Hankook Tire Data Shows More Americans Neglecting Car Maintenance During COVID-19 Pandemic

- More than two thirds did not perform certain routine maintenance on their cars

- Regularly scheduled maintenance appointments have been canceled or delayed by nearly half of Americans surveyed

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Jul 21, 2020, 09:02 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As many Americans find themselves driving less due to the COVID-19 pandemic, research from Hankook Tire reveals that they are also neglecting vehicle maintenance and systems checks, which could have costly implications down the road. Nearly half (48 percent) of Americans have delayed or canceled a vehicle maintenance appointment, according to the latest Hankook Tire Gauge Index. And, even more did not perform routine maintenance such as topping off fluids (73 percent) or checking tire pressures regularly (70 percent).

While the data also indicated that many plan to perform their own vehicle maintenance moving forward, professional service has not been a priority for many drivers for several months. Nearly half (48 percent) of Americans surveyed delayed or canceled a regularly scheduled maintenance appointment during the pandemic, meaning that trained service personnel would not have been able to identify any mechanical issues that might have been missed by the owner.

"It is understandable that with restrictions in place this spring, many did not take their vehicles in for professional maintenance," said Daniel Brown, Senior Technical Services Specialist, Hankook Tire America Corp. "However, as respondents said they focused less on maintaining their vehicles, this could lead to mechanical problems for many drivers down the road as research shows that Americans plan to drive more in the coming months. While some maintenance can be performed at home, a visit with a professional mechanic is often important to diagnose small issues before they turn into costly repairs."

New Priorities for Our Vehicles as Travel Resumes
With businesses reopening and travel volumes increasing, our cars are resuming their roles as our primary means of travel. Most Americans (80 percent) expect their normal driving habits to resume no later than the end of 2020, and 60 percent of respondents plan on taking more car trips. And, with summer upon us, cars will be the primary vacation mode of travel for 57 percent of Americans as concerns linger over plane travel.

This data reinforces the importance of having our cars run reliably, and at-home maintenance will play a role in ensuring this. Nearly half (48 percent) of Americans plan on performing vehicle maintenance on their own, and a similar percentage (49 percent) are now checking their own tire pressures rather than taking their vehicles to a mechanic or dealer.

And did you know: Beyond our vehicles, the importance of cleanliness and preparedness has been a major learning from the pandemic. More than two-thirds (70 percent) of Americans plan on keeping more cleaning and paper supplies in the house.

The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a survey of Americans' attitudes and opinions. The latest installment of the survey, conducted April 22-23, 2020, polled 1,094 randomly selected Americans age 18+ who have a valid U.S. driver's license.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.
Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hankook America markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea, and led by President and CEO Hyun Bum Cho.

SOURCE Hankook Tire America Corp.