National Car Care Month
2007 National Car Care Month Check Lanes Show
84 Percent Failure Rate
Vehicle inspection lanes, conducted throughout the United States by sponsoring local organizations and businesses, are part of the automotive aftermarket industry’s ongoing public awareness campaign.
Volunteers across the country conduct these events, with a portion of them returning their vehicle inspection forms to the Car Care Council for tabulation and analysis. The 2007 campaign included results from a total of 466 vehicle inspections in seven states nationwide.
Statistics from the National Car Care Month inspection campaign (April 2007) continue to underscore the need for consumer education. The potential effects on highway safety, air quality, cost of operation, vehicle performance and vehicle dependability are self-evident from these results.
Overall, the vehicle failure rate for at least one part or system was 84 percent. This means that more than eight out of every 10 vehicles failed at least one component of the vehicle inspection process.
The following tables show the percentage of motorists participating in the National Car Care Month inspection campaign whose vehicles failed this part of the inspection.
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS
• Engine Oil 27%
• Transmission Fluid 20%
• Washer Fluid 22%
• Coolant (Flush) 21%
• Power Steering Fluid 18%
• Brake Fluid 13%
• Clutch Fluid 10%
Low fluid levels can affect the safe driving performance of the vehicle and damage internal parts if not properly maintained. More than one-fourth of vehicles (27 percent) failed the inspection because of low, overfull or dirty motor oil. Just under one-quarter of vehicles failed the inspection for their washer fluid (22 percent).
The cooling system protects against damage by keeping the engine operating within the correct temperature range. Approximately one-fifth of the vehicles inspected (21 percent) had low, leaky or dirty coolant in their radiator or surge tank.
One-fifth of the vehicles inspected (20 percent) had either low, overfull or burnt transmission fluid. Approximately one-sixth of vehicles had problems with their brake fluid (13 percent) or power steering fluid (18 percent). An additional one-tenth of vehicles failed the inspection for their clutch fluid (10 percent).
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
• Windshield Wipers 16%
• Rear Wiper or Washer 15%
Approximately one-sixth of vehicles (16 percent) had front windshield wiper failures and 15 percent of vehicles needed service on their rear wipers.
PARTS
• Air Filter 24%
• Check Engine Light 13%
• Belts 11%
• PCV Filter 7%
• Hoses 4%
• Radiator Cooling Fan(s) 5%
• Horn 4%
• Mirrors 3%
• Intake Preheat Duct 2%
Roadside breakdowns can be avoided by motorists periodically checking their belts and hoses and replacing them when worn. At least one belt was reported as unsatisfactory in about one out of every 10 vehicles inspected (11 percent) and 4 percent of the vehicles required at least one new hose.
The air filter keeps abrasive dust, dirt, bugs and other foreign matter out of the fuel system air intake. A dirty filter can decrease gas mileage and increase emissions. Approximately one-quarter of the vehicles checked (24 percent) needed new air filters. In addition, 7 percent of vehicles were in need of new PCV filters.
Just over one-tenth of the vehicles inspected (13 percent) had their check engine light on. Five percent of vehicles had problems with their radiator cooling fans, while 2 percent failed for their intake preheat duct. An additional 4 percent had problems with their horn and 3 percent failed for their left, right or inside mirror.
BATTERY
• Cables, Clamps or Terminals 16%
• Carrier/Hold Down 8%
• Charge Indicator 4%
Battery cables, clamps and terminals were found to need maintenance in about one-sixth of the vehicles inspected (16 percent), while 8 percent of the batteries were not properly held down. Four percent had either a green, dark or clear/yellow charge indicator light.
TIRES
• Tire Depth 25%
• Tire Pressure 14%
Low tire pressure decreases gas mileage and tire life. Vehicles traveling with worn tread are at greater risk of losing traction on wet or snowy roads. Fourteen percent of the vehicles were found to have improperly inflated tires and 25 percent had worn tread and were in need of replacement.
LIGHTS/VISION
• License Plate Lights 10%
• Brake Lights 8%
• Backup Lights 4%
• Side Lights 3%
• Turn Signals 3%
• Parking/Tail Lights 2%
• Headlights 3%
Vehicle lighting provides a means of communicating among drivers and is vital to any properly functioning vehicle. One-tenth of vehicles (10 percent) needed work on at least one of their license plate lights. Just under one-tenth of vehicles needed work on their left, right or center brake light (8 percent) and 3 percent needed work on one of their side markers. Four percent of vehicles failed due to backup light failure, 3 percent failed for their turn signals and 2 percent were due to parking lights. Three percent of vehicles failed for their headlights, while 2 percent failed due to their dash indicator lights/gauges.
