Almost 9 per cent of the 157,700 calls to AA Ireland last year involved cars registered in 2007, the company revealed last night. In its annual review of callouts, the AA found that 13,581 drivers of cars registered in 2007 had contacted them with a range of faults, including problems with the electrics, alarm issues and major mechanical faults.
Overall, the biggest single repair issue for motorists last year were flat batteries, accounting for 41,000 calls to the AA, or 31 per cent of the total. Of these, 25,575 were vehicle defects but 16,156 were caused by "driver error"; often as a result of leaving lights on, according to the AA.
For anyone who suffered the frustration and embarrassment of locking their keys into their car last year, there is good news: you are not alone. Last year 3,823 drivers had to seek help from the AA after doing just that.
AA public affairs manager Conor Faughnan said invariably when this happens, "the motorist says they feel foolish and frustrated but it happens all the time". He added that this issue was almost 13 per cent more likely to involve women, rather than men last year.
A gender divide was also apparent in the wheel change category, according to the AA, with women being 76 per cent more likely to call the AA for assistance with tyre problems.
In calls relating to crash damage, a male driver was 26 per cent more likely to be involved than a woman, reflecting the fact that male drivers are more likely to be involved in serious or fatal crashes.
Overall, the second most common repair requested from the AA last year involved problems with the steering, suspension or brakes and these mechanical problems showed no difference between the sexes.
Fuel problems were the fourth most common cause of breakdowns last year, accounting for 11 per cent of calls to the AA.
According to Faughnan, 2007 has been the AA's busiest year-to-date. "In the past people might have been more intrepid and tried to borrow jump-leads and sort out a problem themselves.
"Now everyone has a mobile and they are much more likely to seek help," he says.