Boeing has confirmed a wiring issue on some 737 Max aircraft that will will cause near-term delivery delays in the first quarter of 2026.
The problem stems from small scratches on wires caused by a machining error during production.
Boeing is maintaining its target of around 500 737 deliveries for the year. Shares in the company dropped by as much as 3pc in US trading following the disclosure. The company discovered the defect during the assembly process and traced it to a machining error.
A company spokesperson stated that the necessary fixes for each individual plane can be completed in a matter of days. Manufacturing continues at the existing rate of 42 jets per month while the rework is performed.
Boeing clarified that this specific wiring issue does not affect 737 MAX aircraft already in service, which can continue to operate normally. The company has informed both its customers and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the defect.
Boeing shares fell 3.2pc following the announcement, reflecting investor concerns over ongoing quality control hurdles.
This discovery follows a separate urgent FAA order issued in late February 2026 regarding a ground wire fault in the environmental control system.
That fault could cause cabin and cockpit temperatures to rise to unsafe levels, potentially injuring or incapacitating the crew.
Airlines were given 30 days to update flight manuals with new pilot procedures to manage the risk.
Boeing is currently developing a permanent engineering fix for that separate ground wire issue, which it expects to implement before the certification of the MAX 7 and MAX 10 variants.
