Parts Shortages Causing Nightmares For Drivers

Vehicle owners are becoming enraged by months-long parts shortages keeping vehicles in need of repair off the road. Whether the parts are needed to resolve a recall, perform a mechanical repair, or fix a car after a collision, parts shortages are now holding up the work required to get owners’ vehicles back in service.

The primary reason for the delays is the global supply chain challenges following the COVID pandemic that began three years ago. Automakers increasingly rely on suppliers to build parts in countries where labor is cheap, where there are no OSHA-type safety rules, and in which the environment isn’t a priority. They are finding that they no longer have control of the product they sell. Some of the supply chain issues are related to Ukraine and the sanctions placed on Russia, but neither country has ever been a hub for American-bound vehicle parts.

Car Talk interviewed Alex Magliozzi, a vehicle owner with a repair story so outlandish it is hard to believe. Fans of Car Talk will certainly recognize Alex’s last name, but he isn’t an employee of Car Talk.

Alex’s leased 2021 BMW M340i was struck while parked early this summer. About four months ago, the car was towed to BMW’s authorized service center in his area for the final mechanical repairs needed, most notably a steering rack replacement. We’ll let Alex tell his tale, but we’ll also offer a few more examples before the story wraps up.

• Car Talk - Alex, please tell us when your car repairs will be completed.

• Alex M. - No one at BMW knows. I was told that I was number 20 on the list nationally for the part and that they were getting two in per month, which would mean ten months. Since then, I have been told that I am number 43 in my region and that they are getting zero in per month, so never?

• Car Talk - That seems crazy. Are you the one holding up the repair by insisting that genuine BMW parts be used rather than aftermarket parts?

• Alex M. - Actually, the exact opposite. I have asked for permission to have BMW install aftermarket or refurbished parts and have been denied. The car is leased, and OEM parts are required, according to BMW.

• Car Talk - The car is leased. When does the lease end?

• Alex M. - The lease ends in August of 2023, so about ten months from now.

• Car Talk - Since BMW can’t fix your vehicle, it’s been four months gone by already, and since they have no idea when they will fix it, have you asked BMW to simply end the lease?

• Alex M. - I have asked BMW to buy back the car, but BMW said no. I asked them to give me a BMW loaner, they said no. I asked them to divert some of the steering racks that they are putting into new cars, but BMW said no. I would like any solution to this that acknowledges I will not get this car back before the end of my lease and allows me to give the car back to BMW and go out and get another car as a replacement. I can’t understand why they won't divert parts being used on the assembly line to support a current owner.

• Car Talk - How would you summarize this terrible situation?

• Alex M. - Someone could lease a car and, on the first day of their lease, be involved in an accident. That accident could require a part from the OEM to get the car back on the road. The OEM, however, can choose not to supply the part, keep the car off the road, and continue collecting lease payments under the law and the lease terms. That is absurd. We rely on the goodwill of the OEMs and their desire to preserve their reputation. However, if they don't, there is no recourse except for the court of public opinion or a lawsuit.

Following our chat with Alex, Car Talk spoke with an independent insurance adjuster. We explained Alex’s situation and asked if she could offer some background on what is happening today. The adjuster agreed to speak with us on the condition that we do so anonymously.

• Car Talk - Having heard Alex’s story, do you feel this is a one-off situation?

• Adjuster - Unfortunately, it isn’t. And there is a lot more to this than meets the eye. I was recently involved in a case where an American luxury branded SUV was hit in the front corner. The damage was minor, but the headlight assembly was damaged and needed to be replaced for safety. The manufacturer has no timeline for the headlight to be ready. Ironically, this manufacturer builds headlights in a plant in America. This isn’t a case of the part being produced overseas where war or a pandemic is precluding it from being made.

• Car Talk - Why not just substitute an aftermarket part instead of the OEM headlight assembly?

• Adjuster - Aftermarket parts are almost always the solution. However, aftermarket companies need time to reverse-engineer the parts. Also, this particular headlamp has the company's name printed so that it’s visible inside the assembly. It’s unclear if the name or simply time is the issue, but there is no aftermarket solution.

• Car Talk - Aren’t there other tricks to find a headlamp used by the collision repair industry?

• Adjuster - Absolutely. We will often use a salvaged part from a vehicle wrecked on the opposite side or end of the vehicle. However, salvage yards are finding themselves outbid at auctions for totaled cars. One owner of a salvage yard our repair shop clients often work with told me recently that overseas parts brokers are paying double what they can afford to pay for wrecks. We speculate the wrecks go to markets where safety repairs like airbag replacements are not mandated.

So far, we’ve shown two examples, a domestic-branded SUV and a European-brand sports sedan that can’t be repaired. However, if you follow electric vehicles on social media, it is obvious that the biggest problem today is the repair of new EVs just released to the market. One such example is illustrated by this popular Youtube video.

In this case, an early adopter and advocate for EVs purchased a Volkswagen ID.4. The ownership story starts off as a love story. The new owner loved almost everything about the vehicle until it needed a new front motor. As the video explains, Volkswagen has no timeline for the replacement of the motor.

You may be wondering if there are consumer-protection laws that force automakers to have parts available for repairs. One used car expert we follow did some digging. He found that manufacturers are required to support vehicles while under their warranties but not much more.

If you drove before the internet, you will remember that there was a time in America when all the cars used the same round or rectangular sealed beam headlights because the law required it. The idea was that if you had a minor accident in your American-branded SUV, you could easily source an affordable headlight. We kicked those laws to the curb because custom $4,500 composite headlight assemblies built with unobtanium filaments in the shape of a teardrop are more appealing than $20 square ones.

With shortages of nearly every consumer product commonplace today, it’s unlikely that attorneys general will hold automakers accountable. Our advice for readers is to keep your older mass-market vehicle until the market returns to some form of normalcy. Older, higher-volume models are the easiest for which to get parts.