Car Owners Frustrated by Smartphone Connectivity, J.D. Power Reports
A recent study by J.D. Power sheds light on a growing headache for new car owners: smartphone connectivity issues.
For the second year running, problems related to connecting smartphones rank as the most frequently reported issue in the firm’s annual U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.
The 2025 study surveyed 34,175 owners of 2022 model year vehicles, asking about problems faced during the first few years of ownership. Owners could select from 184 specific problem areas across nine categories, from seat comfort to powertrain issues.
Tech Troubles Top the List
The data reveals a persistent issue: the “features, controls, and displays” and “infotainment” categories continue to be major pain points. The survey aligns with J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey (IQS), which has been tracking these tech frustrations since at least 2021.
Dropped connections with Apple CarPlay were the top reported issue in 2022. More recently, wireless smartphone charging has seen a surge in reported problems.
“Keeping pace with the rate of change in smartphone technology is a challenge for the auto industry,” the J.D. Power VDS found.
The Connectivity Crisis
The situation appears to be deteriorating. Half of the top 10 owner complaints relate to smartphone integration, usage, or connectivity. Reported problems with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay increased from 6.3 problems per 100 vehicles in 2024, to 8.4 in 2025.
Over-the-air (OTA) updates, designed to mirror smartphone updates, are supposed to help, but are underutilized. Only 36% of owners performed an OTA update in the first three years of ownership. Moreover, only 30% of those reported the update improved the user experience.
Software-Defined Vehicles Complicate Matters
The shift toward “software-defined” vehicles might be pushing automakers to keep up with consumer expectations. Some of the issues stem from automakers launching new cars on new platforms with new powertrain systems, and a big leap in user interfaces.
Out of the 27 new model launches for 2022, only four performed better than average when compared to previous models.
Toyota, for example, recently relaunched its entire truck and large SUV family, which introduced associated problems, and subsequently lost its position as the most dependable brand, according to Consumer Reports.
The Changing Automotive Landscape
The average age of a car in the U.S. is 12.6 years. A driver with an older car model, like one from 2010, might be overwhelmed by new features, from touch-sensitive climate controls to selectable regenerative braking.
One piece of good news from the 2025 VDS: the number of complaints among electric car owners decreased.
The gap between gas-powered cars and EVs “has narrowed significantly this year,” according to J.D. Power, which is a good sign for the industry as a whole.
However, plug-in hybrid powertrains continue to generate the most reported problems of all fuel types.
Who’s Doing Well? Who’s Not?
The top five brands with the fewest reported problems often have conservative or incremental approaches to rolling out new vehicle technology:
- Lexus (140 problems per 100 vehicles)
- Buick (143)
- Mazda (161)
- Toyota (162)
- Cadillac and Chevrolet (169)
The average number of reported problems across all brands was 202 per 100 vehicles.
At the bottom end, Volkswagen had the highest count of problems, likely due to its touch-sensitive climate control interfaces instead of using dials or buttons.
The lowest-ranking brands, which consistently score poorly in the IQS and VDS, include:
- Land Rover (270 problems per 100 vehicles)
- Audi (273)
- Jeep (275)
- Chrysler (282)
- Volkswagen (285)
