DETROIT – The global shortage of semiconductors and the winter storm of last February forced Ford to build its F-150 pickups without any of its computers.
The vans will remain in factories for “a few weeks” and will be shipped to dealers as soon as computers are available and quality checks are completed, the company reported Thursday.
Global semiconductor shortages also forced Honda and Toyota to announce production cuts in some of their North American factories this week. Likewise, General Motors was forced to build pickups that some of its computers don’t have and install them later.
Ford’s move may reduce inventory of F-Series trucks, America’s best-selling vehicle. Stocks are already low due to high demand and production losses associated with last year’s plant closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ford also announced that it will build the Edge truck without its computers and ship it later, in addition to canceling some Thursday and Friday shifts at an assembly plant in Louisville, Kentucky, where the Ford Escape truck is made.
The automakers have said they do not expect the chip shortage to improve for the third quarter of the year. Ford has said the deficit could cut its pre-tax profit by $ 1 billion to $ 2.5 billion, even if it makes up for some of the lost production in the second half.
Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler (now Stellantis) and Nissan also say they have been hit by shortages and have had to delay production of some models to continue operations in other plants.
Industry officials say semiconductor companies shifted manufacturing to consumer electronics during the low point of the automotive sales pandemic last spring. Car manufacturers around the world were forced to shut down factories to prevent the spread of the virus. Once they recovered, they didn’t have enough chips due to the high demand for personal electronics.