Voice Recognition, Bluetooth Top Customer Complaints

Balky Bluetooth connections and voice recognition systems that don't recognize voices are consumers' biggest gripes about in-car electronics, according to J.D. Power's 2014 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study.

The survey queries owners about their experience in the first 90 days of new-car ownership. Power says audio/entertainment features are now the biggest source of complaint, surpassing wind noise.

Owners reported voice recognition and Bluetooth problems at rates of 8.3 and 5.7 per 100 vehicles, respectively. Power characterizes both rates as significant and notes that such issues hurt customer satisfaction because they can't be fixed at the dealership.

New-car buyers remain intrigued by voice recognition, with 70% indicating interest in the technology. But Power says consumers aren't happy about paying for such features that don't work as well as they do in their smartphones.