In Hubei province, where the outbreak began and which is a major car manufacturing hub, responsible for nearly 10% of China's output, Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd and its partners, Honda Motor, Renault SA and Peugeot SA, have all said they are delaying restarting production.
Tesla's production and delivery plans in Shanghai have also been disrupted.
However, after authorities in Wuhan on Wednesday lifted restrictions on a limited number of key industries in the city and allowed some people to return to work, Honda resumed limited output at a car plant in the city.
Nissan Motor has also said it plans to partially resume production in Xiangyang, another city in Hubei, as well as its plant in Zhengzhou, Henan.
Industry-wide, auto sales fell 8.2% last year, pressured by new emission standards in a shrinking economy and trade tensions with the US.