The chip shortage is causing problems for Ford and the F-150

The global chip shortage is affecting nearly all manufacturers around the world and one that is feeling the pain is Ford.

Earlier this year, the US automaker already said that they will be scaling back production due to the lack of parts supplies. But now, the automaker has temporarily stopped production of their best-selling model – the F-150. Worse yet, the duration of the pause in production has been extended.

In a recent announcement, Ford said that its Kansas City Assembly plant will remain shut down the entire week of September 6. For reference, production of the F-150 at the Kansas plant has been idled for two weeks already. Meanwhile, Ford's other F-150 plant located in Dearborn will continue to have reduced shifts for the week of September 6.

Outside of the F-150, Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant will also scale down operation for the weeks of September 6 and September 13. The plant is responsible for producing the larger Super Duty pickups along with the Expedition and the Navigator.

How does the F-150 shutdown affect us? Ford Philippines plans to launch the current-generation F-150 with the 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel engine, together with the new Explorer sometime in the future. But with production of the pick-up truck paused and scaled back, it may mean delays in the model's local launch as the US demand for the F-150 is very strong. Historically, the F-Series has been a consistent top seller in the US.

Ford Philippines has yet to announce a timeline for the new F-150; all they are really saying is "coming soon". It's uncertain whether the automaker will launch the model later this year or sometime in 2022, but we won't be surprised if several dealers have already started accepting reservations for the F-150.

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