Tech troubles hurt vehicle reliability in latest J.D. Power study
Trouble with technology continues to impact vehicle reliability, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.
The number of problems with infotainment, navigation and in-vehicle communication systems has increased, according to J.D. Power, and now accounts for 20 per cent of all customer-reported problems.
Audio, communication, entertainment and navigation is now the most problematic area on most vehicles, with J.D. Power blaming the cluster of technologies for a three per cent year-over-year decline in vehicle dependability.
"The increase in technology-related problems has two sources," Renee Stephens, vice-president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power, said in a statement.
"Usability problems that customers reported during their first 90 days of ownership are still bothering them three years later in ever-higher numbers. At the same time, the penetration of these features has increased year over year."
According to J.D. Power, Bluetooth connectivity and built-in voice recognition systems misinterpreting commands are the two biggest problems reported by consumers, followed by difficult-to-use and inaccurate navigation systems.
A staggering 67 per cent of owners who indicated a voice recognition problem claim it was related to the system not recognizing or misinterpreting verbal commands, while 53 per cent of those who reported a Bluetooth pairing issue said the vehicle didn't find or recognize their mobile devices.
The overall industry average for 2016 is 152 problems per 100 vehicles, up from 147 problems per 100 vehicles last year.
At 95 and 97 problems per 100 vehicles, respectively, Lexus and Porsche were the only brands to stay below the 100 mark for 2016.
General Motors led the way with the most segment awards, with the Chevrolet Camaro, Malibu, Equinox and Silverado HD, Buick Verano, Encore and LaCrosse, and GMC Yukon all the highest ranked in their respective segments.
Toyota followed close behind GM's eight segment awards with six of its own.
Totota winners include the Prius V, Sienna and Tundra, and the Lexus ES, GS and GX.
Unlike the Initial Quality Study, which is based on consumer responses after three months of ownership, the Vehicle Dependability Study ranks vehicles and and problems after three years of ownership.
The 2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on on responses from 33,560 original owners of 2013 model-year vehicles in the United States.
