J.D. Power Study: Vehicle Reliability Continues to Drop After Pandemic

Feb. 17, 2025

The study found that vehicle problems after three years of ownership have reached the highest level since 2009.

The recent J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study suggests that vehicle dependability has continued to fall since the pandemic, as shared in a press release.

For 36 years now, the annual study has examined 184 specific problem areas, divided into nine broad categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, and seats.

This year’s results showed a 6% increase in problems per 100 vehicles from 2024, expanding by 12 PP100 to an industry average of 202 PP100. In fact, the study found that vehicle problems after three years of ownership have reached the highest level since 2009.

In J.D. Power’s 2022 Initial Quality Study, the organization found a noticeable decline in the initial quality of 2022 model year vehicles, with problems reaching a record high.

The uptick in problems stems from mass market brands experiencing issues with software defects, which saw a 16 PP100 increase. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are the biggest culprits in this category, followed by built-in Bluetooth systems and Wi-Fi.

Additionally, another major issue owners encountered has been problems with smartphone integration. These problems are typically addressed through an over-the-air software update, which 36% of owners had received; however, only 30% of those owners reported the update making a difference. 56% said there was no noticeable improvement.

The study also examined different vehicle fuel types, finding that the gap in reliability between gas-powered and battery electric vehicles is continuing to shrink. BEVs saw a 33 PP100 improvement year over year, marking a significant change.

Hybrid vehicles displayed the fewest PP100, followed by gas-powered vehicles and BEVs. Ranking last on the list after diesel are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which in contract to BEVs, has declined 26 PP100.

“While the increase in problems this year may be a thorn in the side of automakers and owners, it’s important to remember that today’s three-year-old vehicles were built during a time when the industry was grappling with major disruptions,” said Jason Norton, director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Supply chain issues, record-high vehicle prices, and personnel disruption in the wake of the pandemic were problematic.”