Meaning of the Window Sticker Date

[Hybrider]

Hi, I have been trying to visualize when Ford started building my FFH SE and when it will be finished being built. And since I have now received my dated window sticker (02/05/2014) and a "Scheduled to Day" date (02/12/2014), I think I might have it figured out.

 

I have searched many posts about window sticker dates and ETIS build dates, but I have not seen any posts confirming or denying or even surmising my hypothesis that the date on the window sticker is when Ford actually started building my Fusion in the Hermosillo factory, or that the build date, not yet in ETIS, is when the car will actually be finished being built.

 

If my guess is right, that the factory started building my car on the date on the window sticker, then that would indicate that the Hermosillo throughput time on my FFH SE will have been about 7 days.

 

Does this sound like a reasonable throughput time? And has anyone else thought the same thought, that the window sticker date might be when the cars are actually started in the Ford factories?

[jeff_h]

I believe the date on the sticker is the order is 'sent to plant' and then gets sequenced into the build order (or may already be in the virtual line by that time). That "scheduled to day" is the day that the car will be assembled and in some cases it could be done on that day or could finish in the following day. There is a youtube clip I referenced in another thread of an F-150 plant and the plant manager says in there that it takes about 18 hours to put together an F-150, so I would think it's about the same for a sedan...

[corncobs]

Your most accurate date for your new FFH starting to roll down the line is "Scheduled to Day" !

 

Even this day can shift slightly backwards which happened to mine and many others. Once a date shows up in ETIS you know your car has passed QC and waits or already is on a rail car. ( ETIS seems to be updated once a week).

 

One thing is for sure you are in for a treat in a few weeks if everything goes smoothly.

[acdii]

Wonder if the 7 day rule still holds true. Car build date 7 days past sticker issue. At least that was during Job2 last year.

[jeff_h]

Wonder if the 7 day rule still holds true. Car build date 7 days past sticker issue. At least that was during Job2 last year.

 

For those who are OCD about it (meaning I've done it), you can look at the online inventory of your favorite local dealer or the one across town or wherever -- take the VIN number of the cars listed in the inventory and pull up the window sticker in one browser window/tab and look at the date at the bottom of the sticker, then in another browser window/tab go to Etis and check the build date. They are generally about 7 days difference in the many that I've checked, however on my car the date on the window sticker is 4 months after the build date so I guess it was revised/reissued/whatever. But for most of the VINs I've found it to be around 7 days, but curious minds can go check their local dealers' VINs for themselves and see what they find.

[Grey]

As I recall, the scheduled date is in a "submit to plant week". The plant looks at commodities on hand and on Thursday evenings, it sequences the vehicle to be built the next week (If they have no issues with parts availability).

The official build date will show up in OASIS after the vehicle is built. That is the date that the parts and service departments use if there were mid-model changes to the vehicle