Head-to-head reliability
BMW M235i vs FORD F 150
How the BMW M235i 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 M235i averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. BMW M235i has 19 complaints and 8 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,157 complaints and 144 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.
| Category | BMW M235i | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 19 Better | 11,157 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 8 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 324 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.4 Better | 1115.7 |
| 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.
BMW M235i
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
- 02POWER TRAIN3
- 03EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
- 04ENGINE2
- 05AIR BAGS2
“Rear brake light failure due to faulty wiring. Identical to the details located in this article (https://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/bmw-recalling-241-000-3-series-models-over-faulty-tail-lights/) for which the NHTSA had issued a recall for older BMW models i…”
“According to the dealer, a transmission sensor underneath the gear shifter got wet due to a liquid spill from the cupholders. While driving on the highway returning from scheduled dealer maintenance on the car, the informations screen showed a warning that th…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,503
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,058
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,383
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE829
“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 filing a safety complaint regarding the transmission in my 2019 Ford F-150 equipped with the 5.0L V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission. My vehicle currently has approximately 88,000 miles. The transmission began experiencing abnormal shifting, includin…”
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 M235i — 8 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 228i Coupe, M235i Coupe, 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, ActiveHybrid 3, 328xi Sports Wagon, 428i Coupe, 428xi Coupe, 435i Coupe, 435xi Coupe, 428i Convertible, 428xi Convertible, 435i Convertible, 328xi Gran Turismo, 335xi…
The risk: If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owners were mailed interim notices on May 28, 2015. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 4…
The risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive), and 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i, M235i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fa…
The risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 4…
The risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
FORD F 150 — 144 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…
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 M235i | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 611 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1484 |
| 2022 | 1 | 3407 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5182 |
| 2020 | 0 | 27 |
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 M235i or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW M235i vs FORD F 150
- BMW M235i total complaints
- 19
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,157
- BMW M235i total recalls
- 8
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- BMW M235i avg complaints/year
- 2.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1115.7
- More reliable overall
- BMW M235i
- BMW M235i top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN