Infotainment takes toll on Ram in latest J.D. Power ranking

Infotainment hiccups slammed other manufacturers as well in 2022, accounting for six of the top 10 problem areas in the J.D. Power study. Consumers complained about Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, built-in voice recognition, difficulties with touch screens and other display screens, and built-in Bluetooth systems.

David Amodeo, J.D. Power’s director of global automotive, said Ram is experiencing similar growing pains with its updated infotainment setup that other brands have gone through.

“We traditionally think of newly launched vehicles as being something that was a complete redesign, but in today’s day and age, just a software redesign can have as big of an impact as redesigning the entire vehicle,” Amodeo told Automotive News. Ram “introduced some new software [and is] working through the bugs. If history is any guide, they’ll shoot back up to a much higher spot next year.”

It was a tough year for Ram parent Stellantis in the study. Dodge, which maintained its lofty No. 2 position with an aging lineup, was the company’s only brand to score better than average in problems per vehicle.

Jeep, after delivering a flurry of product redesigns and new models, dropped from eighth in the 2021 study to No. 23. Amodeo said brands tend to take a hit when they launch new models or debut significant redesigns.

Chrysler finished last again, with Maserati third from the bottom and Alfa Romeo only a few spots above that.

Stellantis said it is always looking for ways to improve the customer experience and pointed to its stronger showings in past IQS results.

“We regularly consult J.D. Power data for greater insight into our vehicle performance,” a Stellantis spokesman said in a statement. “As such, we are constantly monitoring and responding with actions to improve our customer experience. Other recent IQS results demonstrate our capacity to deliver the outstanding level of execution our customers demand and deserve.”