Head-to-head reliability
AUDI RS Q8 vs FORD F 150
How the AUDI RS Q8 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 Q8 vs FORD F 150: The Audi has 2 complaints over 7 years (0.3/yr) with 20 recalls, while the Ford has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131/yr) with 145 recalls. Audi's issues are sudden electrical shutdowns; Ford's are transmission failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI RS Q8 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI RS Q8
The Audi RS Q8 is a high-performance luxury SUV that, in ownership terms, is relatively low-volume and low-mileage. Over seven years, owners have filed only two complaints, but both describe a sudden, complete electrical shutdown that disables steering and requires a tow. This pattern, while rare, is alarming because it can happen without warning, and parts like the alternator may be back-ordered. The 20 recalls cover a range of systems, from seat belts to air bags, but none are crash-related.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a mass-market pickup with a much higher ownership base, reflected in over 11,000 complaints in ten years. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners report shifting hard, jerking, and occasionally losing power entirely. Electrical problems, including camera and pre-collision malfunctions, are also common. With 145 recalls and 328 crash-related complaints, the F-150 shows a pattern of widespread, sometimes safety-critical issues that affect daily drivability.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI RS Q8 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 20 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.3 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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 RS Q8
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
- 02STEERING1
Owners report a sudden 'Electrical System Malfunction' warning followed by a complete shutdown, with loss of steering and power. The vehicle must be towed, and the alternator is often on back-order, leaving cars undrivable for extended periods.
The electrical failure can disable steering assist, making the car extremely difficult to control. One owner noted there was 'not sufficient time to react,' highlighting the sudden nature of the failure.
“The car gave an electrical error & said to stop vehicle immediately. I lost steering capabilities. I pulled over & had to wait hours for a tow. I am now being told the part is on back order with over 5000 cars waiting on an alternator. I’ve not even had the c…”
“The car displayed a Electrical System Malfunction and completely shutdown. The car will haft to be towed to AUDI service center for diagnosis. This is extremely unsafe for general operation. Their was not sufficient time to react.”
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. Owners describe hard, delayed shifts between gears (e.g., 7th to 8th, 4th to 5th), jerking, clunking, and in some cases, a complete loss of power while driving, which can be dangerous in traffic.
Beyond transmission issues, electrical problems are frequent. Owners report warning lights for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear every time the truck is started, indicating persistent sensor or software issues.
With over 1,100 complaints, headlight issues are common. While specific symptoms aren't detailed in the sample, the high volume suggests problems with visibility, which is critical for safety.
“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 RS Q8 — 20 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, R…
The risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi custome…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7…
The risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe,…
The risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 4…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Audi RS Q8, Audi Q8, Audi Q7, and Audi SQ8 vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt buckles may be missing a rivet that secures the buckle to the seat belt stalk.
The risk: A seat belt that is missing a rivet may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace both front seat belt buckles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2025. Owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 692K. Vehicle Identification Numbers (V…
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 RS Q8 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Audi RS Q8 has far fewer complaints per year (0.3 vs. 1,131.1), indicating a much lower rate of reported issues. However, the nature of the Audi's failures—sudden electrical shutdowns—can be more immediately dangerous. In practice, the F-150's transmission problems are more frequent but often less catastrophic, while the Audi's rare but severe failures demand attention.
Key differences
- The Audi RS Q8 has only 2 complaints in 7 years, while the Ford F-150 has over 11,000 in 10 years.
- Audi's issues center on sudden electrical shutdowns that disable steering, whereas Ford's main problem is harsh shifting and transmission failures.
- Ford has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, while Audi has none reported.
- Ford's recalls (145) are more numerous than Audi's (20), but Audi's recalls cover safety-critical systems like air bags and seat belts.
- Check for any history of 'Electrical System Malfunction' warnings or alternator replacements, as this could indicate a recurring issue.
- Inspect the steering system for any signs of intermittent loss of power assist, which could be a precursor to a full shutdown.
- Test drive the truck through all gears, especially 4th to 8th, to feel for hard shifts or jerking, which are common transmission issues.
- Look for warning lights on the dash for camera or pre-collision systems, and ask if they have been addressed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full service history and check for any open recalls on both vehicles.
- For the Audi, ask about the alternator back-order status and whether the electrical system has been updated.
- For the Ford, request a transmission fluid change and software update if not already done, and test drive at various speeds.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the electrical system for the Audi and the transmission for the Ford.
- Check NHTSA website for the latest complaints and recalls for the specific model year you are considering.
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 RS Q8 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 0 | 329 |
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 2 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
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 Q8 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI RS Q8 vs FORD F 150
- AUDI RS Q8 total complaints
- 2
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- AUDI RS Q8 total recalls
- 20
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- AUDI RS Q8 avg complaints/year
- 0.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- AUDI RS Q8
- AUDI RS Q8 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN