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By Bloomberg

General Motors Co. showed gains in quality as its Buick brand passed Toyota and the two automakers tied for the most top ratings in J.D. Power’s latest U.S. vehicle dependability study.

GM and Toyota Motor Corp. each took first place in seven of the 19 car or truck categories in the study, which measures problems reported by owners after three years. Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand was rated best overall for the fourth straight year, with 89 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Buick at 110 and the Toyota brand at 111.

The study, an industry benchmark that was released Wednesday, also found that owners are having issues with connected-car technology such as Bluetooth wireless links, which let drivers make hands-free calls, and voice-recognition systems. Those were the two top problems reported by owners.

“Vehicle owner expectations of advanced technology capabilities are growing,” Renee Stephens, the research firm’s vice president of U.S. automotive, said in a statement. “Owners clearly want the latest technology in their vehicles, and they don’t hesitate to express their disapproval when it doesn’t work.”

The two connectivity issues were also the most often cited in J.D. Power’s 2014 initial-quality study, which is based on reports after the first 90 days of ownership, the Westlake Village, California-based firm said.

Jeff Wrona, GM’s executive director for vehicle engineering and powertrain quality, said the Detroit-based automaker equips dealers to address technology issues at the point of sale and beyond.

GM Specialists

“We have 50 connected customer specialists across the U.S.,” he said. “These are people who are specifically trained on infotainment systems, and they support and train the dealers.”

Sam Butto, a Toyota spokesman, said the Toyota City, Japan- based company wasn’t disappointed by the results of the J.D. Power study.

“When we see the rest of the industry doing well, that’s good for everybody,” he said.

GM’s Cadillac ranked fourth with 114 problems per 100 vehicles, as all four of the company’s brands were in the top 10, including ties. Toyota’s third brand, Scion, also made it into the top 10.

Honda Motor Co.’s namesake brand was fifth at 116. The score for Nissan Motor Co.’s main brand was 128.

The industry average was 147. Because the study was redesigned for 2015, the scores aren’t comparable to those from previous years, J.D. Power said.

Ford Motor Co.’s namesake brand was below the industry average, at 188, while its Lincoln was seventh with 118. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s Chrysler brand was at 173, and the company’s only marque above the average was Ram, at 134.

The study is based on responses from more than 34,000 original owners of 2012-model vehicles, J.D. Power said.