Published: February 12, 2019, 4:15 PM
Updated: November 21, 2021, 2:56 PM
2019 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study
Building on positive gains documented last year, the 2019 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study reveals overall vehicle quality continues to improve, registering a 4% decline in reported problems. The U.S. study asked 33,000 buyers of 2016-model-year cars and trucks how their vehicles held up after three years. J.D. Power defines dependability as the number of problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100); the industry average of 136 problems per 100 vehicles this year is lower – hence better – than the 142 PP100 average recorded in 2018.
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Getting better but not quite there
Automakers are getting better at creating smoother entertainment and climate-control interfaces that don’t get buggy and frustrate (and distract) drivers. But some mechanical problems persist, including a preponderance of slipping or jerky transmissions, and batteries that die easy and require early replacement. Lexus, Toyota and Porsche lead the brand rankings in quality and, for the first time in the study’s 30-year history, all the German automakers rate better than average. Still, there are more manufacturers ranked below the industry average score than above it, so here are J.D. Power’s nine least dependable brands.
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Cadillac – 166 PP100
When the editors of Motor Trend named their first Car of the Year Award in 1949, they determined it was Cadillac that was making the best cars for post-war America. To the white-belt-and-matching-shoes set, Cadillac has always been the standard of the world. Today, Cadillac struggles to stay relevant in a market that largely believes the best luxury cars are imported. It’s worked overtime to inject its models with avant-garde styling, athletic drivetrains and Euro-tuned handling, yet familiar Detroit-sourced quality issues continue to dog the brand.
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Cadillac – 166 PP100
After a rough introduction, the marque’s CUE (Cadillac User Experience) interface system incorporated a faster processor, simplified nav-screen controls and integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto software into 2016 models. Despite the updates, some owners continue to report dropped calls, reboots and other operational glitches. Many models also received GM’s new 8-speed automatic transmission, an autobox that’s been criticized by some for its harsh gear changes and driveline shudder at times. Packed with technology that is de rigueur for the luxury segment, some of Cadillac’s equipment may not yet be ready for prime time.
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Jeep – 167 PP100
Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s (FCA) celebrated brand that harks back to the Second World War continues to enjoy remarkable sales growth, underscoring Chrysler’s prescience when it purchased ailing American Motors back in 1987 to acquire the Jeep crown jewels. The iconic Wrangler garners excellent resale value, according to Canadian Black Book, thanks to its truly unique features. Who else offers removable doors and a fold-down windshield? Newer crossovers like the Renegade offer the Jeep experience in a lighter, eco-friendly package, while the polished Grand Cherokee found a new audience with its high-performance SRT model.
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Jeep – 167 PP100
Dependability-wise, Jeep has some ongoing mechanical issues that can sour the ownership experience. Built on a modular Fiat platform, the Cherokee has been criticized by owners for its ZF-designed 9-speed automatic transmission that can exhibit unexpected downshifts, hesitation, front-axle vibration and wholesale failure. The Renegade is plagued by overheated and stalling engines, as well as oil consumption. The old Compass and Patriot have problems of their own, including stalling at highway speed. The costly Grand Cherokee has stalling and transmission woes. Jeep has improved its quality scores, but it has a way to go yet. Oddly, its lacklustre dependability doesn’t seem to dampen sales.
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Jaguar – 168 PP100
Jaguar, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Motors for a decade now, is one of those automakers that has experienced mercurial swings in its J.D. Power rankings over the years. It has its good model years and its bad, though the inconsistency is likely not helpful in forging a reputation for durability. The 2016 model year marked the launch of the automaker’s XE compact sports sedan, an important player in a highly competitive segment that includes BMW’s seminal 3 Series cars, as well as the redesigned, aluminum-bodied XF midsize executive sedan.
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Jaguar – 168 PP100
While often the subject of glowing reviews in the press and adoring glances at curbside, Jaguars tend to disappoint their owners over time, reflected in the vehicles’ plunging valuations at lease return or trade-in time. The classic English-car bugaboos related to bad electrics still apply. Failed power windows and instruments that go dark are commonplace, as are navigation and entertainment system faults. Poor assembly can expose water leaks and bad rattles, say owners. Jaguar’s 5-year comprehensive warranty helps to assuage the quality quirks and missteps, but it remains a brand that doesn’t seem to encourage long-term or serial ownership.
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Acura – 171 PP100 (Tie)
What’s happened to Acura? Honda’s premium brand hasn’t enjoyed the same sort of popularity that helped establish the marque back in the 1990s (largely thanks to the Integra, a hot hatchback that can still be found on college campuses). Acura has stopped putting manual transmissions in its cars – sad! – and appears to be doubling down on its sport utilities to pay the rent. More disconcerting is the fact that Acura was always considered a reliable nameplate and it resided among J.D. Power’s top 10 brands for years. So why the decline in its quality ranking?
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Acura – 171 PP100 (Tie)
Acura’s big-selling MDX crossover earned a significant update for 2016 when it gained a nine-speed automatic transmission and a re-engineered Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. Unfortunately, that autobox is the same German-designed ZF transmission that has been problematic in other Acura models, as well as in Jeep and Chrysler products. Owners have experienced problems including slow shifting, jerky hesitation and outright failures. ZF attributes the driveability issues to software glitches. We’re left wondering why Honda/Acura is relying on an outside vendor for transmissions it expertly built itself for years.
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Ram Truck – 171 PP100 (Tie)
FCA’s truck division has come into its own since the brand was cleaved off from Dodge for the 2011 model year, winning some hard-fought market share against the perennial pickup favourites, the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra twins. No kidding, there was a time when Dodge truck owners were laughed off the construction site. No more. Engines are key to Ram’s success story: the Pentastar 3.6-litre V-6 has earned a decent reputation, the 395-hp 5.7 Hemi V-8 is a legacy draw, while the Cummins 6.7-litre inline-6 turbodiesel enjoys a rabid following.
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Ram Truck – 171 PP100 (Tie)
Unfortunately, all is not well in the House of Ram. The 8-speed transmission in the Ram 1500 pickup has prompted some complaints about abrupt and hard shifting. The Hemi V-8 has been known to snap rocker arms. The Italian-designed V-6 EcoDiesel does not appear to hold up nearly as well as the big Cummins found in the heavy-duty models, as owners report ongoing issues with the diesel engine’s emissions system. The gasoline engines throw up Check Engine warnings related to the throttle body, coolant system and even wiring looms, among other components.
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Dodge – 178 PP100
A time-honoured American brand, Dodge has been left in a holding pattern as FCA seeks its fortune hawking profitable crossovers and SUVs. At least it has the nostalgic and emotive Challenger and Charger to brighten its showrooms. No kidding, these throwback performance models recall the era of 60-cents-a-gallon gasoline and Friday night racing. But everything in the Dodge portfolio is old and rapidly getting older: consider the Journey crossover SUV, which hasn’t had a substantial update since it was introduced in 2008. FCA has identified Jeep, Ram and Alfa Romeo as its profit centres; the Dodge and Chrysler brands not so much.
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Dodge – 178 PP100
Dodge models often share drivetrains and other components, and if those common parts are flawed, the entire lineup is prone to mechanical issues. The Pentastar 3.6-litre V-6 may reportedly develop a cracked cylinder head (covered by an extended warranty), as well as issues with remnant casting sand clogging the heater core or forming sludge. Challenger and Charger owners have reported harsh-shifting automatic transmissions, especially when tied to the V-8 engines. The Grand Caravan minivan has exhibited the same behaviour. Journey drivers note the engine can shut off abruptly sometimes at highway speeds — a perilous situation.
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Volvo – 204 PP100
It’s taken some time for Volvo – now a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely – to find its mojo and introduce its new design language in a range of models that evoke the strengths of the brand stemming back to the early days of Swedish automaking. In 2016, impoverished Volvo dealers welcomed a boatload of new products, including the range-topping S90 and V90 luxury sedan and wagon, and the matching XC90 sport utility, all of which used Volvo’s common Scalable Product Architecture. A range of turbocharged 4-cylinder engines promised mean and green power, including a turbocharged AND supercharged version generating 316 horses.
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Volvo – 204 PP100
The bad news is owners have been beset by frequent electronic glitches related to the infotainment and other systems, including entire dashboard displays going black. One owner likened it to a Windows 95 operating system that needs de-fragmentation and rebooting every day. Some criticized Volvo’s new-generation engines for their faulty sensors, turbos and even pistons. Oil consumption may be an early sign of things turning sour. It’s worth noting that Volvo’s fuel-saving auto stop-start system, which cannot be permanently disabled, can generate unduly negative scores for being a nuisance more so than a dependability issue.
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Land Rover – 221 PP100
Land Rover, the 4-wheel-drive purveyor to the Queen by way of a Royal Warrant issued in 1951, has enjoyed strong sales growth with its handsome designs and advanced technology. Now formally joined with Jaguar under the corporate auspices of Tata Motors, it benefits from the shared resources and brain trust of another vaunted English automaker. If only Landy’s expensive gear would work properly. Land Rovers continue to exhibit reliability setbacks early in the ownership experience – forever challenging the notion that a lofty price tag ensures a quality product.
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Land Rover – 221 PP100
Landy electronics can present numerous problems ranging from failed instrument displays to malfunctioning cameras. Owners report lots of Check Engine lights to decode and necessary software upgrades. The heavy trucks consume brakes and tires rapidly, and engines can seep oil in the British tradition. The Discovery Sport, new for 2016, uses a 2.0-litre turbo 4 cylinder supplied by Ford, and the same ZF 9-speed transmission that has been troublesome in Jeeps and other models. Batteries frequently die due to mysterious drains. Electrical faults can affect the infotainment system, which freezes, and the air conditioner, which does not. To top it off, replacement parts can take weeks to arrive from the UK.
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Fiat – 249 PP100
Once again, we find Fiat in the basement of J.D. Power’s Dependability Study, exactly where it was two years ago with a dismal 298 problems per 100 vehicles score (it was 192 PP100 in 2018). Consider the score of 249 PP100 is about two-and-a-half times worse than top-ranked Lexus and Toyota. So, what happened, Fiat? The 2016 model year saw the introduction of the 500X, a 5-door subcompact crossover with room for five occupants, along with an available all-wheel-drive powertrain that coincidentally can be found under the Jeep Renegade. Both models are assembled and imported from Italy.
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Fiat – 249 PP100
The 500X uses some familiar Fiat components, including a 180-hp 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine that delivers underwhelming acceleration and is paired with a confused and clunky-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission along with the AWD hardware. The Fiat engine is prone to overheating, randomly shutting off, consuming copious amounts of motor oil and unceremoniously seizing. A significant number of engines have been replaced in the 500X. Electronic faults abound, and air conditioners may underperform or fail altogether, further infuriating owners. The Jeep Renegade, which sold in much higher numbers, is similarly plagued by the same demons.
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