Car software glitches are on the rise with customer complaints jumping 22 percent from 2014 through 2015. In 2016, the number of complaints are already on pace with last year's record-setting levels.
A new study by J.D. Power and Associates released Tuesday looked at numbers from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records, along with J.D. Power's own data, and concluded that Daimler's Smart car, the discontinued Isuzu from Japan, Tesla, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover were the vehicles with the highest percentage of software complaints from 2011 to 2016.
On the flipside, the vehicles with the lowest complaint rates were General Motors' Chevrolet and GMC; Fiat Chrysler's Ram; Toyota; Mazda, and Subaru, according to the study,
noted USA Today.
"Software-related problems have become much more prevalent and, if not addressed, could begin to erode consumer trust in new automotive technology," said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power,
according to Market Watch.
Drivers issued 615 complaints in 2015, compared to 505 complaints in 2014, the study stated. Over the past five years, 2,011 software-related complaints were reported by customers.
The International Business Times reported that recalls connected with software glitches are also climbing, with almost 200 recalls involving 13 million vehicles announced already this year. Those numbers are a 45 percent increase from where they were last year.
"In April, Ford recalled 202,000 F-150 pickups, Mustangs and Lincoln Navigators for a software malfunction that can cause the vehicles to suddenly downshift into first gear," wrote the International Business Times. "In March, Nissan said 47,000 of its Leaf electric cars in the U.S. needed a software fix related to brake performance in cold weather."
The J.D. Power report stated that powertrains, electrical systems, engine cooling, and vehicle control systems are currently the leading areas of software complaints and recalls.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.