On March 26, the White House released a proclamation under its Presidential Actions section clarifying the intent and nature of the April 2025 automotive tariffs. There, President Trump lists which car parts will be taxed an extra 25% upon entry or “removal from warehouse” for consumer use.

25% tariffs now apply to the following car parts

• Engines
• Transmissions
• Powertrain parts
• Electrical components

“Engines” and “transmissions” as whole units seem straightforward enough. Electrical components…yea, got it. Sensors, switches, modules, wiring, plugs, and all else. But it’s the “powertrain parts” listed above that have the automotive industry – and drivers – wondering.

What are powertrain parts?

A car’s powertrain includes the engine, transmission, driveshaft, differential, and axles. The transmission, driveshaft, differential, and axles are also often called the “drivetrain.”

The powertrain basically refers to the group of major vehicle components that move a car forward.

Despite these “key” automotive components, it’s unclear whether the parts directly related to the function of the powertrain are included as well.

What about small “wear and tear” vehicle parts?

My question is this: What about repair and maintenance items? You know, the stuff that interacts with these “key vehicle components” that drivers often replace throughout a car’s lifetime? What about wheels and tires? Does transmission fluid count? Coolant?

I’m also talking about oil filters, spark plugs, brake pads and rotors, fluids, belts, and air filters.

For example, while spark plugs are part of the ignition system, that system interacts directly with the engine. As far as I understand, Bosch manufacturers its spark plugs in China, Germany, India, and Russia. Will the new tariffs apply to them?

Trump administration leaves the auto tariffs parts list open-ended

We don’t have the answer yet. I’d expect many additional wear-and-tear components getting added to the pot, here. After all, the proclamation basically leaves room to tariff whatever car parts the administration deems a threat to “America’s domestic industrial base and supply chains.”

“Within 90 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary shall establish a process for including additional automobile parts articles within the scope of the tariffs described in clause (1) of this proclamation.”

The process, the White House tariffs proclamation says, will include a method for domestic parts manufacturers to basically “tell on” other companies. Domestic companies can submit a request to the Secretary exposing competitor car parts produced outside the U.S.

In any case, if the Secretary deems any particular component a valid candidate for the tariffs, the tariff kicks in the very next day.