"Consumer Report" Car Reliability Evaluation: Why are new cars connected?

The “Consumer Report” recently released the 2017 Automobile Reliability Survey Report based on the 0.64 million vehicles of 400,000 car owners. The survey found that new or upgraded models exist in engines, sensors, and high-performance technologies compared to older models. The possibility of failure is relatively greater.

It is more likely that cars equipped with new technologies will have problems. Anita Lam, deputy director of data integration for consumer reports, said that over the past decade, car companies will increase their research and development of transmission technologies to improve fuel efficiency, and as more and more 8-speed, 9-speed and stepless transmissions enter the market, owners Complaints about the operation of vehicles have also increased. Lam said that not all transmissions have problems, but owners of new models released in the first year have received relatively more complaints from owners.

According to this year's survey, the owners complained about the deeper movement of the 2017 Buick Lacrosse 8-speed transmission, but the car was suddenly tilted. Similar models include the 2015 Acura TLX and the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. According to the survey, the infotainment system in new cars or upgraded cars is another problem. The infotainment system mainly provides functions such as broadcasting, communication, navigation, and connecting smart phones. Drivers can make calls and listen to music. The number of complaints from owners of new-commercial vehicles listed in the first year for in-car electronic systems is as much as two times that of unmodified models.

The 2017 Subaru Impreza was one of the most criticized vehicles, and its 2016 model was highly reliable. However, after the 2017 upgrade, approximately 20% of new car owners complained about in-car electronic malfunctions. The complaint included a rear camera stuck, a black screen, no broadcast signal, and a mismatch with the smartphone. Another model with an upgraded slot is GMC Acadia.

There is no doubt that the new models have relatively more problems with the upgraded models. There are many parts and engineering problems in the new model, which requires the car company to spend many years to run in.

The complaints received by the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace included differential malfunction and the InControl infotainment system. The entertainment system mainly had screen stuck and hard to start. Recently, the first time the new models that appeared to have more breakdowns included 2015 models of Jeep Freedom. The main problems were transmissions, interior electronics, power equipment and driving systems. The 2016 Tesla Model X was the main problem. Doors and interior coatings, 2016 Volvo XC90, the problem is mainly in interior electronics, power equipment, parking systems, noise and leakage.

The survey also found that the problem of the new car does not immediately surface. For example, the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Cruze had very high reliability in the first year of its listing in the survey last year, but this year's survey found that the reliability scores of the 2016 and 2017 models have fallen below the average. Mainly failures such as power equipment, fuel, exhaust systems, engines and transmissions.

Car companies can get advanced technology and testing at this stage, so there is reason to ask why car companies can not solve all the problems before launching a new car? Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at the Consumer Reports, said: "The car companies are testing prototypes, but after mass production and large-scale actual driving, the problems with new cars will gradually surface."

The survey also showed that some car companies did not immediately make up for the existing problems, so the relevant faults will continue to the next model. The 2016 Hyundai Tucson SUV received complaints due to transmission problems, and the 2017 Tucson complaints fell by only half. Similarly, after Honda also improved the 2017 Civic's in-vehicle electronics, it received only one-third of the 2016 complaints.