Graham noted that inventory is less than half of what it was in June of 2008 as Chrysler matches production with customer demand. In the past Chrysler was notorious for keeping its factories in operation despite lower demand, flooding the market with unwanted cars and trucks.

"Even though the sales may look bad in the short term, we're doing the right things that position us for when the market rebounds," Graham said. For instance, with its assembly plants shuttered most of the month, Chrysler sold only about 2,000 vehicles to low-profit fleet buyers such as rental car companies, she said.

However, the plant shutdowns have led to low inventory of some models. The company now has only a 40-day supply of the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan minivans, and it's also low on Jeep Wranglers, Sebring convertibles and Challengers, she said.

Analysts say the company has no new products coming until late next year and will have a difficult time making money with its current model lineup. Fiat Group SpA, which took over running Chrysler earlier this month, also will provide badly needed small-car and small-displacement engine technology, but that's more than a year away.

"We have at least another year of nothing. This is not going to be something that they're going to get out of overnight," said Tom Libby, an independent Detroit-area auto analyst.

Chrysler has new products coming: the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango crossovers, the Chrysler 300 large sedan and the Dodge Charger muscle car. But those won't help in growing segments of the market such as small and midsize cars, analysts say.

Chrysler's midsize offerings, the Sebring and Dodge Avenger, have sold poorly in a category that makes up 15 percent of the U.S. market, the largest single segment, and the company has nothing effectively coming in midsize even from Fiat, Libby said.

If the U.S. market improves, though, that could help Chrysler through the tough period, Barker said. The government has said it has stress-tested the $7 billion figure and determined that it is all Chrysler will need to make it until Fiat products arrive and its CEO, Sergio Marchionne, can turn the company around.

Graham cautioned that the new Chrysler is only 20 days out of bankruptcy and has yet to reveal its product plan. She wouldn't give specifics or even say whether changes are in the offing.

"We're definitely focused on what consumers want," she said.