The arteries that link the heart of the Canadian auto industry with its main customers and some parts suppliers in the United States remained partly clogged yesterday, causing some temporary plant shutdowns.

Honda of Canada Manufacturing Inc. cancelled the second shifts at its two assembly plants in Alliston, Ont. Full production at the plants, which assemble minivans, sport utility vehicles and compact cars, is expected to resume today.

DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc. sent home about 900 workers at its minivan plant in Windsor, Ont., after they had worked about half of their normal 7½-hour shift. The absence of supplies of one part caused the shutdown, said DaimlerChrysler spokesman Bob Renaud.

Afternoon and evening shifts at the three-shift operation are expected to return to full production. Another plant in Windsor and a plant in Brampton, Ont., ran full shifts.

Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. and General Motors of Canada Ltd. reported that their assembly and parts operations ran normally.

Several companies acknowledged that there were lengthy delays getting trucks carrying finished vehicles across the border. Hundreds of trucks carrying only finished vehicles cross the border each day.

Honda, which ships about 60 per cent of its Odyssey minivans, Acura MDX sport utility vehicles and Civic compacts by truck, had at one point 22 trucks carrying its vehicles sitting on Highway 401 near Windsor, spokesman Jim Miller said.

One truck arrived close to the border at 5 p.m. Wednesday, but didn't make it across until 8 a.m. yesterday.

The delays are not significant, said Mr. Renaud of DaimlerChrysler.

"If a vehicle is delayed in delivery by 12 hours, it's not the same as a part required in a plant in three to four hours as part of a just-in-time delivery system," he said.

The Peace Bridge between Fort Erie, Ont., and Buffalo, N.Y., was open yesterday, but trucks were being diverted before they got to the bridge so they could be inspected.

There was a 27-kilometre-long line of traffic along Highway 401 east of Windsor waiting to cross the Ambassador Bridge or the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel into Detroit.

Delays were growing at the Bluewater Bridge crossing between Sarnia, Ont., and Port Huron, Mich., with lines of traffic 10 to 20 kilometres long.