76.9 Percent of Vehicles on the Road Have Potentially Dangerous Issues
What Consumers Need to Know to Keep their Vehicle and Passengers Safe
(PHOENIX, Arizona) April 3, 2014— Last week a Gilbert man lost his whole family when the tire blew out on the vehicle they were driving, causing it to collide with an ongoing semi on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix. While it’s not known at this point what was wrong with the tire, accidents like this are too common and many can be avoided by just taking some simple preventative measures.
It’s easy to understand why there are so many vehicles with potentially dangerous issues. According to the US Department of Transportation, there are 253 million registered vehicles on the roads in the United States. According to the Chicago Tribune, with the latest 4.8 million vehicle recall by General Motors, “in 2014 the automotive industry is on pace to surpass the historic high of 30 million vehicles recalled in 2004.” That’s a shocking 11.8 percent of all vehicles in the US being under some sort of recall for potentially dangerous if not fatal, issues. And the problem is, according to Edmunds.com, millions of recalled cars with potentially dangerous issues are being driven on the roads today simply because the owners have no idea their vehicle has been part of a recall.
There are other issues with vehicles on the road as well
- 76.9 percent of vehicles on the road right now are in need of some sort of service
- 22% have low or incorrect engine oil
- 20% of vehicles have an issue with the engine cooling systems
- 18% of vehicles need brake service (Source: Car Care Council)
- 80% percent of cars are driving on underinflated tires
Matt Allen, the owner of Virginia Auto Service, an award-winning auto repair shop in Phoenix, Arizona, offers the following advice to vehicle owners who are concerned about keeping their vehicle (and passengers) safe while driving.
- Check to see if your vehicle is on a recall list: Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety website where you can search by the year, make, and model of your vehicle to see if it’s on a recall list.
- Check your tire pressure once a week. Make sure the tire pressure is the same pressure that’s written on the label inside of your car door, not the pressure written on your tires.
- Follow your manufacturer’s recommended maintenance plan. Preventative maintenance is one of the most important things you can do to maintain the safety of your vehicle by catching issues before they turn into full-blown problems.
- Check your oil level once a week. Make sure you check it when the vehicle is cold before you have started it up. Add the proper oil as recommended by your manufacturer.
- Keep your vehicle clean and clear out the trunk. Believe it or not, a clean vehicle is a safer vehicle. Washing removes obstructions to viewing. Extra weight in the vehicle can also be a hazard when driving.
To assist consumers in making sure their vehicle is safe, in honor of April being National Car Care Month, Allen is offering free vehicle safety inspections. Simply take your car to Virginia Auto Service, and they will check the recall list as well as do a complete inspection of your vehicle checking the problem areas such as brakes, tires, oil, and cooling systems. If your car is on the recall list, Virginia Auto Service will take it to the dealer for you.
The free safety inspections run through the month of April and no purchase is required. An appointment is required. Contact Virginia Auto Service at 602-266-0200 for more information.
Virginia Auto Service has won numerous awards including Motor Age Magazine Top Shop, AZ Central’s Reader’s Choice for Best Auto Repair in Phoenix, and the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Impact Business of the Year for Response to Adversity. The owner, Matt Allen, has been an advisor on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Automotive Advisory committee since 2000 and served as the Chairman in 2008 and 2009. For more information visit www.virginiaautoservice.com.
Owner Matt Allen co-hosts the Bumper to Bumper radio show on Saturdays from 11 am. – Noon on KTAR 92.3 FM in Phoenix. Reach Matt at 602-266-0020 and [email protected].
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