Chip crunch halts Chrysler minivan production another week in Windsor

Production of the Chrysler minivans will be down an additional week next week in Windsor, Ontario, because of a shortage of microchips.

The plant that makes the Pacifica and the fleet-only Voyager hasn't run since the holiday break before the new year as a part of Stellantis NV's efforts to align production with sales. That's despite the plant being down for much of last year because of the chip shortage and a layoff expected in April of the roughly 1,800-person second shift in Windsor. Pacifica minivan sales, however, did increase 5% in 2021.

The chip shortage continues to cause halts to production throughout the industry, which has decreased dealership inventories and increased prices amid robust demand. President Joe Biden pleaded on Friday for Congress to pass $52 billion in funding for domestic semiconductor production.

Along with Windsor, Stellantis previously said Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, home of the Dodge muscle cars and Chrysler 300 sedan, will idle through Jan. 26. The plant producing the Ram ProMaster vans in Saltillo, Mexico, is being retooled through Feb. 10.

"Stellantis," spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement, "continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry."

bnoble@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @BreanaCNoble