DETROIT — As auto sales continue to be crippled by the lack of consumer credit, Chrysler has announced that it will halt its factory operations for at least a month. The move is a dramatic S.O.S. to Washington that immediate help is needed on government loans.Chrysler said 'all manufacturing operations' will be idled at the end of the shift on December 19 and will not resume until at least January 19.'Due to the continued lack of consumer credit for the American car buyer and the resulting dramatic impact it has had on overall industry sales in the United States, Chrysler LLC announced that it will make significant adjustments to the production schedules of its manufacturing operations,' the company said in a statement. It added: 'The company will continue to monitor the production schedules of its manufacturing operations moving forward.' Chrysler said its dealers have been unable to close deals, due to lack of financing. Chrysler dealers have lost an estimated 20 to 25 percent of their volume because of the dire financial situation.At the same time, General Motors is halting construction of a plant in Flint, Michigan, tied to the Chevrolet Volt. But the automaker said the move will not affect the late 2010 launch of the Volt and the Chevrolet Cruze. The plant is to make 1.4-liter engines for the Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car. On December 12, GM announced a 'significant reduction of planned production for the first quarter of 2009,' removing about 250,000 units from production. The latest cuts involve 20 assembly plants, including three each in Canada and Mexico. The cuts also affect the automaker's Bowling Green, Kentucky, plant, which builds the Chevrolet Corvette and the Cadillac XLR, as well as GM's Lansing Grand River plant, which builds the Cadillac CTS and the Cadillac STS.Ford said it will close 10 of its North American assembly plants the week of January 5 as part of a previously announced plan to curb output.The New York Times reported on Thursday that 'the Bush administration appears to want an agreement with the automakers before December 25.' It described the administration as 'deep into negotiations' with General Motors and Chrysler over a reorganization plan. It also suggested that U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., has become the de facto 'auto czar' or overseer who can control such things as whether top auto management is shown the door.Pleas for the federal government to help Detroit continue to grow. On Wednesday, the chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association said that with each passing day, 'more dealerships are closing and more people are losing their jobs.''These are desperate times in many communities around the country,' said Annette Sykora, NADA chairman, in a statement. 'We've heard encouraging words from the White House, but time is of the essence. A lot of people are depending on the White House to provide the bridge loans to prevent a collapse of the auto industry. We need action now.'Inside Line says: The wheels of industry in Detroit and throughout North America are beginning to grind to a halt as Chrysler and GM run out of money. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent