Head-to-head reliability
Aston Martin DBS vs FORD F 150
How the Aston Martin DBS and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Aston Martin DBS vs FORD F 150: The DBS has 0 complaints and 18 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 11,621 complaints, 151 recalls, and 330 crash-related reports. The F-150's top issues are power train and electrical, often linked to a lead frame defect. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Aston Martin DBS or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Aston Martin DBS
The Aston Martin DBS is a low-volume luxury sports car, so it sees very few miles and very few owner complaints. Over 10 years, NHTSA logged 0 complaints, but 18 recalls covering latches, transmission control, seat heaters, and accelerator pedals. That means you may not hear about problems online, but you should still check for open recall work before buying.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup, and its complaint record is huge: 11,621 complaints over 10 years, with 330 crash-related and 297 injuries reported. The most common trouble spots are the power train, electrical system, exterior lighting, and engine. Owners describe serious, recurring issues like transmission limp mode and a 'lead frame' defect that can cause sudden problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Aston Martin DBS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 18 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 297 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Aston Martin DBS
No component data available.
Recalls exist for door latches and locks, which could mean doors may not latch or open as expected. For a buyer, this is a safety concern because a door that opens while driving is dangerous.
A recall covers the transmission control module, which can affect shifting or cause the car to behave unpredictably. This matters because transmission problems are expensive and can leave you stranded.
The seat heater or cooler may fail or overheat, according to a recall. A buyer should test the seat heating and cooling functions and confirm the recall was fixed.
A recall on the accelerator pedal suggests a risk of unintended acceleration or poor pedal response. This is a critical safety item, so verify the recall repair was done.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Owners report a 'lead frame' issue that can cause the transmission to suddenly downshift or go into limp mode, and some say it nearly caused a crash. Others describe the truck getting stuck in 5th gear almost daily. This is the most common complaint area and a major reliability concern.
The same lead frame problem often shows up as an electrical fault, and owners also report output speed sensor failures that trigger limp mode. These electrical gremlins can be intermittent and hard to diagnose, leading to repeat shop visits.
One owner reported the rear window defroster shorted and caused the back window to explode outward. While this may be rare, it shows that even non-mechanical parts can fail in surprising and dangerous ways.
Exterior lighting is a top complaint area, meaning lights may fail or behave erratically. This matters for safety and for passing inspections, and it can be a recurring annoyance.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Aston Martin DBS — 18 recalls
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 DB9, 2010-2012 DBS, 2010-2016 V8 Vantage, 2012 Virage, 2010-2016 Rapide, 2014-2016 Vanquish, 2011-2016 V12 Vantage, and 2012-2013 V12 Zagato vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with interior door…
The risk: If the doors cannot be opened by an occupant from inside the vehicle, they may be trapped inside, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will disable the double locking feature by reprogramming the software, free of charge. The recall began August 10, 2016. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-888-923-9988. Aston…
The defect: Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2009-2016 DB9, 2009-2012 DBS, 2010-2015 Rapide, 2012 Virage, and 2014 Vanquish vehicles equipped with a 6-Speed Touchtronic II Automatic Transmission. A communication error between the Engine Control Module (ECM) and the Transmission Con…
The risk: If the park pawl does not engage and the vehicle is stopped on a slope and exited without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will update the TCM software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 1, 2018. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-888-923-9988. Aston Martin's number for this…
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 DB9, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage, DBS, and Virage vehicles manufactured July 3, 2006, to November 5, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic control module for the driver and front passenger seat heate…
The risk: If the electronic control module fails, the seat heater could get hot enough that areas of the seat may overheat and smolder, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional module to the circuit that can interrupt the power to the seat heaters in case the electronic control module for the seat heaters fails, free of charge. The recall beg…
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 DB9 and V8 Vantage, 2009-2012 DBS, 2010-2012 Rapide, 2014 Rapide S, 2011-2012 V12 Vantage, 2011-2014 V8 Vantage S and 2012 Virage vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the accelerator pedal arm may brea…
The risk: If the accelerator pedal arm breaks, the engine will return to idle and the driver will be unable to maintain or increase engine speed, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator pedal assemblies. The recall began on February 11, 2014. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service by calling 1-888-923-9988. Aston Martin's recall number is…
FORD F 150 — 151 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Buyer analysis
Aston Martin DBS or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Aston Martin DBS has far fewer issues per year: 0 complaints per year versus 1,162 per year for the Ford F-150. In practice, the DBS is a low-volume car with mostly recall-related concerns, while the F-150 has a large volume of owner-reported failures, including serious transmission and electrical problems. If you want fewer reported problems, the DBS wins on paper, but it is a different class of vehicle.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has 11,621 complaints over 10 years, while the Aston Martin DBS has 0, a massive gap in reported owner issues.
- The F-150's top complaint is the power train, with owners describing a 'lead frame' defect that can cause limp mode and near-crashes; the DBS has no complaint text but several recalls for latches, transmission control, seat heaters, and accelerator pedal.
- The F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints and 297 injuries reported, while the DBS has 0 crash-related, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths in the data.
- The DBS has 18 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 151 recalls, so the Ford has more recall campaigns to track and repair.
- Check for open recalls on the latches, locks, and linkages, as doors may not secure properly.
- Verify the transmission control module and accelerator pedal recalls were performed, as these affect shifting and speed control.
- Test drive at highway speeds and watch for sudden downshifts, limp mode, or getting stuck in 5th gear, which owners report with the lead frame issue.
- Inspect the rear window defroster and look for any signs of electrical shorts or cracked glass, as one owner reported the window exploding.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific vehicle and confirm they were fixed.
- For the F-150, ask for transmission service records and scan for stored codes like P0722 related to output speed sensor failures.
- For the DBS, test every seat heater, door latch, and the accelerator pedal response, and ask if the transmission control module recall was done.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to feel for transmission hesitation or limp mode.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the model, focusing on the power train and electrical systems.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Aston Martin DBS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 638 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1527 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 0 | 44 |
| 2019 | 0 | 52 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Aston Martin DBS or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Aston Martin DBS vs FORD F 150
- Aston Martin DBS total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Aston Martin DBS total recalls
- 18
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Aston Martin DBS avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Aston Martin DBS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN