Head-to-head reliability
BMW M6 vs FORD F 150
How the BMW M6 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 M6 vs FORD F 150: The M6 has 13 complaints and 12 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls. The F-150 also reports 330 crash-related complaints and 1 death; the M6 reports none. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW M6 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW M6
The BMW M6 is a high-performance luxury car that sees very few complaints relative to its production numbers, averaging just 1.3 complaints per year over a decade. Owners report sudden engine shutdowns while driving, electrical gremlins like convertible tops and windows failing, and even a fire that started in the roof. With 12 recalls but zero crash-related complaints, the M6's issues tend to be expensive and inconvenient rather than frequently dangerous, but the low complaint count means each report is a serious outlier.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is America's best-selling truck, and its huge volume is reflected in a staggering 11,621 complaints over 10 years—about 1,162 per year. The dominant theme is transmission problems, especially a 'lead frame' defect that can cause sudden limp mode or gear sticking, plus electrical glitches and rear window explosions. With 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and 1 death, the F-150's issues are far more frequent and sometimes life-threatening.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW M6 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 13 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 12 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.3 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 M6
- 01ENGINE5
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM5
- 03STRUCTURE4
- 04SEATS3
- 05SUSPENSION2
Owners report the engine stalling and shutting down suddenly at highway speeds, leaving them unable to accelerate or react. One complaint describes multiple near-misses after a 65 mph stall. This is a critical safety concern because a sudden loss of power can lead to a crash.
Complaints include drivetrain malfunction codes appearing within a week of purchase, and convertible top, rear window, and trunk failures. These electrical faults can strand you and are often expensive to diagnose and fix.
Owners report issues with the convertible top, rear window, and trunk not working properly, as well as a car fire that started in the roof. Structural problems like these can compromise the car's weather protection and, in the case of fire, personal safety.
One owner reported a passenger restraint and airbag malfunction, and another described a fire that began in the roof and spread quickly. Seat and airbag issues are serious because they affect occupant protection in a crash.
“WHILE DRIVING ON A MULTI-LANE DIVIDED EXPRESSWAY AT 65MPH SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED AND SHUT DOWN WHICH FORCED A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. OTHER CARS DID NOT HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND REACT NOR DID I. LUCKILY AFTER A FEW NARROW MISSES I MANAGED…”
“PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH CLEAN CARFAX BUT WITHIN 1 WEEK IT WAS THROWING CODES OF DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO REFUSED TO SERVICE PROVIDING INTEL THAT IT UNDERWENT A 152 POINT INSPECTION BEFORE SALE TOOK VEHICLE TO BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE AND…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
The most common complaint is a 'lead frame' defect that causes the transmission to go into limp mode, stick in 5th gear, or fail to shift. Owners describe near-collisions and daily transmission malfunctions, making this a major reliability and safety headache.
Electrical issues often stem from the same lead frame problem, but also include output speed sensor failures that trigger limp mode. These faults can leave you stranded or cause sudden loss of power on the highway.
Owners report bizarre issues like the rear window defroster shorting and causing the back window to explode outward. This is a safety hazard because shattered glass can injure occupants and the cause is hard to predict.
While specific complaint text isn't provided, exterior lighting is a top component with 1,224 complaints. Lighting failures can reduce visibility and increase crash risk, especially at night.
“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 M6 — 12 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mi…
The risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 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 M6 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The BMW M6 has far fewer issues per year (1.3 vs. 1,162 for the F-150), but that's partly because it's a low-volume luxury car. In practice, the F-150's problems are much more frequent and include many crash-related complaints, while the M6's rare issues tend to be severe when they occur.
Key differences
- The F-150 has 11,621 complaints over 10 years versus just 13 for the M6, a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- F-150 owners frequently report transmission limp mode and lead frame failures, while M6 owners report engine stalls and electrical gremlins.
- The F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and 1 death; the M6 has zero in all three categories.
- Both have recalls, but the F-150's 151 recalls dwarf the M6's 12, suggesting broader systemic issues.
- Check for any signs of engine stalling or drivetrain malfunction codes, especially if the car was recently purchased with a clean Carfax.
- Inspect the convertible top, rear window, and trunk operation, as these are common electrical failure points.
- Test drive extensively to see if the transmission hesitates, sticks in gear, or enters limp mode, especially around 5th gear.
- Inspect the rear window for cracks or signs of defroster damage, as some owners report the glass exploding.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on transmission and electrical systems.
- Run a VIN check for open recalls, especially the F-150's lead frame and airbag recalls, and the M6's brake light and airbag recalls.
- Ask for service records to see if the F-150's transmission has been repaired or if the M6 has had electrical fixes.
- During a test drive, accelerate hard and shift manually to check for transmission slipping or limp mode on the F-150.
- For the M6, operate the convertible top, windows, and trunk multiple times to check for intermittent failures.
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 M6 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | 52 |
| 2018 | 1 | 79 |
| 2017 | 1 | 59 |
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 M6 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW M6 vs FORD F 150
- BMW M6 total complaints
- 13
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- BMW M6 total recalls
- 12
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- BMW M6 avg complaints/year
- 1.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- BMW M6
- BMW M6 top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN