Do tire installation problems track gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year across states?

Across U.S. states, NHTSA owner complaints about tire installation run higher where gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year is higher, after adjusting for the makes sold in each state. This is an association across states, not proof that gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year causes this repair.

How to read it: Each dot is a state. Further right means more gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year (seds, transportation); 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 gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year (seds, transportation).

What it shows: States with more gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year (seds, transportation) tend to sit higher on the chart across 20 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.

• The 6 states with the most gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year (Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina): reports of this repair run 8% above what the makes sold there would predict, and 5 of 6 are above expected. The 6 with the least (New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey): 7% below, and 2 of 6 are above expected.
• Exceptions: North Carolina is among the highest in gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year but reports below expected; Illinois (28% above expected) is among the lowest but above expected.
• Split the states into thirds: the third with the least gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year runs 7% below what the makes sold there would predict, the middle third 22% above, and the third with the most 8% above. Most of the gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year effect sits between the lowest and the middle third.
• For gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year, after allowing for the 1562 comparisons we ran, luck alone would produce a pattern this strong about 1 time in 5. Take out any single state and the gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year pattern still holds.
• Weak spot: compare only states with similar share of highway miles with poor ride quality and the pattern keeps about 0% of its strength, so part of it may come from share of highway miles with poor ride quality instead of gallons of motor gasoline burned per resident per year.

Where residents burn more gasoline they drive more miles, and brakes, tires, belts and suspension wear out with miles.

Source: EIA State Energy Data System, motor gasoline consumption, joined to NHTSA owner complaints · file downloaded 2026-10-06