Nearly 47 per 1,000 vehicles had a manufacturing issue in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said last year was the year of complaints. Consumers filed 40,000 formalized complaints last year about issues with their vehicles.
2010’s complaints were four times higher than in recent years. NHTSA said the increase may be due to the more prominent vehicle recalls in recent years, and the fact that people know there is an outlet to report vehicle issues.
“People are now more aware that there is an agency called NHTSA and that you can complain to it. Complaints are a good thing,” explained the Center for Auto Safety executive director Clarence Ditlow. Accounting for 25% of complaints is automaker Toyota, whose “complaint ratio” rose to 87 for every 100,000 cars sold.
Nissian vehicles were the second-most complained about, with 62 per 100,000, and Volkswagen came in third with 58, according to reports . The overall average for complaints in 2010 is 47 per 100,000 automobiles, jumping up from 30 in 2009. As an example of one of the many complaints filed, a Huntington Beach resident mentioned the engine froze in his 2002 Toyota Highlander. He hopes to one day be reimbursed for the $2,500 cost of having his vehicle’s engine rebuilt since the bolts loosened, causing the head gasket to break along with oil and coolant to spill.
As a South Carolina car accident attorney , I hope the report results in automakers to raise their safety standards in their vehicles to prevent personal injuries. If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident as a result of a vehicle malfunction, contact a North Charleston car accident attorney, .