Do car diagnostic problems track monthly earnings of newly hired auto repair shop workers across states?
Car diagnostic complaints run higher where monthly earnings of newly hired auto repair shop workers is higherNHTSA owner complaints about car diagnostic run 6% above what the makes sold there would predict in the 10 states with the highest monthly earnings of newly hired auto repair shop workers, and 9% below in the 10 with the lowest.
What it shows: States with more monthly earnings of newly hired auto repair shop workers (dollars) tend to sit higher on the chart across 49 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.
Data: Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators 2024, NAICS 8111, joined to NHTSA owner complaints, downloaded 2026-10-08 · 49 states. Chart: CalcScrape · calcscrape.com
A moderate pattern, probably real but not certain: chance would produce one this clear about 1 time in 10. Weak spot: hold share of public road miles that are urban local streets equal and only 6% of the monthly earnings of newly hired auto repair shop workers pattern remains, so part of it may be that factor.