Head-to-head reliability
BMW 750lxi vs FORD F 150
How the BMW 750lxi 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
BMW 750lxi vs FORD F 150: The BMW 750lxi has 1 complaint and 3 recalls over 5 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls over 10 years. The BMW's single complaint is an engine failure costing $16,000, while the Ford's top issues are power train and electrical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW 750lxi or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW 750lxi
The BMW 750lxi is a luxury sedan with only 1 complaint and 3 recalls over 5 years, averaging 0.2 complaints per year. The single complaint describes a catastrophic engine failure at 80,000 miles with a $16,000 repair quote, suggesting that when things go wrong, they can be very expensive. The three recalls are all for exterior lighting, which is a safety concern but not a major mechanical issue. Overall, the data shows very few reported problems, but the one engine complaint is severe and costly.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls over 10 years, averaging 1,162 complaints per year. The most common issues are power train (3,648 complaints) and electrical system (2,100), with many owners reporting transmission problems, limp mode, and lead frame failures. There are also 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and 1 death, indicating that some issues can have serious consequences. This is a high-volume vehicle with a wide range of reported problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW 750lxi | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 297 |
| 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.
BMW 750lxi
- 01ENGINE1
One owner reported a loud clicking sound at 45 mph, followed by a dealer diagnosis of internal engine breakage at 80,000 miles, costing $16,000 to fix. This suggests that even with regular service, a major engine failure can occur, and repairs are very expensive.
“THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE. 80,000 MILES AND ALL SERVICE PERFORMED. $16,0000 QUOTE FROM THE DEALER. WAS DRIVING AROUND 45 MPH AND HEARD LOUD CLICKING SOUND. DEALER SAID SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE ENGINE AND THAT "IT HAPPENS". $100,000.00 CAR!”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Owners frequently report transmission problems, including limp mode, getting stuck in 5th gear, and lead frame issues that can cause sudden loss of power. One owner said a lead frame failure nearly ended their life, highlighting a serious safety risk.
Many complaints involve the lead frame, which can cause transmission problems and limp mode. Another owner reported a rear window defroster short that caused the back window to shatter, showing electrical faults can lead to unexpected and dangerous failures.
Complaints in this category include the rear window shattering due to a defroster short, which owners say happened without impact. This indicates that some issues are hard to categorize but still pose safety and repair concerns.
With 1,224 complaints, exterior lighting issues are common, though specific details are not provided in the sample. These can affect visibility and safety, and may be subject to recalls.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
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.
BMW 750lxi — 3 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
FORD F 150 — 151 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…
Buyer analysis
BMW 750lxi or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The BMW 750lxi has far fewer complaints per year (0.2 vs. 1,162.1) and fewer recalls (3 vs. 151), but its single complaint is a very expensive engine failure. The Ford F-150 has many more reported problems, including serious safety issues like crashes and injuries. In practice, the BMW may have fewer problems overall, but when they occur, they can be costly; the Ford has a higher volume of issues, some of which are safety-critical.
Key differences
- The BMW 750lxi has only 1 complaint and 3 recalls over 5 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls over 10 years.
- The BMW's single complaint is a catastrophic engine failure at 80,000 miles with a $16,000 repair cost, whereas the Ford's most common complaints are power train and electrical issues, including transmission limp mode and lead frame failures.
- The Ford F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and 1 death, while the BMW has 0 in these categories.
- The BMW's recalls are all for exterior lighting, while the Ford's recalls include engine, seat belts, door latches, and air bags.
- Listen for any unusual clicking or knocking sounds from the engine, especially at highway speeds, as one owner reported a loud clicking before a major engine failure.
- Check for any signs of exterior lighting malfunctions, as all three recalls for this model are for exterior lighting.
- Test drive the truck and pay attention to transmission behavior, looking for any hesitation, limp mode, or getting stuck in gear, as these are commonly reported.
- Inspect the rear window and defroster for any signs of damage or malfunction, as one owner reported the window shattering due to a defroster short.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report to check for any open recalls and past repairs.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection performed by a mechanic who specializes in the brand, focusing on the engine for the BMW and the transmission and electrical system for the Ford.
- For the Ford F-150, specifically ask the mechanic to check the lead frame and output speed sensor, as these are common failure points.
- For the BMW 750lxi, ask about the service history and whether any engine work has been done, given the high cost of potential repairs.
- Verify that all recalls have been addressed by checking with a dealership using the VIN.
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 BMW 750lxi or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW 750lxi vs FORD F 150
- BMW 750lxi total complaints
- 1
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- BMW 750lxi total recalls
- 3
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- BMW 750lxi avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- BMW 750lxi
- BMW 750lxi top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN