Ford's Position In China's Market Is Getting Stuck After A Wave Of Consumer Protests

JAKARTA Ford is facing growing pressure on the Chinese market. This happened after hundreds of vehicle owners, especially Ford Mondeo users from 2022-2025, raised protests regarding serious disruptions to their car's infotainment system.

The complaint surfaced after the promised system as a smart cabin often freezes, crashes, and completely dies when the car is running, raising concerns about safety use. As reported by Carnewschina, Thursday, December 4.

The owners say Ford markets Mondeo with the ability to update over the air, but in reality, the system relies on an older Qualcomm 820A chip. In addition, the car does not support CarPlay, CarLife, or HiCar, and only offers special Ford applications that are considered unstable.

When the owners contacted the customer service, China said that the old model could not be updated to the new system. This is because the differences in hardware that are considered to affect the safety and experience of users.

Amid increasing complaints against Mondeo, the new Ford Bronco PHEV model also received the spotlight. The SUV is sold for 229,800 to 272,800 yuan, equivalent to around 32,300 to 39,800 US dollars.

Some observers assess that the design is not much different from the models made by local manufacturers, such as the Jetour Traveller PHEV. Then the features that are claimed to be selling values, such as the roof that can be opened with one touch and cabin area that can be converted into a bedroom are not included as a standard feature and are actually a paid additional option.

This situation comes at a time when Ford's performance in the Chinese market continues to weaken. Sales that have reached a peak of 1.27 million units in 2016 fell to 442,000 units by 2024, or just a third of its highest volume.

Ford also suffered losses for seven consecutive quarters between the third quarter of 2017 and the third quarter of 2023, before finally recording profits again in 2024. China's Ford President and CEO Wu Shengbo has described the condition of the company, which was previously in an emergency room, now in the ICU.

One of the significant factors in Ford's difficulties in the Chinese market is the competition relationship between its two joint ventures, Changan Ford and JMC Ford. Initially, Changan Ford focused on passenger vehicles, while JMC Ford specializes in commercial vehicles.

However, as sales decline, Ford began selling passenger vehicles to JMC Ford as well, creating internal competition. JMC Ford produces the newly launched Ford Bronco PHEV.