Complaints about the quality of automobiles increased by more than 20 percent last year, China's top quality watchdog said on Thursday.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine received 8,840 complaints involving 148 auto manufacturers and tire makers, said Liu Hongsheng, an official from the administration.

That represents a 20.8 percent increase over the previous year.

Liu did not name the companies, but said the complaints involved braking systems, wheels, engines and drivetrains.

Of the complaints, 16.8 percent concerned vehicles purchased within one year and 33.3 percent involved vehicles between one and two years old.

China issued 85 automobile recalls in 2011, involving some 1.82 million vehicles. About 1.71 million of the cars recalled were domestic models.

In the face of increasing quality requests and complaints, new legislation on auto recalls is expected to be released this year, an unnamed official from the administration said.