For the second time in less than six months, the… Ford F-150 Collection was impacted by another delivery pause in Australia.
Ford dealers were today informed that deliveries of the F-150 from RMA Automotive – which is converting the pickup from left-hand to right-hand drive in Melbourne – have been suspended due to an undisclosed issue.
There is currently no recall for the new edition, and Ford is not providing any information about what it is.
However, this has not prevented F-150s already in stock at Ford dealers from being delivered to customers, and RMA Automotive’s production line remains operational.
“Ford Australia has temporarily held F-150s en route to dealers while we deal with a potential issue,” a company spokesperson said CarExpert.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause and thank customers for their patience.”
Since deliveries of the Ford F-150 to Australian customers began in December 2023, the pickup has been hit by three recalls.
Sales and deliveries to customers were also suspended on January 1, 2024, after a turbocharger fault was discovered during the remanufacturing process that could cause the pickup to enter limp mode.
Less than a month later, the F-150 was recalled due to a steering defect. The owners were instructed to stop driving immediately as there was a risk of the rack becoming detached from the intermediate shaft.
In the following weeks there was a second recall, this time due to a defect in the clock spring, which could result in the driver’s airbag not functioning in an accident.
The third and most recent recall occurred last month, this time due to the fact that the F-150’s side direction indicators did not comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs).
The Ford F-150 is the only North American pickup truck sold in Australia through manufacturers’ showrooms that has not been converted from left-hand to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Automotive Group.
Ram 1500s delivered in Australia were converted to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw – the former parent company of Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) – and its importer Ateco in a company branded American Special Vehicles (ASV).
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 was also rebuilt for a time in the same building as the Ram 1500, but demand for the latter led to the former operation moving to a smaller facility in 2022.
Toyota also enlisted the help of Walkinshaw to complete the necessary conversion for the Tundra. However, it is understood the 12-month wait before being sold to the general public is to ensure the program meets the auto giant’s strict standards.
Ironically, Walkinshaw’s Supercars racing team drives Ford Mustangs, which has been associated with Holden since the 1990s and is currently handling its Silverado conversions.
MORE: Everything Ford F-150