Head-to-head reliability
BMW M760i vs FORD F 150
How the BMW M760i 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 M760i vs FORD F 150: The BMW M760i has 1 complaint over 5 years (0.2/year) and 4 recalls, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 complaints over 10 years (1,162.1/year) and 151 recalls. The BMW's main issue is a passenger seat sensor warning; the Ford's include transmission limp mode and electrical shorts. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW M760i or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW M760i
The BMW M760i is a low-volume luxury sedan with very few complaints over five years, averaging 0.2 per year. The main pattern is a recurring warning about the passenger seatbelt and restraint system, linked to a seat bottom sensor. This suggests that while overall reported issues are rare, the ones that do appear can be annoying and potentially safety-related. Buyers should be aware that even low-complaint vehicles can have persistent electronic gremlins.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with thousands of complaints over ten years, averaging over 1,100 per year. The most common problems involve the power train, electrical system, and exterior lighting, with many reports of transmission limp mode and lead frame failures. There are also 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and one death reported. This indicates a much higher rate of reported issues, some of which can be serious.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW M760i | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 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 M760i
- 01AIR BAGS1
- 02SEAT BELTS1
- 03SEATS1
Owners report a dashboard warning about a seatbelt and restraint system malfunction in the passenger seat. It seems tied to a sensor in the seat bottom and can come and go while someone is sitting there, which could affect airbag deployment.
The same warning appears for seat belts, again pointing to the passenger seat bottom sensor. This intermittent alarm may mean the restraint system is not working as intended when needed.
The seat itself is implicated because the sensor is in the seat bottom. Owners see the warning flicker on and off, creating uncertainty about whether the passenger airbag will deploy correctly.
“Warning about seatbelt & restraint systems malfunction in passenger seat appear in dash. Seems to correlate to seat bottom sensor in front passenger seat, goes in and out of alarm while occupants sit in the front passenger seat, creating risk of restraint sys…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Many owners report transmission problems, including going into limp mode, getting stuck in 5th gear, and lead frame failures. One owner said a lead frame issue nearly ended their life, and another described daily limp mode on a 2017 V8 with a 6-speed automatic.
Electrical complaints often involve the same lead frame issue, plus a specific case where a rear window defroster short caused the back window to explode outward. Another owner reported an output speed sensor failure that triggered limp mode on the highway.
This category includes the rear window defroster short that shattered the back window. Such unexpected failures can be dangerous and costly, and they add to the overall ownership burden.
Exterior lighting is a top complaint area, though the sample text does not give a specific failure. Buyers should still check for lighting malfunctions, as they are frequently reported.
“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 M760i — 4 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series C…
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 740Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive, M760Li xDrive, and Alpina B7 vehicles. The top child seat tether anchor on the rear middle seat may not be readily accessible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M…
The risk: A child restraint system placed on the vehicle's rear middle seat without utilizing the three-point safety belt, could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a top tether anchor cover at the rear middle seating position. Until vehicles are remedied, owners will be instructed to utilize the outboard rear seating positions which are equipped with a…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series C…
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 740Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive, M760Li xDrive, and Alpina B7 vehicles. The top child seat tether anchor on the rear middle seat may not be readily accessible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M…
The risk: A child restraint system placed on the vehicle's rear middle seat without utilizing the three-point safety belt, could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a top tether anchor cover at the rear middle seating position. Until vehicles are remedied, owners will be instructed to utilize the outboard rear seating positions which are equipped with a…
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 M760i or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The BMW M760i has far fewer issues per year (0.2 vs. 1,162.1), but its complaints center on a persistent restraint system warning. The Ford F-150 has a much higher volume of complaints, including serious power train and electrical failures that can lead to limp mode or crashes. In practice, the BMW may have fewer problems, but the Ford's issues are more numerous and potentially more severe.
Key differences
- The BMW M760i has only 1 complaint over 5 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 over 10 years, showing a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- BMW complaints are all about a passenger seat sensor causing restraint warnings, whereas Ford complaints include transmission limp mode, lead frame failures, and a rear window shattering.
- The Ford F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and 1 death, while the BMW M760i has 0 in all those categories.
- Ford has 151 recalls versus BMW's 4, covering issues like engine, seat belts, and airbags, which means more potential safety campaigns to address.
- Check for any dashboard warning about the passenger seatbelt or restraint system, especially if it flickers when someone sits in the passenger seat.
- Test the passenger seat bottom sensor by having someone sit and move around to see if the warning appears intermittently.
- Look for signs of transmission problems: hesitation, limp mode, or getting stuck in 5th gear, especially on 2017 V8 models with the 6-speed automatic.
- Inspect the rear window defroster for any signs of shorting or previous shattering, and check for electrical gremlins like output speed sensor codes.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the Ford's many campaigns.
- For the BMW, have a mechanic scan for restraint system codes and test the passenger seat sensor.
- For the Ford, test drive at highway speeds to check for transmission limp mode or harsh shifting, and scan for stored codes like P0722.
- Inspect the Ford's rear window and defroster for any cracks or signs of overheating.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, particularly for transmission fluid changes on the Ford and any sensor repairs on the BMW.
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 M760i | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 0 | 44 |
| 2019 | 1 | 52 |
| 2018 | 0 | 79 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 M760i or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW M760i vs FORD F 150
- BMW M760i total complaints
- 1
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- BMW M760i total recalls
- 4
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- BMW M760i avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- BMW M760i
- BMW M760i top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN