Head-to-head reliability
Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs FORD F 150
How the Aston Martin V8 Vantage 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 V8 Vantage averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Aston Martin V8 Vantage has 11 complaints and 29 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,133 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Aston Martin V8 Vantage | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 11 Better | 11,133 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 29 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 319 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.1 Better | 1113.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 3 Better | 287 |
| 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 V8 Vantage
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING4
- 02VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4
- 03POWER TRAIN3
- 04ENGINE3
- 05STRUCTURE1
“The tail light on my car leaks and condensates - this is a problem with ALL Aston Martin Vantages and DB9's made from 2005 through 2017. The problem is that Aston Martin never had a fix and instead sells defective lights as a replacement when they fail from t…”
“ASTON MARTINS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING CONDENSATION BOTH IN THE HEADLIGHT AND TAIL LIGHTS. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM DUE TO BAD DESIGN AND BUILD YET THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CONDENSATION CAN CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT CAUSING P…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,499
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,056
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,382
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE829
“The internal mechanical failure of the Ford 10r80 transmission due to design fault causes unsafe driving conditions as the transmission stalls (fails to power at request) or lunges (powers forward without driver input) causing unsafe conditions for vehicle oc…”
“The vehicle experienced intermittent transmission-related drivability issues before the recall remedy was available. The vehicle had delayed/hard shifting, an intermittent wrench warning light, and a reduced power/limp mode condition where the transmission wo…”
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 V8 Vantage — 29 recalls
The defect: Aston Martin the Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2011-2014 V8 Vantage vehicles equipped with 7-speed Auto-Shift Manual (ASM) "SportShift II" transmissions. A connector for the clutch fluid line may break, resulting in a hydraulic fluid leak.
The risk: The loss of hydraulic fluid may prevent the vehicle from shifting out of the gear that it is in. Additionally, if the vehicle is being driven when the fluid level significantly drops, the transmission may shift to an emergency neutral as t…
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will install a support bracket to hold pipe securely in position, free of charge. The recall began July 18, 2017. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-949-379-3100. Aston Martin…
The defect: Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2011-2012 V8 Vantage vehicles. The affected vehicles received updated transmission and engine control software which may conflict with the pre-existing clutch settings and may cause the transmission to shift to neutral, or enable clutch…
The risk: If the transmission shifts into neutral or does not operate as intended, there is an increased the risk of a crash.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will reinstall clutch system software, free of charge. The recall began August 18, 2017. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-949-379-3100. Aston Martin's number for this recall…
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 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…
FORD F 150 — 144 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…
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 V8 Vantage | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0 | 40 |
| 2017 | 0 | 31 |
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 V8 Vantage or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs FORD F 150
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage total complaints
- 11
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,133
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage total recalls
- 29
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage avg complaints/year
- 1.1
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1113.3
- More reliable overall
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN