Nowadays vehicle spare parts and materials manufacturers more than ever need a system approach which makes it possible to become a part of global supply-chain in the automotive industry. Such system approach could be implemented by developing a quality management system. The ISO/TS 16949 is particular requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2008 for automotive and automotive-related products production. The aim of this study is to analyze the diffusion of certified quality management systems ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 9001. The ISO survey of certifications has been a source for the analysis conducted for the data within a four-year period. Three main topics are discussed in this paper: the ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certificates diffusion in the world and in Latvia; the fundamental requirements in the ISO/TS 16949; an applicable tool for reviewing customer complaints in automotive production. This study has been focused on automotive industry therefore it highlights issues relating to industry-specific standard.