Head-to-head reliability
AUDI TT vs FORD F 150
How the AUDI TT 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 TT vs FORD F 150: The Audi TT averages 0.2 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages 1,131.1. The TT's issues are limited to seat trim, but the F-150 has widespread transmission and electrical failures. The F-150 has 328 crash-related incidents and 1 death, whereas the TT has none. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI TT or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI TT
The Audi TT is a compact sports coupe/roadster that, in ownership terms, shows a very low complaint rate over the past decade, averaging just 0.2 complaints per year. The few complaints that exist focus on the plastic trim around the front seats, specifically near the headrests, where side airbags are housed. Owners report that this trim can pop open or become loose, raising concerns about proper airbag deployment. While the vehicle has had several recalls, none are crash-related, and there have been no reported injuries or deaths.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup truck that, in ownership terms, has a very high complaint rate, averaging over 1,100 complaints per year over the past decade. The dominant issues are in the powertrain, with owners frequently reporting hard shifting, jerking, and even sudden loss of power, particularly in the 10-speed automatic transmission. Electrical system problems are also common, including camera malfunctions and warning lights. The F-150 has a high number of recalls and has been associated with numerous crashes, injuries, and one death.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI TT | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 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 TT
- 01AIR BAGS2
- 02SEATS2
Owners report that the plastic housing on both sides of the driver's and passenger's seats, near the headrests, can pop open or become loose. This is the area where side airbags are stored, so there is concern that the airbag may not deploy properly in a collision. One owner was quoted $2,700 to fix the issue.
The same trim issue is reported under seats: the plastic housing around the seat sides is loose and broken. This is a cosmetic and potential safety concern, as it could affect side airbag deployment.
“DRIVER SEAT: THE PLASTIC HOUSING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT, NEAR THE HEADREST, HAVE POPPED OPEN AND PULLED AWAY FROM THE SEAT. THE IS THE AREA WHERE THE SIDE AIRBAGS ARE STORED AND DEPLOY FROM DURING A COLLISION. PASSENGER SEAT: THE PLASTIC HOUSING H…”
“THE TRIM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT SEATS IS LOOSE AND BROKEN, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY PROPERLY IF NOT ADDRESSED BY AUDI. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $2700 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED AUDI CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT IT IS CU…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard and delayed shifts, especially between 7th and 8th gear, and sometimes a sudden loss of power where the vehicle shuts off and drifts. The 10R80 automatic transmission is frequently cited for jerking and clunking between gears, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous in traffic.
Many owners report warning messages such as 'Front Camera Malfunction Service Required' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' appearing on the dash every time they start the truck. These electrical issues can affect safety features and require dealer visits.
There are numerous complaints about exterior lighting, particularly headlights, which may involve failures or poor performance, though specific details are not provided in the sample.
Engine-related complaints are also present, but the sample text does not provide specific details. However, the high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns.
“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 TT — 6 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Audi TT Roadster Quattro and TT Coupe Quattro vehicles. In the event of a crash, the fuel tank may become damaged by the fuel tank heat shield bracket .
The risk: A damaged fuel tank may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cap on the fuel tank heat shield bracket, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or depl…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-283…
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. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Audi TT Roadster Quattro and TT Coupe Quattro vehicles. In the event of a crash, the fuel tank may become damaged by the fuel tank heat shield bracket .
The risk: A damaged fuel tank may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cap on the fuel tank heat shield bracket, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's…
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 TT or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Audi TT has far fewer complaints per year (0.2) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a much lower rate of reported issues. In practice, this means the TT is likely to be more reliable in terms of owner-reported problems, while the F-150 has a higher risk of encountering transmission and electrical issues.
Key differences
- The Audi TT has a very low complaint rate (0.2/yr) focused on seat trim, while the Ford F-150 has a high rate (1,131.1/yr) with major powertrain and electrical issues.
- The Audi TT's complaints are about potential airbag deployment concerns due to loose trim, whereas the F-150's complaints include actual loss of power and hard shifting.
- The F-150 has been involved in 328 crashes and 287 injuries, while the TT has none reported.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls, compared to the TT's 6, indicating a higher frequency of manufacturer-identified defects.
- Inspect the plastic trim on both sides of the front seats near the headrests for any looseness or damage, as this could affect side airbag deployment.
- Check if the seat trim has been repaired or replaced, and verify that the airbag system is fully functional.
- Test drive the F-150 and pay close attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears, for any hard jerks or clunks.
- Check for any warning lights on the dash, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available', which indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- For the Audi TT: visually inspect the seat side trim and ensure it is securely attached; ask for service records related to any airbag or seat repairs.
- For the Ford F-150: take it for an extended test drive including highway speeds to evaluate transmission behavior; have a mechanic check the transmission fluid and any stored trouble codes.
- Check the recall status for both vehicles using the VIN and ensure all recalls have been addressed.
- For the F-150, ask about the history of any electrical system repairs, especially related to cameras or sensors.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic, focusing on the specific problem areas mentioned.
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 TT | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 2019 | 0 | 36 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 TT or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI TT vs FORD F 150
- AUDI TT total complaints
- 2
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- AUDI TT total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- AUDI TT avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- AUDI TT
- AUDI TT top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN