Poor Quality Caused the 2023 Ford Super Duty Plant to Shutdown
It’s no secret that even Ford Super Duty trucks have been facing quality issues. The Ford Explorer, Ford Bronco, and Maverick all launched with crucial issues to correct. But the 2023 Ford Super Duty lineup is using a shutdown to turn things around.
2023 Ford Super Duty production shut down for improvements
When it comes to 2023 Ford Super Duty trucks quality issues, enough is enough! The Super Duty plant in Kentucky was shut down for multiple three-day periods to ensure quality meets high-quality targets.
Ford Authority shared that Ford has been facing quality issues for years, so the automaker has decided to make a few changes. For example, Former J.D.Power Vice President Josh Halliburton was brought in as the new Executive Director of Quality.
Ford CEO Jim Farley is transparent about how this process could take years to complete, but some improvements should be made by the end of the year.
Joseph Closurdo, the manager of the Kentucky Truck Plant, has been shutting Super Duty production down to allow time for improvements. This allowed over 300 quality inspectors, suppliers, and engineers to fix faulty parts.
The problems were discovered by workers while assembling the Ford Super Duty trucks using cameras stationed all over the plants.
After shelling out $4.17 billion in warranty costs last year, Ford is now correcting issues early on. This way, they can save by fixing the problem before sending the trucks out and having to issue recalls later.
How reliable are Super Duty trucks?
While some sources predict that Ford Super Duty trucks will be less reliable than the average new vehicle, J.D.Power has provided higher rankings. The F-250, F-350, and F-450 earned scores around 83 out of 100.
This allows the Super Duty trucks to fall in the above-average range. Scores between 70 to 80 are average, while anything between 81 and 90 is better. Rankings between 91 to 100 are best.
You can expect the average Ford Super Duty truck to make it to about 200,000 miles, but proper care and regular maintenance are key. Plus, diesel-powered trucks can make it past 400,000 miles.
The 2022 F-350 has six recalls for missing tire information, inoperative windshield wipers, loss of railer brake function, a fractured drive shaft, fragmenting airbags, and faulty airbags. It would have been beneficial to catch these problems before the trucks were shipped.
2023 Super Duty trucks: What’s new?
The 2023 Ford Super Duty trucks got a new exterior style with C-shaped headlights and a revised grille. It has a similar design to the Ford F-150 and Maverick. Plus, the side vents are now functional.
A revised air intake and refined tunning were added to the 7.8-liter V8 engine with 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. The new high-output 6.7-liter High Out-Put Powerstroke V8 diesel engine cranks out 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.
The interior has a refreshed dash with an enhanced digital gauge cluster and a 12.0-inch infotainment display. Plus, 4×4 is standard on every model except for the base trim.
Also, the Ford Super Duty trucks should have better quality than before. Plant shutdowns may cause delivery delays, but a few extra days of waiting is better than dealing with recalls.
