Keepening shortages of key auto parts such as microchips and seat foam are combining with packed ports and a cargo crunch to shut down auto assembly lines — even as dealers clamor for inventory to meet strong demand from increasingly confident consumers.
Production complications are hitting Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Volvo, the automakers said last week.
Some said they will suspend production lines as they await parts, and others are selectively choosing which models to produce. Some are attempting creative workarounds, such as postponing the installation of certain electronic modules until after a vehicle is built.