2013 MKZ Tracking

[Dedonut]

Thanks, tanner. :-) I have the same issue. I believe it's the side sensors that create the red & yellow warning boxes on the screen. Between the side & rear sensors and alarms, I sound like a huge city truck backing up! Going in the garage is the same thing, then, when I'm in far enough, the front sensors start! What I did find is that if the other car in the garage stays in their relative spot, the car 'learns' that the clearance is sufficient and the sensors don't sound. The guy at the dealership said the green, yellow, red backup lines show 'tire spacing'. Told him I don't understand the value of knowing 'tire spacing'. My primary concern is that I'm reading the picture right - if I'm backing up and I keep my wheels aligned with the green-yellow-red lines, and no red or yellow warning boxes appear at the sides, I assume I have a clear path to back up and won't hit anything back or side.

 

I wish we had the option to activate the camera when the sensors are working while moving forward at a low speed. When I pull into the garage, and the other car is 'out of position' and a bit closer to my side, the sensors start up but I'm not always sure which side it's alerting me to - does my car think I'm too close to that car on the left (even though I can see I'm clear) or is it alerting me to the tight wall on the right which I can't see as well?

[Dedonut]

Regards to your direct quote about railcars I disagree. As a manufacturer part of your due diligence is ensuring that your "vendors" have the appropriate resources to complete their task. So if FerroMex, or CSX, or UP do not have enough rail cars that probably means that Lincoln did not stick with their original plan of shipping x cars every day. I would suggest that is exactly what happened, recently the "flood gates" opened and more cars where trying to be shipped that they had rail cars for, again not the fault of the rail road but of the supplier who exceeded the agreed upon goal.

I agree with this assessment, too. I think Lincoln should have halted production early on, fixed the production or supplier problems, then restarted the line. It would have slowed the delivery of fewer customer pre-orders and dealer orders, and allowed 'clean' production and shipment to resume. Ultimately, they would have had a smoother operation much sooner. To just keep cranking out and stock-piling cars you have to fix before you can release them is just bizarre. Then you're so backlogged you can't get rid of them fast enough and create your own traffic jam. And it makes dealers and customers unhappy and messes with their overall reputation.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Dedonut

[Dedonut]

I just ordered a screen protector for the Nav screen after a series of emails to customer service re: whether it's safe to cover the Nav screen with a shield because of summer car heat buildup and what the best product would be for the fingerprint smudge problem. They recommended their Triple A shield. The screen shield and also a cleaner, along with a coupon I found on RetailMeNot.com, came to less than $18. with shipping. Will let you know how well it works.

 

http://www.nushield.com

[akirby]

You know Kirby, I don't get you. Your posts seem to defend Lincoln, but you go on to say that it was a huge screw up. Regards to your direct quote about railcars I disagree. As a manufacturer part of your due diligence is ensuring that your "vendors" have the appropriate resources to complete their task. So if FerroMex, or CSX, or UP do not have enough rail cars that probably means that Lincoln did not stick with their original plan of shipping x cars every day. I would suggest that is exactly what happened, recently the "flood gates" opened and more cars where trying to be shipped that they had rail cars for, again not the fault of the rail road but of the supplier who exceeded the agreed upon goal.

 

Now having said that, I don't know that for a fact and honestly don't really care, other that I have a huge amount of sympathy for those who still do not have their car like SMSGT. I think that is totally wrong!

 

I'm not defending Lincoln at all - ultimately it's their responsibility for not delivering cars. But that doesn't mean that everything that happens is within their control or preventable or just due to poor management.

 

For example - there has been a nationwide railcar shortage for years. It affects all mfrs. There is a limited number of railcars available from the railroads and they're all shared by everyone. There really isn't anything that Ford can do about it unless you think they should open their own railroad and buy their own railcars.

 

http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/44257-rail-car-shortage-hampers-automakers?rss=0

 

Parts are no longer warehoused in large quantities. They are shipped in to coincide with production demand (just in time manufacturing). If the vendor ships a bad batch of hood latches or headlamps then Ford is stuck until the vendor corrects the problem. If the vendor is unable to keep up with demand (no hood latches) then it's the same issue.

 

Is Ford ultimately responsible? Yes. They pick the suppliers. But there is no way any mfr can ensure that a problem never happens. All Ford can do is try to catch these problems before the vehicles leave the factory and try to fix them quickly. Then they have to work with the suppliers to get better quality parts with no shortages or find a new supplier. If these problems continue to happen then it's a Ford management issue. If they fix these problems so they don't reoccur then they're doing a good job.

 

There are a lot of similarities between something like this and large IT software projects and I've been on the other end of plenty of those with similar issues so I sympathize with the position that Ford is in. What usually happens is one thing goes wrong (missing or bad parts) and that screws up the normal process (inspect locally) which causes a change (ship to flat rock for inspection) which causes another problem (tracking system can't handle) which creates a workaround (ship via truck from Flat Rock) that gets derailed by rail and truck shortages and/or government regulations (maybe shipping a car with a Mexico VIN directly from FR is some kind of violation - not sure just saying it could happen). Every decision along the way is made to remedy the initial problem but it ends up causing a cascade of other problems. Let's just say I've been there, done that and got the tshirt many times so I'm more understanding than most customers.

 

None of that reduces the impact to customers and Ford should compensate you guys for having to wait and put up with misinformation. And if they don't get these problems fixed before the next launch then that is a management failure.

[Dedonut]

The article cited is almost 11 months old so the assumption has to be that Ford knew about the railcar shortage all along. By continuing production, holding cars, and developing such a backlog in the face of rail car shortages, they had to know they were exacerbating the problem and would get no help when trying to catch up on increased shipment needs.

 

Part of the article goes on to quote:

 

“We are aware of national rail car issues and work closely with our logistics partners to manage our shipments to ensure we are meeting customer expectations,” said Sky Foster, manager of corporate communications for BMW Manufacturing Co.

 

Too bad Lincoln didn't hire Sky Foster!

 

 

[tanner83]

I just ordered a screen protector for the Nav screen after a series of emails to customer service re: whether it's safe to cover the Nav screen with a shield because of summer car heat buildup and what the best product would be for the fingerprint smudge problem. They recommended their Triple A shield. The screen shield and also a cleaner, along with a coupon I found on RetailMeNot.com, came to less than $18. with shipping. Will let you know how well it works.

 

http://www.nushield.com

Hey Dedo, yeah SMSGT and I got these as well. See my post in the other thread for how it looks installed.... I got the DayVue one. Happy with it so far!!!!

[Ghostrider009]

I just ordered a screen protector for the Nav screen after a series of emails to customer service re: whether it's safe to cover the Nav screen with a shield because of summer car heat buildup and what the best product would be for the fingerprint smudge problem. They recommended their Triple A shield. The screen shield and also a cleaner, along with a coupon I found on RetailMeNot.com, came to less than $18. with shipping. Will let you know how well it works.

 

http://www.nushield.com

Dedonut, I'm anxious to hear how your screen works out. I cut a screen protector made for my wife's Kindle down to fit the nav screen. Not only was it difficult to get the bubbles out, but the fingerprints showed just as badly as before. I finally removed it, but am sure looking for another type that will make those ugly fingerprints less noticeable.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Ghostrider009

[Dedonut]

Hey Dedo, yeah SMSGT and I got these as well. See my post in the other thread for how it looks installed.... I got the DayVue one. Happy with it so far!!!!

LOL … from NuShield? Well, there you go, Ghostrider. Under $20 can't go wrong. They told me it's important to mention in the Customer Comments that it's for the Lincoln MKZ '13'.

[sweetmelissa14]

Yes, that means it has passed QA and is ready for transport to you. That was my last status prior to getting on the railcar.

How long after that were you assigned a railcar #? Then delivery? I feel like we are living a pipe dream here...

[xgman]

They told me it's important to mention in the Customer Comments that it's for the Lincoln MKZ '13'.

 

 

uh oh . . just used the '13 fusion one. It won't fit?

 

edit: they said mention to so they see how many are being used for the 13 mkz. Should fit.

Edited March 28, 2013 by xgman

[xgman]

Dedonut, I'm anxious to hear how your screen works out. I cut a screen protector made for my wife's Kindle down to fit the nav screen. Not only was it difficult to get the bubbles out, but the fingerprints showed just as badly as before. I finally removed it, but am sure looking for another type that will make those ugly fingerprints less noticeable.

they told me the normal one (not the dayvue one would be better for finger prints) dayvue better for clarity but not fingerprints.

 

Just put the normal version on (god that was hairy trying to get off all the dust firts and not mess it up), but it works pretty well and looks clean. Just slightly matte.

Edited March 28, 2013 by xgman

[kimbar1962]

Thanks to all, received update from cyberdman:

 

Awaiting Shipment - Sent Offsite - (Allied Systems Ltd ) Ford Hermosillo Assembly, SO Mar-26-2013, 13:43 MT.

 

Sent off site to where? No one can tell me. Not cyberdman, not Trina, and definitely not my dealer. Ordered 12/15/2013, built 2/15/2013. Hanging out in Mexico, drinking tequila since then??

 

Has it already been QA'd? Has it been sprinkled with fairy dust or holy water or whatever else it needs to get on a truck and drive north to northern CA? Honestly, I can drive my poor old Honda CRV with 245,000 miles all the way down there over the weekend and pick it up. Only 18 hours and 1,144 miles one way.

 

At least I haven't been waiting as long as SMSGTB!

[jschmitt3]

Ok - some positive ness on mine: In Transit - Passing (Union Pacific Railroad ) Dalhart, TX Mar-25-2013, 21:27 CT. ETA Apr-07-2013. John

 

Just received an updated ETA from LCS - now they are saying April 14th "give or take a few days"

 

LOL!

 

John

[xgman]

Thanks to all, received update from cyberdman:

 

Awaiting Shipment - Sent Offsite - (Allied Systems Ltd ) Ford Hermosillo Assembly, SO Mar-26-2013, 13:43 MT.

 

Sent off site to where? No one can tell me. Not cyberdman, not Trina, and definitely not my dealer. Ordered 12/15/2013, built 2/15/2013. Hanging out in Mexico, drinking tequila since then??

 

Has it already been QA'd? Has it been sprinkled with fairy dust or holy water or whatever else it needs to get on a truck and drive north to northern CA? Honestly, I can drive my poor old Honda CRV with 245,000 miles all the way down there over the weekend and pick it up. Only 18 hours and 1,144 miles one way.

 

At least I haven't been waiting as long as SMSGTB!

That is a good question. I would think to either Flat Rock, or maybe at this point, for quality inspections (or repairs near the plant). The time offsite shouldn't be too long, but then it's a matter of once it gets back, how long does it sit. It sounds like the wait hasn't improved much unfortunately, contrary to what Ford might like to think or rather spin.

[tanner83]

LOL … from NuShield? Well, there you go, Ghostrider. Under $20 can't go wrong. They told me it's important to mention in the Customer Comments that it's for the Lincoln MKZ '13'.

Actually there is not a selection for Lincoln MKZ but there is a selection for Ford Fusion 12-13 is what I used and it works great.

[galangg]

Thanks to all, received update from cyberdman:

 

Awaiting Shipment - Sent Offsite - (Allied Systems Ltd ) Ford Hermosillo Assembly, SO Mar-26-2013, 13:43 MT.

 

Sent off site to where? No one can tell me. Not cyberdman, not Trina, and definitely not my dealer. Ordered 12/15/2013, built 2/15/2013. Hanging out in Mexico, drinking tequila since then??

 

Has it already been QA'd? Has it been sprinkled with fairy dust or holy water or whatever else it needs to get on a truck and drive north to northern CA? Honestly, I can drive my poor old Honda CRV with 245,000 miles all the way down there over the weekend and pick it up. Only 18 hours and 1,144 miles one way.

 

At least I haven't been waiting as long as SMSGTB!

 

Thanks for the laugh! Fairy dust and holy water. Almost takes that kind of miracle to get the car.

 

[Dedonut]

Actually there is not a selection for Lincoln MKZ but there is a selection for Ford Fusion 12-13 is what I used and it works great.

On Mar 28, 2013, at 6:30 AM, Customer Service <customer_service@nushield.com> wrote:

Triple A film will be best to hide fingerprints. DayVue film has an anti-fingerprint treatment as well, but it tends to wear off with time. However, for a vehicle, we normally recommend DayVue as it will perform better in bright sun. Keeping a Klear Screen kit in the car to wipe off the occasional finger prints is also recommended.

 

We have tested this size display but it was not posted on the web site yet.

 

We have a film that is the same size as your device. Please order for the Lincoln MKZ ‘11-12 here:

 

http://www.nushield.com/order_now.php

 

Very Important!

Please put "FOR LINCOLN MKZ '13" in the Customer Comments box in the checkout process so we can track this order.

 

If you decide to try this, you will be covered by our 100% money back guarantee (including shipping charges of up to $5). We would greatly appreciate hearing from you no matter what the outcome so we can let others know of your experience. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

---

NuShield Customer Support

 

NuShield, your best defense against screen damage and abrasion.

100% Guaranteed.

Get them at: http://www.NuShield.com

Email: support@nushield.com

Phone / Fax: (215) 500-6426

(877) 900-9192 Toll Free

 

 

I haven't had any problem in bright sun.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Dedonut

[PBD]

My order date with the dealer was 11/09/2012. Today I was told by LCS that the car shipped last Sunday and will arrive any day. An hour ago a different LCS rep called to tell me that the car will be moved to the ramp on Sunday for shipping. At that point they should be able to provide me with an ETA. Just another story in the continuing saga of the 2013 MKZ. Not sure what to believe. The dealer has an MKZ with my same options with an ETA of 4/10. I am thinking I may exchange my order for their soon to be MKZ. I contacted Lincoln Makers program and asked if that would present any problem. They told me they would get back to me tomorrow.

 

My wife and I have about had it with this so call luxury line. Horrible support!

[SMSgt B]

Hey Dedo, yeah SMSGT and I got these as well. See my post in the other thread for how it looks installed.... I got the DayVue one. Happy with it so far!!!!

 

It's been so long since I got it, I can't rememeber where I placed it due to waiting for the car to arrive.

[SMSgt B]

Thanks to all, received update from cyberdman:

 

Awaiting Shipment - Sent Offsite - (Allied Systems Ltd ) Ford Hermosillo Assembly, SO Mar-26-2013, 13:43 MT.

 

Sent off site to where? No one can tell me. Not cyberdman, not Trina, and definitely not my dealer. Ordered 12/15/2013, built 2/15/2013. Hanging out in Mexico, drinking tequila since then??

 

Has it already been QA'd? Has it been sprinkled with fairy dust or holy water or whatever else it needs to get on a truck and drive north to northern CA? Honestly, I can drive my poor old Honda CRV with 245,000 miles all the way down there over the weekend and pick it up. Only 18 hours and 1,144 miles one way.

 

At least I haven't been waiting as long as SMSGTB!

 

There you go ... rub it in. Somebody pull that knife out would ya????

[Dedonut]

It's been so long since I got it, I can't rememeber where I placed it due to waiting for the car to arrive.

You're just getting it from all sides today. Sorry. :kiss:

[Dedonut]

BTW-gman- Did you ever get the $100 gift card or the Lincoln Makers Gift?

[rjnorris]

My order was placed 4 Feb, the car was build 12 Mar, and it arrived at the dealer in NC for us to pick up today - less than 8 weeks total. Beautiful car, great driving and very quiet. Lots to learn over the holiday weekend.

 

By sheer luck, I received a Ford $750 off coupon in the mail yesterday which applied to my hybrid along with a $750 rebate that I did not see when I looked at current on-line incentives. The $750 rebate expires on 1 April, but they'll probably offer something else in its place.

[sweetmelissa14]

My order date with the dealer was 11/09/2012. Today I was told by LCS that the car shipped last Sunday and will arrive any day. An hour ago a different LCS rep called to tell me that the car will be moved to the ramp on Sunday for shipping. At that point they should be able to provide me with an ETA. Just another story in the continuing saga of the 2013 MKZ. Not sure what to believe. The dealer has an MKZ with my same options with an ETA of 4/10. I am thinking I may exchange my order for their soon to be MKZ. I contacted Lincoln Makers program and asked if that would present any problem. They told me they would get back to me tomorrow.

 

My wife and I have about had it with this so call luxury line. Horrible support!

I received this same call yesterday...Our car is being released and moved to ramp for shipping on Sunday. Here's the curious part. Karen from LCS told me while she was updating my dealer, Gordon in sales told HER that once they receive notice a car hits the ramp for shipping, its usually about two weeks until it hits their lot. Boo...that puts our car in NW Ohio right after we get back from an out of town wedding we were REALLY looking forward to driving our new car to!

[billtkat]

Who is the next person up the list from Kevin C and what is there email or better yet phone number? I am very tired of this and frustrated at this point.