Over the weekend, heavy rains in the Detroit metro area submerged some newly built vehicles before they could be delivered to customers. Severe weather also shuttered factories building some popular trucks and SUVs. Detroit’s automakers are still assessing the damage.
Cars Submerged to the Roofline
The Detroit Free Press reports, “A flooded shipping yard near the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit is filled with what appear to be new Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles.” The shipping yard is used to hold finished vehicles before they are transported to dealerships.
“Vehicles of all kinds are temporarily stored in the area, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L [which just began shipping to customers last week], Dodge Durango, minivans, Chargers, Challengers and trucks,” the newspaper said. Images on social media and local news showed some submerged to the roofline.
Supplies Were Tight Before This
Losing a lot filled with finished vehicles would be a hiccup in an ordinary year. But supply issues have left dealerships running short of many popular SUVs and trucks this summer.
If several hundred vehicles were destroyed before shipping, which seems likely, that could leave buyers with even fewer to choose from. We’ll bring details on any shipping delays when we have them.
Factories Already Running Again
Factories have already resumed production. A spokesperson told reporters, “Water from the plant was removed and second shift resumed at 4:30 p.m. [Sunday]. An assessment will be conducted on the condition of vehicles in the yard. We have no further information to share at this time.”
Ford, meanwhile, temporarily closed its nearby Dearborn Truck Plant. The factory builds the F-150 pickup, America’s best-selling vehicle. The automaker reported no damage, but a spokesperson said “employees had trouble getting in due to the flooded area.”
