Report: Volcano stops JDM Nissan plant, could hurt U.S. Cube, Murano, Rogue supplies

The wrath of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano continues. Airlines are just now beginning to get brave enough to test the skies after airborne ash put a stop to all flights last week, and today there are new reports of volcanic activity putting everyone on notice. And while the volcano has left plenty of travelers stranded across Europe, the eruption is having a widespread impact on the manufacturing sector, too. Case in point: The Wall Street Journal reports that Nissan is suspending production at its plants in Fukuoka and Kanagawa. The reason? The Japanese plants use pneumatic sensors produced in Ireland that are delivered by aircraft, and that whole 'just-in-time' production methodology apparently doesn't jibe all that well with Icelandic ash.

If you've been anxiously waiting delivery of your new Nissan Cube, Murano or Rogue, odds are you're probably okay – for now. But all three models use the sensor in question, and as such, are facing production delays. The company doesn't know when the plants will be able to resume production, but odds are it will depend on when Iceland's volcano stops wreaking havoc on Europe's airspace.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]