Ford workers produce the F-150 Lightning electric pickup on December 13, 2022 at the automaker’s Rouge Ford Electric Vehicle Center (REVC).
Michael Wayland | CNBC
DETROIT – Ford Motor District has paused production and shipments of the electric F-150 Lightning pickup due to potential battery problems, the company said Tuesday.
Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg declined to reveal details of the possible battery problem, which is being investigated after the vehicle was shown a potential problem as part of a pre-delivery quality inspection of the car.
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The stop-shipment and production stop orders were issued early last week, according to Bergg. This adds to the “execution issues” that Ford CEO Jim Farley continued to address to investors earlier this month as he downplayed fourth-quarter earnings.
Ford shares were down about 1% in afternoon trading Tuesday. The stock is trading at less than $13 per share.
Ford has not established a timeline for when production and deliveries will resume, according to Bergg.
“The team is diligently working on root cause analysis,” he said, adding that the company is “doing the right thing by our customers” to resolve potential issues before resuming production and shipping.
Ford is not aware of any incidents or issues related to potential battery issues, Berg said. There is no stop-sale for vehicles already on the dealer’s lot, meaning dealers can continue to sell vehicles they have on hand.
The suspension of production and deliveries was first reported on Tuesday by the Motor Authority.
The F-150 Lightning is being watched closely by investors, as it is the first mainstream electric pickup truck on the market and a major launch for Ford.
Automakers usually have problems and recalls related to their vehicles, but problems with batteries are of special concern and interest, because automakers invest billions of dollars in these vehicles.
One of the most important issues is General Motors Chevrolet Bolt EVs. The Detroit automaker two years ago had to recall all vehicles built to date to deal with fires caused by a “rare manufacturing defect” at the facility of battery supplier LG Battery Solution.