Writing of Ford's quality control problems, Tom Murphy of Ward's Auto World magazine mentions internal data suggesting suppliers were more culpable than the auto maker as recalls and warranty claims seemed to be ......... out of control.

The Firestone tire ......... got the most attention, but in many respects it was merely a symptom of a much broader ailment afflicting the No. 2 auto maker.

A Ford executive contended that suppliers deserved a trip to the ......... for a number of costly, boneheaded mistakes.

By last fall, however, the tone had softened; instead of berating parts makers, Ford was openly ..........

Caught up in the industry-wide trend toward ........., Ford may have relied too heavily on suppliers for engineering.

This demonstrates that OEMs run the risk of becoming ......... to the technical capabilities — or liabilities — of their suppliers if they merely purchase, rather than engineer.

To ......... the problem, Ford reclaimed some engineering responsibility.

The ......... effect of the new philosophy will be felt for years to come by many of the 2,000 production suppliers Ford taps for parts every day.

Many suppliers are reserving judgment until the strategy is fully implemented over the next two years, but most are cautiously ..........

It is humbling for the company that pioneered mass production of the automobile to admit nearly 100 years later that it took its eye ........., that it sacrificed engineering prowess in what ironically was an attempt to make itself more efficient.