Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa is tackling quality issues across the automaker’s lineup as part of the FaSTLAne 2030 restructuring plan, aiming to place all brands in the top quarter of quality rankings by 2028. Recent J.D. Power initial quality data showed major Stellantis brands trailing industry averages, with Jeep recording 182 problems per 100 vehicles and Ram logging 222 problems per 100 vehicles against an industry average of 175.
Quality Control Rooms and Engineering Staffing
To resolve these defects before vehicles reach customers, Stellantis has established nearly 50 dedicated quality control rooms, kursors.lv reported. These facilities bring together engineers, manufacturing specialists, and supplier quality engineers to scrutinize components and systems requiring urgent remediation. The automaker hired over 2,000 new engineers last year to support the deep transformation of its existing quality assurance programs. Filosa outlined these measures at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit, tying them directly to a broader Value Creation Program intended to slash operational costs by $7 billion by 2028.
Conflicting Sales Figures Across Jeep and Ram
Independent quality rankings do not cleanly translate into immediate sales outcomes for the company’s core brands. Jeep posted better initial quality metrics than Ram in the J.D. Power study, yet its sales figures moved in the opposite direction during the third quarter. Jeep sales dropped 20% in the third quarter to 128,542 vehicles, bringing its year-to-date total to 413,793 vehicles—an 8% decline compared to the same period in the prior year. Meanwhile, Ram sales grew 29% in the third quarter to 134,072 vehicles, with year-to-date sales reaching 369,379 pickups, marking a 20% increase over the previous year.
Vehicle Recalls and Market Standing
Stellantis holds the second-highest recall volume in the United States over a two-year period, trailing only Ford. This high recall frequency is notable given that Stellantis ranks as the sixth-largest automaker in the United States by sales volume. Filosa acknowledged customer frustration regarding repair visits and recalls, stating that internal teams are moving rapidly to address discovered flaws.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stellantis Quality Control
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What specific quality ranking did Jeep and Ram achieve in the J.D. Power study?
Jeep recorded 182 problems per 100 vehicles, finishing behind 15 other automotive brands. Ram recorded 222 problems per 100 vehicles, placing it five positions from the bottom of the study, while the industry average stood at 175 problems per 100 vehicles. -
How many engineers did Stellantis hire to address these defects?
Stellantis hired more than 2,000 new engineers over the preceding year to overhaul its quality programs and staff the newly created quality control rooms. -
What is the financial target of the Value Creation Program?
The Value Creation Program is designed to reduce the company’s operating costs by $7 billion by the year 2028.
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