Bluetooth, Voice Recognition Issues Most Common in JD Power Study

Bluetooth and voice recognition problems are the most frequently reported according to the 2015 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study. 

The performance of technology in vehicles is becoming a very important part of owners’ perception of overall vehicle reliability and a major influence in a buyer’s decision to repurchase the same brand according to the study.

For 2015 the study was enhanced to include 177 new specific problem symptoms for respondents to choose, most of which are related to how new technology is working in our vehicles. In total, 34,000 original vehicle owners of 2012 model year vehicles were polled after 3 years of ownership.

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Bluetooth pairing issues and voice recognition problems were reported more than any other issue, with 55 percent of people saying that their vehicle does not recognize their phone.  “As we’ve seen in our Initial Quality Study, owners view in-vehicle technology issues as significant problems, and they typically don’t go away after the ownership honeymoon period is over,” said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power.

Furthermore, 31 percent of respondents complained that their vehicle does not automatically connect to their phone.

Technology is affecting how cars are purchased more than ever before, with 15 percent of new-vehicle buyers saying they avoided a model based strictly on its lack of modern technology, up from 4 percent last year.