Car parts shortage causing long waits for vehicle maintenance

The backlogged global supply chain is leading to a delay for some looking to get their vehicles fixed.

The owner of Bosco Auto Body Shop and Collision Repair in Kitchener said some customers have to wait more than four months for repairs.

“It's a dog-eat-dog world. And clients and consumers, people that get into collisions, into misfortunes - they are the ones paying the price,” said owner Petar Komazec.

Komazec said there’s no end in sight for the long waits.

Elgin King, a driver from Bayfield, Ont. said he hasn’t been able to sit behind the wheel of his 2022 Chevrolet Equinox since hitting a deer in July.

An auto parts shortage has kept Elgin King’s 2022 Chevrolet Equinox from being repaired since July. (Courtesy: Elgin King)

“The car sits there with the warranty going off it. It's got 1 078 kilometres on it,” said a frustrated King. “It's left us with one vehicle and it means every time my wife has to go someplace we either have to rent a cab or rent a car or bug one of the neighbours to go anywhere.”

CTV News reached out to General Motors Canada, which owns Chevrolet.

“Supply chain issues continue to impact many industries, including automotive parts. GM Canada is aware of specific shortages, and we are working through recovery plans. We expect to be fully caught up with demand by end of year,” said GM Canada in an emailed statement.

Supply chain issues affecting the car industry date back since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Chip shortages (and) supply chain disruptions caused car manufacturers to produce fewer cars in the last couple of years,” Baris Akyurek, the director of analytics at AutoTrader.ca, told CTV News earlier this year.

With files from CTV National.