Vehicle breakdowns at record high, says AAA

Vehicle breakdowns at record high, says AAA

Despite advances in vehicle technology, including maintenance reminders and other dashboard alerts, the American Automobile Association rescued a record-breaking 32 million drivers in 2015, with more battery, flat tire and key problems than ever before, a new study shows.

Vehicles less than five years old had a higher proportion of tire and key-related problems, suggesting that the trend toward eliminating the spare tire and moving to electronic keyless ignitions may have unintended consequences.

–Vehicles today are more advanced than ever, yet are still vunerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAAês managing director of Automotive Solutions. –Sleek, low profile tires are highly susceptible to damage, electronic keyless igntions can zap battery life, and despite advanced warning systems, more than half a million drivers ran out of gas last year.”

Vehicles between 6 and 10 years old have the most battery problems, as most batteries have a three- to five-year life, AAA reports.