Smartphone Connectivity Issues Plague Car Owners, Again
For the second year in a row, connecting smartphones to vehicles has emerged as the most common problem reported by car owners, according to the 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) released Thursday by J.D. Power. The study surveyed 34,175 owners of 2022 model-year vehicles, probing their experiences during the first few years of ownership.
Tech Troubles Continue
The VDS revealed that owners pointed to issues within ‘features, controls, and displays’ and the ‘infotainment’ category as major pain points. These problems mirror findings from J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey (IQS), which measures satisfaction in the first 90 days of ownership. The 2022 IQS cited dropped connections with Apple CarPlay as the leading issue. Other significant problems have arisen, including wireless smartphone charging.
These trends reflect the constant introduction of new convenience features in modern cars, and, according to the study, a missed opportunity for automakers. “Keeping pace with the rate of change in smartphone technology is a challenge for the auto industry,” the J.D. Power VDS stated.
Connectivity Concerns on the Rise
The prevalence of smartphone integration problems is increasing. The number of reported connectivity issues with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay per 100 vehicles climbed from 6.3 in 2024 to 8.4 in 2025, signaling a worsening trend.
Over-the-air (OTA) updates provide a possible solution, allowing automakers to align vehicle software with smartphone updates. However, the VDS found that only 36% of owners conducted an OTA update during the first three years of ownership. Furthermore, only 30% of those who updated reported an improvement in the user experience.
The ‘Software-Defined’ Vehicle Era
The rise of “software-defined” vehicles appears to strain automakers’ ability to meet consumer expectations. The study indicates that some issues stem from the introduction of new cars on new platforms with novel powertrain systems, as well as advancements in user interfaces. Out of 27 new model launches in 2022, only four performed better than average compared to carryover vehicles.
Reliability Rankings
Toyota, a brand known for reliability, experienced problems in the last three years after relaunching its truck and large SUV family, which, according to Consumer Reports, affected its reliability rankings. The situation might be especially challenging for owners of older vehicles. The average age of American vehicles is 12.6 years. The owner of a 2010 model, when stepping into a new car, could be overwhelmed by changes such as touch-sensitive climate controls and selectable regenerative braking.
Other Notable Findings
A positive finding from the 2025 VDS is the decrease in complaints from electric car owners. J.D. Power reported that the gap between gas-powered and electric vehicles “has narrowed significantly this year.” Conversely, plug-in hybrid powertrains experienced the highest number of reported problems among all vehicle fuel types.
The study also provided rankings of the most and least dependable brands.
Top 5 Brands with the Fewest Problems (Problems per 100 vehicles):
- Lexus (140)
- Buick (143)
- Mazda (161)
- Toyota (162)
- Cadillac and Chevrolet (169)
The top-performing brands often take conservative or incremental approaches to adopting new vehicle technology.
Bottom 5 Brands with the Most Problems (Problems per 100 vehicles):
The average number of problems reported was 202 per 100 vehicles.
- Volkswagen (285)
- Chrysler (282)
- Jeep (275)
- Audi (273)
- Land Rover (270)
Volkswagen’s high ranking is likely due to issues with its climate control interfaces, which use touch-sensitive sliders instead of dials or buttons.
