Head-to-head reliability
Cadillac ELR vs FORD F 150
How the Cadillac ELR 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
Cadillac ELR vs FORD F 150: The ELR has 21 complaints over 4 years (5.3/yr) with issues like sudden power loss and airbag failures, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1131/yr) with transmission problems. The ELR's low volume means fewer issues, but they can be severe. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Cadillac ELR or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Cadillac ELR
The Cadillac ELR is a low-volume plug-in hybrid luxury coupe that, in ownership terms, means you're dealing with a niche vehicle with complex systems. The complaint pattern shows a car that can suffer from sudden loss of power while driving, electrical gremlins, and persistent airbag warning lights—issues that could leave you stranded or concerned about safety systems. With only 21 complaints over 4 years, it's not a high-volume problem vehicle, but the nature of the issues is serious.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a mass-market full-size pickup with a huge owner base, and its complaint count reflects that scale. The dominant theme is transmission trouble—hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss—along with a wide range of electrical and lighting issues. With over 11,000 complaints and 145 recalls, it's clear that while many F-150s are reliable, a significant number of owners face drivability and safety concerns that could affect your daily use.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Cadillac ELR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 21 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 2 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 5.3 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
Cadillac ELR
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
- 03AIR BAGS5
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
- 05POWER TRAIN2
Owners report sudden loss of power and control while driving, with the vehicle dying and all functions shutting off. This is a critical safety issue that can leave you without steering or brakes.
The airbag warning light illuminates, often turning red, and dealers struggle to fix it. This indicates a potential failure of the occupant sensor or airbag system, meaning airbags may not deploy in a crash.
Some owners experience the vehicle failing to turn off, with a 'Shift to Park' warning even when in Park. This can leave you unable to exit the car or restart it, a frustrating and potentially dangerous situation.
“Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ AIR BAGS: FRONT: PASSENGER SIDE Description of Safety Defect: The Passenger Presence System (PPS) Module / Occupant Sensor Module failed on my 2014 Cadillac ELR, triggering diagnostic code U0170 ("Lost Communication with…”
“Loss of power and control: Twice over the past two months, the vehicle has died and lost all power and control functions while in motion. The first episode was while my spouse was driving during the day at about 30 MPH. She reports the vehicle made a loud "po…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major sore spot: owners report hard shifts, clunks, jerking between gears, and even sudden loss of power or vehicle shutdown. This can make driving unpredictable and lead to costly repairs.
Warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available appear on startup, indicating issues with driver-assist systems. These may disable safety features and require dealer visits.
Headlight problems are common, with owners reporting failures or malfunctions that reduce visibility at night, increasing crash risk.
“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.
Cadillac ELR — 2 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac ELR vehicles not equipped with adaptive cruise control and manufactured September 26, 2013, through February 14, 2014, and equipped without adaptive cruise control. In these vehicles, the electronic stability control (ESC) system…
The risk: If the driver is not alerted to an ESC malfunction they may continue driving with a disabled ESC system which may result in loss of directional control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM), free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14087.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the af…
The risk: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-73…
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
Cadillac ELR or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Cadillac ELR has far fewer complaints per year (5.3 vs 1131.1 for the F-150), but its issues are more severe in nature, involving sudden power loss and airbag failures. The F-150's high volume means more owners affected, but the problems are often transmission-related and may be more predictable. In practice, the ELR's low numbers suggest a lower likelihood of encountering issues, but when they occur, they can be more dangerous.
Key differences
- The ELR has sudden loss of power incidents, while the F-150 has transmission hard shifts and jerks.
- The ELR's airbag system failures are a safety concern, whereas the F-150's issues are more about drivability and comfort.
- The F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, but that's partly due to its popularity; the ELR's low volume means fewer data points.
- The ELR's electrical issues can disable the car entirely, while the F-150's electrical problems often involve warning lights and sensor malfunctions.
- Check for any history of airbag warning lights or module replacements, as these are common and may indicate unresolved safety issues.
- Test drive at various speeds to see if the car ever loses power or shows warning lights, and ask about any 'Shift to Park' problems.
- Listen for hard shifts or clunks during a test drive, especially between 4th-6th gears, and check for any transmission-related recalls.
- Inspect the headlights for proper operation and look for any warning messages about camera or pre-collision systems on startup.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to see if recalls were addressed, especially for the ELR's ESC and seat recalls, and the F-150's many recalls.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the ELR's electrical system and airbag sensors, and the F-150's transmission and lighting.
- During test drives, replicate stop-and-go traffic to feel for transmission issues in the F-150 and any power loss in the ELR.
- Ask for service records showing how often the ELR's airbag light was repaired and whether the F-150's transmission was serviced.
- Check online forums for common issues specific to the model year you're considering.
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 | Cadillac ELR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 0 | 43 |
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 Cadillac ELR or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Cadillac ELR vs FORD F 150
- Cadillac ELR total complaints
- 21
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Cadillac ELR total recalls
- 2
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Cadillac ELR avg complaints/year
- 5.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Cadillac ELR
- Cadillac ELR top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN