Head-to-head reliability
AUDI RS 4 vs FORD F 150
How the AUDI RS 4 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 RS 4 vs FORD F 150: The Audi RS 4 averages 2.0 complaints per year with no crashes, while the Ford F-150 averages 2755.2 complaints per year with 762 crashes and 10 deaths. The Audi's main issue is leaking shocks; the Ford's are powertrain and electrical failures causing loss of power. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI RS 4 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI RS 4
The Audi RS 4 is a performance sedan with a low complaint rate of 2.0 per year, but owners report a persistent suspension issue where shock absorbers leak oil and cause clunking noises, acknowledged by Audi as a design defect. Airbag and electrical problems also appear, with one owner told no fix exists due to limited production. Overall, it's a low-volume model with a focused set of known issues.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with a very high complaint rate of 2755.2 per year, covering widespread powertrain, engine, and electrical failures. Owners report sudden loss of power, transmission problems, and unintended acceleration, with 762 crashes and 10 deaths linked to complaints. The sheer volume and severity make it a high-risk used vehicle.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI RS 4 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 4 Better | 27,552 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 5 Better | 141 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 762 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.0 Better | 2755.2 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 714 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 10 |
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 RS 4
- 01SUSPENSION2
- 02AIR BAGS1
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
Owners report shock absorbers leaking oil and making clunking noises, with Audi acknowledging a design defect and replacing shocks under campaign 43A9. After replacement, some owners say the car doesn't track center and pulls.
One owner reports being told by Audi that no fix exists for an airbag issue due to the vehicle's limited edition status, leaving them unable to use it as a family vehicle. Multiple recalls for passenger and driver frontal inflator modules suggest ongoing safety concerns.
Owners experience hesitation and loss of power, with check engine lights leading to ignition coil replacements. The problem recurs, indicating a systemic electrical or ignition system weakness.
“SUSPENSION COMPONENT FAILURE LEADING TO LEAKING SHOCK ABSORBER. PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED BY AUDI AS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT AND SHOCKS REPLACED UNDER THEIR CAMPAIGN, "43A9 DYNAMIC RIDE CONTROL SUSPENSION SERVICE". AFTER NEW SHOCKS THE CAR DOES NOT TRACK CENTER, PUL…”
“ALL SUSPENSION LEAKING OIL AND HAS A BAD CLUNKING NOISE. AUDI OF AMERICA CALLS IT ( SWEATING ). AND SAY ITS NORMAL. AND WOULD NOT REPLACE UNTIL COMPLETELY BROKEN.VEHICLE FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO FALL APART. *TR”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN9,967
- 02ENGINE4,861
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3,479
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER3,210
- 05STRUCTURE1,485
Owners report the shifter getting stuck in drive when parking, failing to engage park, which can cause the truck to roll. Others describe turbo wastegate issues and transmission problems, with 9967 complaints making it the top trouble area.
Engine complaints include sudden loss of power while driving, stalling, and check engine lights. Some issues are linked to the integrated park module not engaging park, causing safety hazards.
Complete loss of power while driving is reported, disabling brakes, steering, airbags, and hazards. Other owners note ABS issues after recall service, with 3479 complaints highlighting systemic electrical failures.
“When I am parking the truck, I press and hold the brake pedal, While the truck shifter in in "Drive", I press the start/stop button to shut truck down, the shifter gets stuck in "drive" and doesn't automatically shift in to park. The truck locks down and will…”
“My truck is a 2025 Ford F150 STX with 5,900 miles on it. This truck was purchased new at River City Ford in Lavalette, WV The component in questions seems to be involved with the turbos and more specifically the wastegate that attached to the turbos. Also, ye…”
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 RS 4 — 5 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri,…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri,…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure m…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Vol…
FORD F 150 — 141 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may los…
The risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, 2024 Expedition and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine. The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 23, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for th…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
The risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Buyer analysis
AUDI RS 4 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Audi RS 4 has far fewer issues per year (2.0 vs 2755.2) and no reported crashes or injuries, making it a lower-risk choice for reliability. The Ford F-150's high complaint volume and severity, including crashes and deaths, indicate a much higher likelihood of serious problems in daily use.
Key differences
- Audi RS 4 has 2.0 complaints per year vs Ford F-150's 2755.2 per year.
- Ford F-150 has 762 crash-related complaints and 10 deaths; Audi RS 4 has zero.
- Audi RS 4's main issue is leaking shock absorbers; Ford F-150's top issues are powertrain and engine failures causing loss of power.
- Ford F-150 has 141 recalls; Audi RS 4 has 5 recalls, all for airbags.
- Check for leaking shock absorbers and clunking noises from the suspension, a known design defect.
- Verify that all airbag recalls have been performed, as multiple recalls exist for frontal inflator modules.
- Test the transmission park function: press brake, shift to park, and ensure the shifter doesn't stick in drive.
- Check for any history of sudden power loss or electrical failures, as these are common and can disable safety systems.
Before you buy
- Obtain the vehicle's VIN and check NHTSA for open recalls on both models.
- For the Audi RS 4, inspect suspension for oil leaks and test drive for clunking or pulling.
- For the Ford F-150, test the park function multiple times and check for any drivability issues like hesitation or stalling.
- Review service records for ignition coil replacements on the Audi and transmission repairs on the Ford.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with these specific models.
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 RS 4 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI RS 4 vs FORD F 150
- AUDI RS 4 total complaints
- 4
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 27,552
- AUDI RS 4 total recalls
- 5
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 141
- AUDI RS 4 avg complaints/year
- 2.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 2755.2
- More reliable overall
- AUDI RS 4
- AUDI RS 4 top complaint area
- SUSPENSION
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN