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Customers Unhappy With Parts Shortage Due To GM Strike

The GM strike ended on October 25th, but its impact is still being felt today. As we outlined previously, the walkout resulted in a number of different delays for the automaker, including parts availability for repairs. Now, stories are coming in outlining exactly how the strike has hit customers, as detailed in a recent post from Detroit Free Press.

One of those customers affected by the GM strike is Texas resident Ben Baby, who has been waiting on parts to fix his 2018 Buick Enclave since early October, with no timeline given regarding when his car will be fixed.

“I’m done,” Baby told Detroit Free Press. “All of this happened because of the GM strike. GM should have taken care of these things and been prepared, offered rental cars or something… it is their responsibility.”

Baby was involved in a four-car pileup on October 4th, and although he was uninjured, his Buick Enclave saw extensive frontend damage. Baby’s insurance said the damage was repairable, but the bodyshop said repairs would be delayed as a result of the GM strike.

That was two months ago. Now, Baby’s insurer said it would total the car, which means Baby can finally purchase a new vehicle. However, Baby won’t be returning to GM due to his experience waiting on parts for repairs.

Maryland resident Benny Tucker had a similar experience. Tucker was involved in a collision on October 17th in his 2016 Cadillac Escalade, just four weeks after purchasing the SUV. The damage included some $18,000 in repairs, but the parts did not start to arrive until December 5th as a result of the GM strike. What’s more, with the airbags deployed, the Escalade wasn’t even drivable, as parts to fix the dash are still unavailable.

“What’s upsetting to me is my $855 a month car payment – all my payments have been made on my Escalade while it’s been in the body shop,” Tucker told Detroit Free Press. “I paid $50,000 for this, and they can’t get a part for it. I can’t even get somebody on the phone to give me a date.”

“We are doing our best to recover as quickly as possible,” said GM spokesman Jim Cain in an email to Detroit Free Press.

“For 40 days, we could not receive inbound inventory and we were very limited in our ability to ship from our warehouses and distribution centers, which, under normal circumstances, stock close to 400,000 unique parts numbers and ship about 325,000 order lines each day,” Cain explained.

GM says it has made progress. According to Cain, parts production is still operating under emergency status with extensive overtime, and as a result, the customer backlogs have been cut in half.

Nevertheless, the effects of the extended GM strike will undoubtedly be felt for some time to come.

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Source: Detroit Free Press

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Boo Hoo…..this is just part of the process.

    Reply
    1. you must be the head of gm customer service. if not, you should be.

      Reply
  2. Please refer all complaints to the UAW. It was their strike actions not GM!

    Reply
  3. Gm could have averted the strike at anytime..
    My truck has been in body shop for a month waiting for a 2019 rear driver door.. No complaints here..

    Reply
    1. Wrong! Even when GM and UAW agreed terms the UAW stayed on strike until their members all voted their agreement.

      The UAW could have averted the strike at anytime. Not GM. They were at the mercy of the corrupt UAW.

      Reply
      1. Ya ok… Ford and fca had no problems did they?

        Reply
  4. Those that lead first usually clear the way for those coming behind – hence FMC & FCA better outcomes!

    Reply
  5. I’m curious if anyone else is still having issues getting parts.

    I’ve been without my ZR2 since early November and there seems to be no end in sight. I really don’t care who’s fault it was and I’ve been patient so far. But I did business with GM (not UAW) and now I’m starting to regret it. The strike has been over for months.

    Reply
  6. Good afternoon, I am waiting on parts for my 2018 Colorado ZR2 since the first of January. Rear differential parts so I will be 3 months without my truck soon. Haven’t went public with my issue until now but it seems like I am getting the run around because I want a full refund or a 2020 model because my son can’t drive the loaner they provided. This will definitely be my last GM vehicle after 20 plus vehicle and 25 years of buying them. I guess my next plan is to take legal action and let the LinkedIn community know.

    Reply

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