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AURORA, Colo — The holiday season can be stressful, but for Leticia Thomas, this year it’s almost unbearable.

She’s been without a car for two and a half months, waiting for a part that never seems to arrive. Her 2014 Chevy Malibu is sitting at Len Lyall Chevrolet waiting to be fixed.

The dealership says a big backlog for car parts from General Motors is to blame, the result of a 40 day long strike earlier this fall.

On September 16th, United Autoworkers started striking manufacturing jobs.

“I’m questioning if i can do Christmas for my kids. I’m questioning whether I can make meals in my house because there’s no extra money coming in. It’s hard,” Thomas said.

Leticia is a medical assistant and a part time Lyft driver. The problems with her car have forced her to stop working as a Lyft driver, meaning a lost income of about $1,000 a month. The car needs a new oil control valve, which she thought would be a simple and quick fix.

The Len Lyall Chevrolet dealership tells the FOX31 Problem Solvers they are still waiting on parts from General Motors – blaming the backlog on a 40 day long strike earlier this fall that depleted their inventory for parts.

The dealerships says there’s nothing they can do but wait for the part to arrive, unless Leticia wants to trade her vehicle in for another one.

“I feel like they’re trying to get me into a new car because I’m a woman and I won’t second guess it or second think it. It’s stressful,” Thomas said..

Len Lyall insists that’s not the case, but Leticia’s patience is growing thin. The bills are piling up and her income is shrinking during a time of the year when she needs the money the most.

“I feel like I’m dependent on other people. I can’t do what makes me happy which is making a living. It makes me happy. I would just like to drive my car again. That’s all I ask,” she said.

The FOX31 Problem Solvers did ask Len Lyall about ordering the part from another business, but they claim it’s not available anywhere else.

After being contacted by FOX31, the dealership says it will look into providing Leticia with a rental car, but she would not be able to use it to shuttle passengers as a Lyft driver.

Leticia is currently getting rides to her job as a medical assistant from a co-worker.