Consumers Shouldn't Be Deceived by J.D. Power's Report on Ford

COMMENTARY | Ford Motor Company, previously ranked fifth by J.D. Power and Associates' new-car quality survey, has fallen to a measly 23^rd on the list. This large-scale drop is especially detrimental to Ford, a brand trying to reinvent a name previously not associated with reliability. Adding insult to injury, Toyota, Acura, Honda and Lexus all made the top 10, with Lexus taking first place.

Thanks, MyFordTouch...

Ford's drop in the rankings can almost entirely be attested to the recent problems of the MyFordTouch system. The system incorporates navigation, audio and other entertainment functionalities into a single touch screen. However, users of the new system are quick to point out its many failures, from audio to navigation problems. In all, according J.D. Power and Associates, these systems showed a total failure rate of 18 percent, up from 8 percent last year.

Missed Opportunities:

For the last few years now, stemming from Detroit's and the American auto industry's great financial plunge, Ford has made it a company goal and focus to return to profitability by seemingly any means necessary.

This started in 2005, when the company began to cut unprofitable models, brands and employees as a start of its "Moving Forward" campaign. Since then, Ford has attempted to increase the build quality and desirability of the products in order to compete with foreign (especially Japanese) automotive brands.

Last year, Ford seemed to be on the right track. It was ranked fifth in overall quality by J.D. Power and Associates, while its arguably biggest foreign competitor, Toyota, was ranked at an all time low 21^st. In my opinion, this was the company's big chance to show it had made a change in the brand and product. However, by performing very low in the quality rankings this year while at the same time allowing Toyota to best the maker by moving up to seventh and letting its luxury brand, Lexus, take the number one spot, Ford seems to be right back where it started.

Something to Keep in Mind:

If this article in any way discourages you from purchasing a Ford, my advice would be to read a little more carefully. All the failures associated with Ford's drop in the rankings are what I would consider "little defects." A broken speaker, non-functioning touch screen or faulty audio output wont leave you stranded by the side of the road (though the GPS issue just might).

From the perspective of a mechanic, all of the previously mentioned problems can easily be corrected with one trip to the dealer. In addition, a fair number of the complaints regarding the MyFordTouch system seem to be tied to the fact that it is confusing for some drivers to operate, an issue which plagued BMW's notorious iDrive a few years back. If you are looking for quality in a car, you should instead take a look at how its overall chassis, drive train and mechanical reliability are concerned.

The issue with the quality rankings is that a blown engine and replaced speaker are both treated as one issue with the same severity. Though a bad touch screen may speak badly for the company which produced the screen, I do not believe it speaks as badly for Ford Motor Company, something consumers should take into account before making their decision.

"2011 Initial Quality Study Results," J.D. Power & Associates.