Head-to-head reliability
AUDI Q7 vs FORD F 150
How the AUDI Q7 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
AUDI Q7 vs FORD F 150: The Audi Q7 has 634 complaints over 10 years (63.4/yr) with issues like headlight failures and engine coolant leaks, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints (1131.1/yr) dominated by transmission problems. The F-150 also has more crash-related complaints and injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI Q7 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI Q7
The Audi Q7 is a luxury SUV that, in ownership terms, shows a pattern of advanced technology and engine components causing headaches. Owners report issues with adaptive headlights, electrical system failures, and engine problems like coolant leaks. While the complaint count is lower than the F-150, the nature of the issues—such as complete electrical failure at highway speeds—can be serious and costly to repair.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a popular pickup truck with a much higher complaint volume, dominated by transmission issues. Owners describe hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss, which can be alarming and dangerous. Electrical system problems also appear frequently, including camera and sensor malfunctions. The sheer number of complaints suggests these are widespread issues that buyers should take seriously.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI Q7 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 634 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 40 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 19 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 63.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 20 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.
AUDI Q7
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING160
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM134
- 03ENGINE127
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER73
- 05SUSPENSION59
Owners report that the matrix adaptive headlights fail, causing reduced visibility at night and glare issues, which is a safety concern for both the driver and oncoming traffic.
There are reports of complete electrical failure at highway speeds due to a faulty Belt Starter Generator (BSG), which can cause sudden loss of power. Other electrical gremlins include sensor and module failures.
A significant number of owners complain about coolant leaks in the 3.0L turbocharged V6 (EA839) engine, which can lead to overheating and potential engine damage if not addressed.
“Matrix adaptive headlights are not working. Night driving with increased adoption of LED headlights become challenging due to high glare level and associated temporary vision sensitivity reduction, I was hoping that matrix adaptive headlights will improve thi…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 automatic transmission is a major source of complaints, with owners experiencing hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power or vehicle shutdown while driving.
Many owners report recurring warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which can disable safety features and be frustrating to deal with.
Headlight issues are common, though the specific nature varies; some owners report flickering or complete failure, which compromises nighttime visibility.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
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.
AUDI Q7 — 40 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2023-2024 SQ8, RSQ8, Q8, Q7, and 2024 SQ7 vehicles. The driver's seat side air bag may have been improperly mounted to the seatback frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand…
The risk: An improperly mounted air bag may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GA.
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles. An electrical conn…
The risk: A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for th…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (V…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2023-2024 SQ8, RSQ8, Q8, Q7, and 2024 SQ7 vehicles. The driver's seat side air bag may have been improperly mounted to the seatback frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand…
The risk: An improperly mounted air bag may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GA.
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
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 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
AUDI Q7 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Audi Q7 has far fewer complaints per year (63.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower frequency of reported issues. However, the Q7's problems are often complex and expensive to fix, while the F-150's transmission issues are more widespread and can be dangerous. In practice, the Q7 may offer a more reliable ownership experience, but both have significant concerns.
Key differences
- The Audi Q7 has significantly fewer complaints per year (63.4) than the Ford F-150 (1131.1), suggesting a lower rate of reported problems.
- The F-150's top issue is transmission failures, with owners reporting hard shifts and power loss, while the Q7's top issues are headlight and electrical system failures.
- The Q7 has engine coolant leaks in the 3.0L V6, which can be a serious and costly repair, whereas the F-150's engine complaints are less prominent.
- The F-150 has a higher number of crash-related complaints (328) and injuries (287) compared to the Q7 (19 and 20), though the Q7 has no reported deaths.
- Check for any signs of coolant leaks, especially around the engine, and ask for service records related to the EA839 engine.
- Test all exterior lights, including adaptive headlights, to ensure they function properly and don't have error messages.
- During a test drive, pay close attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th and 6th gears, for any hard shifts or jerking.
- Check for any warning lights on the dash, particularly those related to the front camera or pre-collision assist, and ensure they clear after a restart.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for any open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine and transmission.
- For the Audi Q7, specifically inspect the cooling system for leaks and the electrical system for any fault codes.
- For the Ford F-150, test drive at various speeds and conditions to evaluate transmission behavior.
- Consider purchasing an extended warranty to cover potential costly repairs.
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 | AUDI Q7 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 24 |
| 2025 | 15 | 329 |
| 2024 | 1 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 71 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 26 | 33 |
| 2019 | 61 | 36 |
| 2018 | 141 | 56 |
| 2017 | 318 | 43 |
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 AUDI Q7 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI Q7 vs FORD F 150
- AUDI Q7 total complaints
- 634
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- AUDI Q7 total recalls
- 40
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- AUDI Q7 avg complaints/year
- 63.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- AUDI Q7
- AUDI Q7 top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN