e:S Update: $6,900 Price, 64 MPG, New Safety Tech
"That's what Toyota has done — created a reputation for high-quality cars based on decades of producing long-lasting vehicles that suffer minimal post-purchase issues."
