Modern Cars Becoming Less Reliable
Are modern cars becoming less reliable? And what should you do to buy the most reliable car? That’s what we’re going to find out.
Modern Car Benefits
We tend to often hear that modern cars have better performance, better emissions, better safety, and better technology than ever before.
For the most part, they make our lives generally easier, and more enjoyable, and they are less finicky to maintain and last longer than ever before
Technology and Reliability Issues
Or do they? Because it seems that modern cars are becoming so technologically complex that they’re getting to the point where reliability problems are becoming more and more common.
From a graph from NHTSA, we can see that automaker recalls have trended upwards over the past two decades with automakers having more reported problems and reliability data from other sources are really no better.
Consumer reports Recent study of used car reliability found that cars from the vast majority of automakers have a high number of problems at five to 10 years of age.
This is also found to be the case with data from ISee cars and car edge, which largely mimic consumer reports results.
And we’re also hearing plenty of complaints anecdotally.
Repair Challenges for Mechanics
For example, many mechanics now agree that modern cars are becoming increasingly difficult to work on.
Repairs are getting a lot more complicated, and in many cases severe failures such as engine or transmission failures are quite high.
So what exactly is going on? Why does the reliability of modern cars seem to be suffering more and more over time?
And most importantly, what should you do to protect yourself if you’re shopping for a new car? Well, let’s first start with why this is happening.
Technology Overload in Cars
the first reason is a major one, and that is the general over-complication of technology.
Modern cars are filled with more features and technology than ever before, and while a lot of it does make cars safer, easier and generally better to drive, a lot of it can also lead to reliability issues.
According to NHTSA, electrical systems and power equipment problems are the top causes of recalls In newer vehicles, new vehicles come equipped with more computers, modules, sensors, cameras and screens than ever before.
the reality is is that a lot of this equipment is generally more trouble-prone.
This is part of the reason why say luxury vehicles tend to have lower reliability ratings in the major surveys than non-luxury vehicles.
They come equipped with a lot more over-the-top technology that has a higher risk of becoming troublesome over time.
What were one simple mechanical systems in cars are now becoming more complicated and sometimes finicky electronic systems, e-brakes, gear selectors for transmissions and capacitive touch controls are all great examples of that.
the issue is that much of this tech can be quite expensive and sometimes challenging to repair when issues do happen.
Computer modules or dead screens can easily bring repair costs into the four figure range.
These same systems combined with the increased use of sensors and cameras have also made collision repairs a lot more complicated and more expensive than ever before.
Drivetrain Problems
Modern cars take longer to repair, which contributes to higher insurance premiums, and the issue isn’t only with in-car technology, it also extends to the drivetrains problems with the engines and transmissions as well.
Modern cars have far more advanced complicated drivetrain technology than ever before.
This is done for performance benefits and it’s hard to argue that modern cars are generally smoother, quieter, perform better, and are more capable than in the past.
Impact of Emissions Regulations
But it is also done for compliance reasons, which brings us to the second reason why modern cars are less reliable and that is due to emissions compliance.
The reality is is that automakers are under enormous pressure from governments to lower their emissions and improve fuel economy to meet targets.
this has led to many automakers coming up with complicated compliance technology that sometimes comes at the expense of reliability.
The examples of this across the auto industry are extensive.
For example, their cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down engine cylinders while driving to conserve fuel, which also happens to be a major source of severe engine failures on many GM vehicles.
The same could be said for direct fuel injection technology, a fuel saving feature, which unfortunately also causes carbon buildup issues that can lead to costly repairs in the long run.
We also now have far more complicated transmissions, conventional transmissions with nine or 10 speeds, dual clutch, automated manual transmissions and continuously variable transmissions or cbts, all of which are meant to save fuel, but in many cases can lead to more failures and more problems for their owners.
And of course, we have the most common example of emissions compliance technology, which is engine turbocharging.
In order to reduce emissions, many automakers are reducing the size of their engines and installing a complicated turbocharging system to help maintain higher levels of power and performance.
The issue is that these turbocharger setups can lead to more maintenance, more reliability problems, and shorter overall engine life.
The combination of all these emissions technologies is largely why we now see far more engine and transmission related recalls than ever before, some involving total engine failures and even fires.
Now, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to put all the blame on governments and their emissions control mandates because there are plenty of examples of automakers that don’t rely on the overuse of complicated tech and are still able to make emissions compliant vehicles that have very reliable drivetrains.
For the most part, all new cars come packed with the same features, the same technology, and have to meet the same emission standards.
Globalization and Cost-Cutting
So why is it that some automakers can still manage to make very reliable cars while many others fail to do so? Well, that brings us to the third reason why modern cars are less reliable and that is due to globalization.
In order to be profitable and compete in global markets, automakers are using a variety of downsizing, outsourcing costs, and cutting more work from less people type strategies in order to make vehicles for the lowest possible cost while also maximizing their profits.
It is rare to find new cars with vault like construction that are built to last until the end of time.
Now they are made in a far more disposable way with lower quality parts such as low quality plastic components and they are made less serviceable.
Another trend that’s becoming part of this is for manufacturers to eliminate or extend these service intervals on their maintenance schedules.
So oil changes are now going from every 5,000 clicks to every 10,000 clicks and other fluids are becoming lifetime fluids and all of a sudden never need to be changed. Of course, none of that is done because new cars actually require less maintenance.
It is done to reduce the perceived maintenance costs to buyers and also for pollution reasons to reduce the amount of chemical pollution from oil waste.
Quite simply, many automakers just don’t see the value of designing and engineering their cars to last the long haul, which to me is a major mistake.
Now to be clear, I do not buy the argument that automakers are intentionally building low quality cars just so that consumers have to keep coming back and buying a new car every few years because that’s just not the foundation of a successful business model.
Importance of Reliable Brands
In fact, the reason why automakers such as Toyota and Lexus have become among the biggest and most successful in the industry is by doing the complete opposite.
They achieve success by building high quality cars that actually last because that’s what most consumers value and come back for.
Regardless of the product A high quality product always has value, not just the initial value when you purchase it, but also ownership value and in the long run resale value.
And fortunately, there are enough automakers out there that recognize this and still value reliability and make extremely reliable cars because they understand that’s a strategy for building success.
There are automakers out there such as Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and a few others that understand the modern needs of consumers.
They know that technology and low emissions can go hand in hand with reliability, high quality, long lasting products, and these companies still build many models that are great examples of this.
Yes, even the best automakers are far from perfect and they have made their mistakes and they’re bad examples, but for the most part, their track records are very solid.
Even as hybrid technology and EV technology becomes more and more popular, automakers can still leverage this technology to make well-made reliable cars.
This is why it’s easy to find examples of extremely high mileage hybrids and even some EVs that owners have been very happy with.
So this certainly does not need to be turned into a story of all doom and gloom.
Tips for Buying a Reliable Car
There are plenty of things that you can do if you’re shopping for a new car to make sure that your car is as reliable as possible as it should be.
First off, don’t get drawn in with flashy technology gimmicks, avoid any unnecessary technology and features that add little to no value to your life or to the car.
Secondly, stick with proven simple drivetrains, ideally with naturally aspirated engines, whether they’re hybrid or non-hybrid that have been time tested and proven to last.
Thirdly, maintain your car with a common sense maintenance schedule that will help it last the long haul.
And finally, buy from an automaker with a strong reputation for reliability with models that have proven track records. And yes, there are plenty of them.
As I said, you have plenty of great options out there to consider.
So don’t get discouraged. Automakers will have to take notice and focus on building what consumers want if they want to survive.
We have to do our part and make the right purchase choices.
So do you agree with my take on modern cars and what do you think the future holds as we move towards the future of electrification?
And what kind of car would you buy and stay away from? Let me know in the comments.