Motor Authority first reported that America’s second most popular automaker Ford has issued a “stop-build and an in-transit stop-ship order” for the F-150 Lightning due to a yet-to-be-disclosed potential battery issue.
“As part of our pre-delivery quality inspections, a vehicle displayed a potential battery issue and we are holding vehicles while we investigate.”
Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg
Notably, the news is credible, given that Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg confirmed it to the automotive news platform.
Ford F-150 Lightning production and shipments
The production and shipment suspension began last week. However, Ford still needs to determine the resumption of these operations related to the electric pickup.
“The team is diligently working on the root cause analysis.
It depends on how long it will take to conduct the root cause analysis.”
Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg
The automaker explained that the move was necessary as one unit did not pass the post-production quality control test. However, Ford is apparently unaware of the said issue, allowing dealers to continue selling the F-150 Lightning models.
CNBC reported Emma Bergg’s exclusive statement that Ford only encountered the issue during the “pre-delivery quality inspections.”
Notably, this unfortunate incident followed Ford’s weak Q4 2022 results, with net income dropping $11 billion year-on-year. It also occurred amid Ford’s ramp-up production of the model. In fact, the automaker has recently announced plans to produce 150,000 F-150 Lightning models by the end of the year.
In retrospect, Ford has already implemented a recall for the pickup due to tire pressure sensor issues. Now, the automaker may be prompted to issue another recall to address this current issue.
Despite these, the F-150 Lightning’s price still increased by already three times since its debut in late 2022. Its price is now 38.9% higher, with a base price of $57,869, compared to when it first reached the market.
You can watch CNBC’s exclusive interview with Ford CEO Jim Farley here.
