Ion production lines were halted for two weeks in 2003 to allow dealer inventory to reduce.

Company officials attribute these figures to higher than expected dealer inventories, and the resulting need to cut back on production and shipping.

Bloated dealer inventories had much to do with the market's virulent reaction to the inflation report, analysts said.

No, because if it was an amnesty registration, it wouldn't be part of his dealer inventory.

Other moves included reducing dealer inventory by 23 percent in 1991 and consolidating product lines.

It said cars already in dealer inventory would not be affected by the increase.

Partly as a result, dealer inventories soared in January above a 100-day supply.

But the costly strike had the beneficial side effect of shrinking swollen dealer inventories.

For other Chrysler vehicles, such as the company's hot-selling trucks, dealer inventories are far below average.

Since December, dealer inventories have been rising relative to the levels a year earlier, when demand was unseasonably robust.