Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Foreign, Domestic Automakers Suspend Production at North American Factories

The shutdowns come to fight the spread of COVID-19/coronavirus after workers at multiple plants tested positive.

March 18, 2020
Foreign, Domestic Automakers Suspend Production at North American Factories

 

Photo via Anonyme/Wikimedia.

2 min to read


General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler will suspend production at North American manufacturing facilities to fight the spread of COVID-19/coronavirus, according to press statements and news reports.

Both GM and Ford stated their suspensions will last until at least March 30. GM stated its production status will be reevaluated week-to-week after that. Ford said its plants will shut down after Thursday evening shifts.

Ad Loading...

A factory worker at Ford’s assembly plant in Wayne, Mich. has tested positive for coronavirus/COVID-19.

Fiat Chrysler had closed its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant Tuesday night for deep cleaning, according to a statement sent to the Detroit Free Press. An employee had tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility, which makes the Ram 1500. An announcement regarding the plant’s reopening is pending.

The closures come after the United Auto Workers requested on Tuesday that the Big 3 automakers cease production for the next two weeks. 

Hyundai confirmed a case of COVID-19 at its Alabama manufacturing plant and has suspended production at the plant starting today.

Tesla, however, will continue to keep its Fremont, Calif., plant open. TechCrunch reports that the EV automaker had conflicting guidance regarding a shelter-in place order in Alameda County.

Ad Loading...

Honda Motor Co. has temporarily closed its North American factories for one week starting on Wednesday.

Other foreign manufacturers, including Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz have not yet announced plant closures of their North American facilities.

Update 3/18: Fiat Chrysler said in a statement it will cease production at plants across North America starting today through the end of March. ​BMW reported it is closing its U.S. plants as well.

Update 3/19: Nissan announced that it will temporarily suspend production of its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. starting March 20 through April 6. Toyota is temporarily suspending production at all of its automobile and components plants in North America, including Canada, Mexico and the U.S., though its shutdown is short: Toyota reported its manufacturing facilities will be closed from March 23-24, resuming production on March 25, 2020. The service parts depots and vehicle logistics centers will continue to operate. Tesla will shut down its California and New York plans on March 23. 

Originally posted on Work Truck Online

More Rental Operations

Collage of cleaning car interior
Rental Operations•November 5, 2026

How Better Cleaning Processes Improve Rental Fleet Efficiency

A consistent approach to vehicle cleaning helps rental operators reduce turnaround delays and return vehicles to service without compromising cleanliness.

Read More →
Paperwork sits in front of a black Lamborghini
Rental Operations•November 1, 2026

Clean on Paper: Red Flags in Exotic Car Rental Verification

A suspicious $45,000 Lamborghini booking reveals the strengths and limitations of renter verification, from forged insurance documents to coverage gaps and unauthorized drivers. (Part 2 of 3)

Read More →
display of Turo's FSD homepage
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 28, 2026

Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals

The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two identical rental cars, two different prices
Rental Operations•Cover Story•October 26, 2026

How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules

As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.

Read More →
a laptop shows different connectivity paths for car rental supply
Rental Operations•October 23, 2026

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars

As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.

Read More →
thumbnail of title and photo of Joel Price and Chris Brown
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 20, 2026

How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?

With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
Ad Loading...