Do strut replacement problems track share of residents living in non-metro counties across states?

Across U.S. states, NHTSA owner complaints about strut replacement run higher where share of residents living in non-metro counties is higher, after adjusting for the makes sold in each state. This is an association across states, not proof that share of residents living in non-metro counties causes this repair.

How to read it: Each dot is a state. Further right means more share of residents living in non-metro counties; higher up means more complaints for this repair than expected (1.0 is average). If the dots climb to the right, reports of this repair rise with share of residents living in non-metro counties.

What it shows: States with more share of residents living in non-metro counties tend to sit higher on the chart across 21 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.

• The 7 states with the most share of residents living in non-metro counties (Kentucky, Oklahoma, Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio): reports of this repair run 37% above what the makes sold there would predict, and 7 of 7 are above expected. The 7 with the least (New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, Florida, Maryland, Arizona, New York): 2% below, and 2 of 7 are above expected.
• Exceptions: Maryland (43% above expected) is among the lowest but above expected.
• Split the states into thirds: the third with the least share of residents living in non-metro counties runs 2% below what the makes sold there would predict, the middle third 9% above, and the third with the most 37% above. It steps up steadily.
• For share of residents living in non-metro counties, after allowing for the 1562 comparisons we ran, luck alone would produce a pattern this strong about 1 time in 10,000 or more. Take out any single state and the share of residents living in non-metro counties pattern still holds.
• Weak spot: compare only states with similar share of residents living in urban areas and the pattern keeps about 7% of its strength, so part of it may come from share of residents living in urban areas instead of share of residents living in non-metro counties.

Rural roads mean gravel, potholes and long distances to a shop, which wear tires and suspension and raise the cost of a breakdown.

Source: USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes 2023 (codes 4 to 9) with 2020 Census county population, joined to NHTSA owner complaints · file downloaded 2026-10-06