It should come as little surprise that when an automaker infuses the latest and greatest technologies in its vehicles, problems are expected. General Motors, along with the other domestic brands, struggled in Consumer Reports‘ 2018 vehicle reliability survey. Buick ranked the highest for GM, coming in 19th as the most reliable brand for the automaker.
“The early adopters of technology get penalized in terms of reliability,” Consumer Reports director of automotive testing Jake Fisher said during a recent Automotive Press Association event in Detroit, according to Detroit Free Press. “Don’t chase the new technology. Take your time and get it right.”
To recap: Chevrolet came in 23rd in the auto reliability study while GMC placed 25th. Cadillac placed next-to-last in 28th; however, it far outpaced Volvo’s last-place finish. Individual GM models also scored poorly in the test with three ranking among the 10 least reliable cars tested. The Buick Enclave, Cadillac ATS, and Chevrolet Traverse all fell onto Consumer Reports’ 10 least reliable cars list.
The Enclave and Traverse faltering in this auto reliability study list make some sense. GM has had problems with its new Hydra-Matic 9T65 nine-speed automatic transmission, which has brought SUV owners into dealerships for various repairs. Cadillac is still facing issues with the CUE infotainment system, which is directly dinging the brand’s reliability.
New technologies shouldn’t be a panacea, and adding additional technology for the sake of enticing customers makes vehicles unnecessarily more complicated. Adding gears to a transmission also adds to the mechanical complexity. Both of these actions increase a car’s complexity, which can cause the customer to experience reliability issues.
“Sometimes not being first, and taking your time, pays off,” Fisher added during the event. “The more features an automaker adds to surprise and delight the customer, the more chances they take.”
Based on the survey, GM has to iron out these technological gremlins if it hopes to rise in the auto reliability study rankings. Lexus and Toyota made a one-two finish this year, but there is a caveat. The Japanese automakers are known as of late to slowly adopt new technologies to ensure customers get the best ownership experience.
This example is a former NCRS award winner.
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Breaking out the spec sheets for a comparison.
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GM has NO Customer service. This is the issue. You can make up excuses all you want, I have already personally heard them from GM, but the FACT is GM has HORRIBLE customer service. If you design a vehicle and have NO customer service how do you expect to have a happy or satisfied customer. If ALL the dealers are not held to the same standard you get some that are great and some that just don't know what to do. This is NOT a dealer issue it is a GM problem. The LACK of customer service has left the customer feeling they are left alone. The NO warranty is also a HUGE problem. If and when a customer goes to a GM dealership if the answer is not to there satisfaction they are left to call GM. GM then simply calls the dealer the customer is dissatisfied with and takes there side. Does GM know how many vehicles they would sell if the CUSTOMER did not buy them. GM can sell all the vehicles to the dealers they want, but if the customer doesn't buy then they will sell NONE.
Again its the HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Read the sites. Customers are treated RUDELY. If you spend $50,000.00 to $70,000,00 and have troubles, a person expects a certain level of professionalism. Customer service people close case #s even if you tell them you are not satisfied. IT is a JOKE. Don't take my word for it READ.
Also GM doesn't have any more NEW tech than other brands to have trouble with in fact it is becoming the opposite. A lot of other brands have MORE STANDARD TECH than GM. Even the NEW CADILLAC you have to PAY EXTRA for tech that is standard on lesser brands.
I get a kick when I read how GM is doing this with driverless vehicles, investing in this new technology. " O " GM has better EVs than others, GM will release this in six months. Maybe GM should INVEST in the CUSTOMER who is buying there stuff. Its our money they are spending on all the LATEST TECH but they will not keep it working in the vehicles THEY sold us. One EXCUSE after another why they simply CAN NOT help there CUSTOMER.
Keep the rebates coming see how that works. But if you get ZERO CUSTOMER SERVICE and sell an increasingly average to below average vehicle. Its like GM now has made the decision to make less and people will expect less. That theory would work but you can't make less but still charge more, well I guess you can charge more for less but I bet less people will pay more for less.
The replies on this should be good.
customer service, reliability, resale value are not important.
the most important thing is ... was your vehicle assembled in america?
at least that is what some people want you to believe.
I’ve faced exactly what you described...
Lol, that axe should be razor sharp by now.
What’s wrong with the 9 speed?
Maybe, the only excuse but I think that they don't make enough extensive tests while they want to launch new techs on the market, as we were able to see with the Chevy Volt's issue on the batteries. It's very costly. They should make like Toyota slowing the pace.
True, Toyota takes more time before bringing out new unproven tech, which helps them with the stats but it's also a lot of old tech that breaks prematurely in GM vehicles again, and again.
No doubt you can put 300k miles on that Tahoe, but you WILL be replacing the fuel pump, AC, tire pressure monitor and probably the transmission. And probably more than once. And yes, that's annoying and costly with time.
Cheap parts, it's not rocket science why this happens, it's a numbers game, everyone does it to a point, GM just does it more shamelessly.
'New GM' had a chance to change public perception, future generations of car buyers could have viewed the company as the benchmark of quality, instead it is business as usual.
What battery issues? Toyota has sold a lot of prius and originally stayed away from EVs as they believed hydrogen would be the future but has relented and stated EVs are the future...
Not sure myself if a ten speed transmission is all about? You need a lot of torque to keep a vehicle going in tenth gear.
No, the top gear has the same overdrive ratio as other transmissions in their top gear...
I seems there is too much reliance placed on in-house testing and not enough on user testing.