HOUSTON — Most pandemic shortages have now ended astore shelves are well-stocked again. That’s not the case with many automobile parts, but there is something you can do if you’re facing a car part shortage so you don’t waste your money.
When your car is in the shop for a few days, that’s a pain, but some drivers right now are stuck with no car for months because their parts are on backorder.
Ted Knippenberg is one of thousands of frustrated drivers waiting for a transmission module right now.
“You start it, and you go to give it some gas, and it will only go a couple of miles an hour,” he said.
He has been waiting since last fall, but says no local dealer can get the part.
"We don't know what the status is, besides them saying we don't know when we can get it fixed,” Knippenberg said.
A few months back, George Weaver told me he had to drive his SUV without a catalytic converter after a thief stole it and the dealer couldn't find a new one.
“There are none in the country and they don't know when they are gonna get them in,” he said.
Chris Ventura has been running an auto repair shop for more than 25 years, but he has never seen a parts shortage as bad as this.
"Day by day, it gets frustrating and more frustrating, because even your basic brake job can take major time to find the product," He said.
He says he worst shortages involve computer chips, such as transmission control modules, or TCMs.
“This module right now as it sits, you are on an eight-month back order,” Venture said.
In the past, many drivers would buy a used part, perhaps a module that had been remanufactured, but Ventura says the problem now is that with so many new parts unavailable, it is getting tougher than ever to find a reconditioned part.
What can you do? Chris suggests you do one of the following:
- Visit an independent shop, which has more flexibility than dealers that usually have to use official replacement parts.
- Don’t be afraid of used parts if they come with a warranty.
If your dealer doesn’t have a part for you right now, check other repair shops and local parts suppliers, so you don’t waste your money.