Dealership service department customer satisfaction was strong in 2024 — though a bit less so for owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

While J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Customer Service Index Study found overall satisfaction with dealer service rose for the second consecutive year, up 12 points to 878 on a 1,000-point scale for premium brands and 14 points to 862 for mass-market brands, customers with EVs and PHEVs ranked their experience well below owners of gas-powered vehicles.

Electrified vehicle owners averaged 51 points less among mass-market vehicles and 57 points less in the premium sector, which J.D. Power attributed to an ongoing lack of trained EV technicians and frontline personnel.

Even with another good overall showing, dealers still have room for improvement, the research firm said, with long wait times for appointments, communication shortfalls and gaps in fixing vehicles correctly among the most common issues. In a news release, J.D. Power said dealers have actually lost ground in some areas, noting the average number of days customers must wait for an appointment is longer than it was from 2018 to 2022 and is only slightly better than in 2023 and 2024.

“While it’s no surprise that customers gravitate to operations that serve them well, the study clearly shows good service leads to loyal customers,” J.D. Power director of automotive retail John Tenerovich said. “That phenomenon proves true across all service types — oil changes, repair, tires and brakes.

“While complimentary maintenance programs drive strong retention, the level of intent to return for actual customer-paid service depends on the service experience delivered by the dealer.”

The study, in its 45th year, measures satisfaction with service at franchise dealer or aftermarket service facilities for maintenance or repair work from a survey of 55,210 owners and lessees of 1- to 3-year-old vehicles based on service quality, service advisor, vehicle pickup, service facility and service initiation. The survey was conducted from July through December 2024.

J.D. Power said the 2025 study also includes repair data drawn from individual in-dealership repairs for the first time.

Other findings include:

Fixed right first time: The study showed a “surprisingly” high 12% of repairs are not completed correctly on the first visit, with 30% of those customers saying the work performed did not correct the problem and 28% saying necessary parts were not available). Half of those whose vehicle wasn’t fixed the first time said they returned or planned to return to the same dealership, while 5% resolved the issue by visiting an aftermarket service facility.

Adding maintenance to recalls: With customers often pressed for time, satisfaction took a giant leap when visits for recall work were combined with maintenance work. Among mass-market brands, recall-only service satisfaction averaged 829, but adding an oil change lifted that score to 858.

Communication: J.D. Power said four of the 10 most influential key performance indicators measured in the study are communication-related: completely focusing on customer needs, keeping the customer informed of service status, service advisor immediately meeting with customer on arrival, and contacting the customer after service to ensure satisfaction. The study found dealerships greeted customers immediately on arrival just half the time, less than any of the other KPIs.

Trust varies by generation: The study found customers in general have a high level of trust in dealers’ service expertise, but some generations have more than others. Baby boomers[ are most trusting at 6.24 on a seven-point scale, followed by Generation X (5.95), Gen Y (5.89) and Gen Z (5.77).

Brand rankings: Porsche led all brands with a 912 satisfaction score, with Lexus (900) and Cadillac (888) next among premium brands. In the mass-market category, Subaru ranked No. 1 at 896, ahead of MINI (888) and Honda (881). The same brands led their sector in the car and SUV/minivan segments, while Chevrolet (877) topped the truck segment, followed by GMC (876) and Nissan (873).