Reuters | A parts shortage at a BMW supplier has slowed U.S. deliveries of most
2011 vehicles for the German automaker in May. The shortage has created a backlog of
orders for models, including the 3 Series and 7 Series sedans, BMW said.

During two weeks in April, the majority of latest BMW models bound for
U.S. consumers were built without the component that controls the
vehicle’s power seats due to the supplier shortcoming, the company said
in a notice to dealers on May 25 that was reviewed by Reuters.

BMW did not identify the supplier of the seat modules.

The affected vehicles, which include BMW’s 2011 model year 1, 3, 7 series and Z4 and GT models, have been held at the automaker’s vehicle distribution centers in the United States as they await parts installment.

The 2011 X5 and X6 sport utility vehicles had received the parts and were released for delivery to dealerships, the notice showed.

BMW makes the 1 Series, 3 Series and Z4 Roadster at a plant in Regensburg, Germany, and manufactures the 7 Series at its Dingolfing, Germany plant. The X5 and the X6 SUVs are made in Spartansburg, South Carolina.

“The transition to the model year 2011 has been challenging from a distribution perspective,” the automaker said in the notice.

“We are getting close to the point where these challenges will fall behind us.”

BMW U.S. spokesman Jan Ehlen confirmed the content of the notice and said BMW has assigned additional technicians to help expedite the installation process and sourced additional carriers to expedite delivery to dealerships.

BMW’s U.S. sales in May were not impacted by the action and the order backlog is expected to be cleared by early June, Ehlen said.