Head-to-head reliability

BMW K 1300 R vs FORD F 150

How the BMW K 1300 R and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.

BMW K 1300 R0 complaints · 2 recalls Fewer issues per year
FORD F 15011,621 complaints · 151 recalls

Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records

Which should you buy?

BMW K 1300 R averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. BMW K 1300 R has 0 complaints and 2 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.

The numbers

Side-by-side NHTSA record

Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.

CategoryBMW K 1300 RFORD F 150
Total complaintsAll model years combined0 Better11,621
Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns2 Better151
Crash reportsCrash-related complaints0 Better330
Complaints per yearAveraged across model years0.0 Better1162.1
Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints0 Better297
Reported deathsTied to owner complaints0 Better1

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 K 1300 R

No component data available.

FORD F 150

  1. 01POWER TRAIN3,648
  2. 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
  3. 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
  4. 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
  5. 05ENGINE880
In owners' words — POWER TRAIN

“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 K 1300 R — 2 recalls

Wheels — Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
#15V141000Nov 2015

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 R1200GS and R1200RT, 2006-2010 R1200GS Adventure, 2007-2010 R1200R, 2007 R1200S and K1200R Sport, 2005-2007 R1200ST, 2008-2009 HP2 Megamoto, 2006 HP2 Enduro, 2008-2010 HP2 Sport, 2005-2008 K1200S, 2006-2008 K1200R, K1200GT, 2…

The risk: If the rear wheel mounting flange cracks, the mounting bolts may loosen and the rear wheel may not remain secured to the motorcycle, causing a loss of stability and increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing aluminum rear wheel flange with a steel one, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Wheels — Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
#15V141000Nov 2015

The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 R1200GS and R1200RT, 2006-2010 R1200GS Adventure, 2007-2010 R1200R, 2007 R1200S and K1200R Sport, 2005-2007 R1200ST, 2008-2009 HP2 Megamoto, 2006 HP2 Enduro, 2008-2010 HP2 Sport, 2005-2008 K1200S, 2006-2008 K1200R, K1200GT, 2…

The risk: If the rear wheel mounting flange cracks, the mounting bolts may loosen and the rear wheel may not remain secured to the motorcycle, causing a loss of stability and increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing aluminum rear wheel flange with a steel one, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

FORD F 150 — 151 recalls

Engine
#18V894000

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…

Engine
#19V278000Aug 2019

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…

Seat Belts — Pretensioner
#18V568000

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-…

Latches/Locks/Linkages — Doors — Latch
#17V652000

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…

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 K 1300 R or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.

Go deeper

Full reliability reports

BMW K 1300 R vs FORD F 150 — comparison facts
Comparison
BMW K 1300 R vs FORD F 150
BMW K 1300 R total complaints
0
FORD F 150 total complaints
11,621
BMW K 1300 R total recalls
2
FORD F 150 total recalls
151
BMW K 1300 R avg complaints/year
0.0
FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
1162.1
More reliable overall
BMW K 1300 R
FORD F 150 top complaint area
POWER TRAIN