Toyota warns dealers of summer shortages

New vehicles damaged by the March 11 tsunami waters are placed in a Toyota Motor Corp. parking lot at Sendai port, in Sendai.

DETROIT — Toyota Motor Corp. is telling U.S. dealers that new vehicles could be in short supply this summer.

In a memo to dealers obtained Monday by The Associated Press, Toyota’s U.S. general manager Bob Carter says new vehicle supplies could be “significantly impacted” due to production slowdowns in Japan and North America.

Toyota has had trouble getting some parts after its suppliers were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Carter says plants won’t be running at full capacity this month and production schedules haven’t been set for May through July.

Toyota also says some paint colors won’t be available because of damage to a supplier.

Still, Carter says the company is optimistic about April sales and has more than 300,000 vehicles in stock.