It's not just the chip shortage — other supply chain disruptions are wreaking havoc on automakers and helping keep prices high

• Automakers keep experiencing production challenges.

• The pandemic, the shift to EVs, and supply chain problems are all to blame.

• But all of that could continue to impact car buyers, experts say.

Automakers keep experiencing production challenges — and these days, it's not necessarily due to a shortage of chips. Not only does that mean car-buying is never going back to normal, there could be other impacts on consumers in terms of cost, too.

Ford earlier this month stopped production of F-150 Lightning electric pickups as it struggles with the transition to electric vehicles and a battery fire. Meanwhile, the auto giant also saw downtime at its factory in Louisville for the Ford Escape, related to a software issue. GM's Bowling Green plant will stop Corvette output this week due to a "parts supply issue." Toyota has planned to halt its Czech plant.

That's just in the past few weeks.

"When popular models such as these have their production interrupted," Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told Insider via email, "it demonstrates a larger issue in the supply chain that needs to be addressed rather than working as if this is just part of normal operations."

A larger issue is looming, indeed. Despite tailwinds like huge profits, high demand, and low inventory, automakers are bracing themselves for more disruptions.

Whether those constraints are residual impacts from the pandemic, newfound parts shortages, or issues shifting to an all-electric vehicle lineup, car companies and their parts-makers are navigating an impressive set of challenges.

What's giving automakers a hard time?

As expected, new industry entrants like Rivian have also halted production. This can, in part, be attributed to the fact that these companies don't have the same supplier relationships as their legacy competitors.

"With a vehicle that has hundreds of suppliers and thousands of components coming from those suppliers, it only takes one part from one supplier to stop the line," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a Q3 earnings call. He mentioned losing 5 days of production "because of a single component supply shortage."