J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 U.S. Heavy-Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study, released Wednesday,, found a decline in satisfaction primarily because of an increase in the number of problems experienced due to a decrease in quality of one-year-old Class 8 trucks.
Problems in the trucks rose 9 percent to 223 problems per 100 trucks in 2012, with the biggest issues being engine and fuel problems caused by technology originally designed to reduce emissions.
The issues experienced are found more commonly in U.S.-owned truck manufacturers than foreign-owned manufacturers, due to the experience foreign-owned manufacturers have because of prior-enforced emission laws in Europe.
The study is divided into two product segments, highway and vocational. Satisfaction is determined in each segment according to six key factors: cab/body, cost of operation, engine, ride/handling/braking, transmission, and warranty.
For more information and to read the full report, visit the company website.
