Head-to-head reliability
BMW I4 vs FORD F 150
How the BMW I4 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 I4 vs FORD F 150: The BMW i4 has 92 complaints over 5 years (18.4/yr) and 20 recalls, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131.1/yr) and 145 recalls. The i4's issues are often electrical and safety-critical, whereas the F-150's are mainly transmission-related. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW I4 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW I4
The BMW i4 is a relatively new electric vehicle, with complaints averaging about 18 per year over five years. Owners report issues with the electrical system, including sudden surges and stalls, as well as problems with the powertrain and forward collision avoidance. These reports suggest that while the i4 may offer a premium driving experience, it can suffer from intermittent and potentially serious electronic glitches that affect drivability and safety.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a long-standing, high-volume pickup with a much higher complaint rate, averaging over 1,100 per year over ten years. The majority of complaints center on the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as shifting hard, jerking, or failing. Electrical issues and exterior lighting problems are also common, indicating that the F-150, while popular, has notable reliability concerns that buyers should be aware of.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW I4 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 92 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 20 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 22 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 18.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 8 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.
BMW I4
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER22
- 03POWER TRAIN20
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE13
- 05SERVICE BRAKES13
Owners report sudden unintended acceleration, steering that moves on its own, and stalls at speed with drivetrain malfunction warnings. These issues can be alarming and potentially dangerous, as they affect basic vehicle control.
Complaints include the vehicle pulling or swerving to one side, making it feel unstable, and a gear selector that can be accidentally shifted into Reverse, posing a risk of unintended movement.
There are reports of complete loss of braking and steering while driving, accompanied by multiple error warnings. This suggests a serious failure in the electric drivetrain that could leave the driver without control.
The system may fail to brake when needed, as one owner experienced at low speed, or it may become restricted, disabling adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings, reducing safety features.
“The contact owns a 2022 BMW i4. The contact stated that while pulling into her apartment's parking garage, the vehicle surged forward as the steering wheel independently maneuvered to the left without warning. The vehicle initially hit the rear bumper of her…”
“I am reporting a serious and recurring safety issue with my 2024 BMW i4, which I leased new in December 2023. The vehicle currently has approximately 20,000 miles and has stalled multiple times at high speeds, displaying a drivetrain malfunction warning and i…”
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 hard shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power and shutdown. These issues can be unpredictable and occur during normal driving.
Owners report warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear every time the truck is started. This indicates persistent electrical gremlins that affect driver-assist features.
Headlight problems are common, which can reduce visibility and increase the risk of accidents, especially at night.
While not as frequent as transmission issues, engine complaints are notable and may include performance or reliability problems that could lead to costly repairs.
“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.
BMW I4 — 20 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60, 2022 i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles equipped with hybrid electric powertrains. While in Valet Parking Mode, the Central Information Display (CID) may not display critical safety information, such as w…
The risk: A display that does not show critical information, such as warning messages and/or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display's head unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive50, iX M60, 2022 i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles. The high voltage battery may have internal damage, resulting in an electrical short-circuit.
The risk: A short-circuit in a high voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive or charge their vehicles, and to park outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informi…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 iX xDrive40, iX xDrive50, iX M60, i4 eDrive35, i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, and 2023 i7 xDrive60 vehicles. The high voltage battery electronic control unit (ECU) software may cause an interruption of electrical power.
The risk: An interruption of electrical power may result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the high voltage battery ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 10, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2023 i4 eDrive40 and iX xDrive50 electric vehicles. During vehicle start-up, the artificial sound generator control unit may experience a fault and fail to generate the external pedestrian warning sound. As such, these vehicles fail to compl…
The risk: Without external warning sounds, pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the external artificial sound generator software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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
BMW I4 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The BMW i4 has far fewer complaints per year (18.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the i4's problems are often safety-critical, involving loss of control, while the F-150's issues are more frequent but often relate to transmission harshness. In practice, the i4 may offer a more reliable experience overall, but buyers should be aware of the potential for serious electrical failures.
Key differences
- The BMW i4 has significantly fewer complaints per year (18.4) than the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), suggesting a lower rate of reported problems.
- The i4's complaints often involve sudden loss of control or braking, while the F-150's are dominated by transmission shifting issues.
- The F-150 has a much longer history and higher volume, which may contribute to its higher complaint count, but the nature of the issues differs.
- The i4's electrical system problems can be intermittent and hard to diagnose, whereas the F-150's transmission issues are more predictable and well-documented.
- Test the vehicle's acceleration and braking at low speeds to check for any unexpected surges or lack of response.
- Verify that the gear selector requires a deliberate action to shift into Reverse, to avoid accidental engagement.
- During a test drive, pay close attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th and 6th gears, for any harshness or clunking.
- Check if the dashboard displays any warning messages for front camera or pre-collision assist, as these may indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- For the BMW i4, ask for a full service history and any software updates related to electrical or powertrain issues.
- For the Ford F-150, inquire about transmission recalls or TSBs and whether the 10R80 has been replaced or repaired.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the i4's traction battery and charging system for any signs of thermal management problems.
- For the F-150, check the exterior lights for proper operation and look for any moisture or condensation inside the headlights.
- Consider purchasing an extended warranty for either vehicle 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 | BMW I4 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 24 |
| 2025 | 12 | 329 |
| 2024 | 26 | 617 |
| 2023 | 44 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 9 | 3432 |
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 I4 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW I4 vs FORD F 150
- BMW I4 total complaints
- 92
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- BMW I4 total recalls
- 20
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- BMW I4 avg complaints/year
- 18.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- BMW I4
- BMW I4 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN