High-tech automotive headaches

Today’s cars are coming loaded with in-dash electronics that provide smart-phone connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, multiple audio sources, and more. But for car buyers, the wow factor is often short-lived because of the complicated touch screens and troublesome control systems that come with those features.

In our latest auto-reliability survey, conducted last spring, in-car electronics generated more problems from 2013 models than any other problem area, with Cadillac, Ford, Honda, and Lincoln vehicles accounting for the most complaints. By contrast, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, and Lexus systems were relatively trouble-free. (See the "Electronic Troubles" section below.)

To find out what was going wrong, in October the Consumer Reports National Research Center re-contacted thousands of people who owned a 2011, 2012, or 2013 vehicle from one of the four most troublesome brands and asked about their specific problems and overall satisfaction with their infotainment systems.

The majority of the 3,148 respondents reported frustrations. Sixty percent said they had problems learning how to operate the system during the first few weeks of ownership, with little variation among the systems. In addition, one-third reported experiencing at least one system malfunction, such as an unresponsive touch screen or a problem with voice controls.

The survey also found that age played a significant role in respondents’ experience with their systems. Almost 70 percent of drivers who are 65 and older reported having difficulty learning to operate their systems. That number dropped to 52 percent for owners ages 45 to 64, and to 37 percent for drivers between 18 and 44.

On a positive note, almost half of the respondents who initially had difficulty said they became a lot more proficient over time. Still, a similar number said they became only a little more adept at using their system, and one in 10 said the systems had not gotten easier to use.

In our October survey, more than a third of respondents who owned a car with an infotainment system experienced one or more problems with their car’s audio, communication, or navigation functions.

Looking only at 2013 models, 32 percent of owners with the MyFord/Lincoln Touch systems reported problems, and 30 percent of those with HondaLink did. Only a fifth of Cadillac owners said they had problems with their Cue system.