The trade war may have started as headline fodder, but its ripple effects are now parked—literally—at ports across America. Triggered by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy, the fallout hasn’t just rattled the stock market with unpredictable spikes and dives; it’s also forced automakers to seriously reconsider how they operate in the USA.

Read: The Real Victims Of Trump’s Tariffs Might Be American Carmakers Themselves

Although the President hit pause on his sweeping “reciprocal” tariff hikes for 90 days in dealings with many countries, the separate 25% tariff on automobiles and car parts remains firmly in place. For carmakers, that’s a red flag they can’t afford to ignore.

Many brands have adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ strategy, well aware that the President can change his tune quickly and unexpectedly. Now, thousands of newly-imported vehicles are being held at ports across the United States, while many brands have paused shipments to the US entirely, eager not to pay any unnecessary tariffs.

Cars Are Stuck, Ports Are Full

Speaking with The Financial Times, unnamed executives from the logistics and automotive sectors say imported cars are piling up at US ports, with some close to full capacity. Companies such as Aston Martin, Audi, and Jaguar Land Rover have temporarily suspended shipping to the US in the hope their current inventories will last until long-term resolutions are reached with the country’s trading partners.

Understandably, car manufacturers are trying every trick in the book to avoid paying the hefty new tariffs. In addition to holding vehicles at US ports before importers need to pony up for the tariffs and get the cars on the roads, some brands want to shift imported vehicles to US bonded warehouses. These facilities will allow car companies to store their new cars without being charged tariffs.

Confusion about the issue has also caused concern. While Trump recently imposed a blanket 25% tariff on all imported cars last week and promised to impose taxes on foreign-made car parts from May 3, many details remain fuzzy.

A German car executive told the FT that it wasn’t clear what constitutes a car part: “Is a part an engine, or is it each screw in the engine?”. Now, that’s a good question. Until there’s official guidance, domestic car owners could find themselves stuck without access to vital components—bad news for anyone needing repairs, and worse for service centers that might end up with cars they can’t fix.