Cars and Drivers

Chrysler Flunks Dependability Study

Fiat 500L Trekking
courtesy of Fiat SpA
Of the 33 automobile brands ranked in the 2015 U.S. vehicle dependability study conducted by J.D. Power, three of the bottom five brands belong to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (NYSE: FCAU) and four of the companies five brands score worse than the industry average. The company’s Ram pickups were the only vehicle to escape a below-average ranking.

The study was conducted in November and December of 2014 and surveyed more than 34,000 car owners of 2012 model year vehicles after 3 years of ownership. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles and the study included 177 specific problem symptoms grouped into 8 major categories.

The Fiat brand was dead last in the rankings with a problem-per-100-vehicles score of 273 compared with an industry average of 147. Jeep was next to last with a score of 1.97 and Dodge score 192 to finish fifth from the bottom. The namesake Chrysler brand scored 173 and the Ram pickup trucks scored a better-than-average 134.

The most frequently reported problems were Bluetooth pairing and connectivity and built-in voice recognition systems misinterpreting commands. These are the same problems that owners report as the biggest headaches with new cars reported on Power’s initial quality study. And technology plays a major role in a consumer’s decision to buy a new car according to Power:

Because issues with technology impact overall dependability, they also impact repurchase intent. The study finds that 56 percent of owners who report no problems with their vehicle say they “definitely will” purchase the same brand next time, compared with 43 percent of those who report three or more problems. Together with the fact that 15 percent of new-vehicle buyers indicate they avoided a model because it lacked the latest technological features—up from just 4 percent in 2014—technology clearly plays a key role in affecting future purchase decisions.

Other noteworthy findings from the study:

  • Engine/transmission problems remain high, with nearly 30% of reported problems the result of rough shifting and hesitation in the automatic transmission
  • Design problems account for 60% of all problems, far higher than defects or malfunctions
  • The most frequently reported problems by category are related to the vehicle’s exterior; powertrain problems are next most frequently cited and audio/communication/entertainment/navigation.

The most dependable vehicle — and the only one with a problems-per-100 score below 100 — is the Lexus brand from Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM). General Motors Co.’s (NYSE: GM) Buick brand finished second and the company’s Cadillac brand finished fourth behind the Toyota namesake brand. The Honda brand finished fifth and Porsche was sixth. The Lincoln brand from Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) finished seventh, just ahead of eighth-place Mercedes Benz.

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