General Motors has announced that it will be temporarily halting production at its Shreveport, Louisiana, factory due to a parts shortage caused by the recent earthquake in Japan.

When the earthquake and tsunami hit, many auto industry analysts predicted that the quake could have dire effects for Toyota, Nissan and Honda, as the three automakers all source parts from various suppliers in Japan. The current status of those suppliers, especially the ones located in the areas badly affected by the blast, is currently unknown.

Yet many didn't predict that the effects could have far-reaching consequences for the industry as a whole. General Motors actually sources many of its parts from Japan, and with the country practically crippled in the wake of the disaster, GM was forced to shut down production at the Louisiana plant, which produces the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks.

GM isn't likely to be the only company affected. It's also believed that Ford sources a variety of parts from Japan, and the automaker has said it is monitoring the situation closely. Honda, Nissan and Toyota could be forced to slow or halt production at U.S.-based plants as well.

It's unknown how much this will affect production totals for the year, but it's not unreasonable to assume that some popular models may fall victim to a shortage. Drivers interested in making a purchase should head to New Jersey State Auto Auction before the problems become widespread and prices begin to spike.