Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet 6500xd vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet 6500xd 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
Chevrolet 6500xd vs FORD F 150: The Chevrolet 6500xd has 0 complaints and 28 recalls over 9 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over 10 years. The F-150 also reports 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet 6500xd or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet 6500xd
The Chevrolet 6500xd is a medium-duty commercial truck, not a typical family vehicle. Over nine years, it has zero owner complaints filed with NHTSA, but 28 recalls covering fuel filters, rear leaf spring brackets, and forward collision camera systems. The lack of complaints may reflect low ownership volume or that issues are addressed through recalls rather than owner reports. For a buyer, this means fewer documented day-to-day failure patterns, but active safety recalls still require attention.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a massive owner base and 11,311 complaints over ten years, averaging over 1,100 per year. The most common trouble spots are the power train, electrical system, exterior lighting, and engine. Owners report hard or delayed transmission shifts, sudden loss of power, and electrical glitches like camera malfunctions. These are real-world issues that can affect safety and repair costs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet 6500xd | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 28 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| 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.
Chevrolet 6500xd
No component data available.
Recalls for the fuel filter indicate a risk of fuel leaks or stalling. Owners have not filed complaints, but a failed fuel filter can cause engine hesitation or shutdown, leaving you stranded.
Recalls for rear leaf spring hanger brackets suggest possible cracking or detachment. If a bracket fails, the rear suspension can shift, leading to poor handling and potential loss of control.
A recall for the camera sensing system means the automatic braking or warning feature may not work. This could increase the chance of a front-end collision if the system fails to detect obstacles.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially in the 10-speed automatic. Some experience sudden loss of power or the truck shutting off while driving, which is a serious safety concern.
Complaints include loud bangs from the transmission, popping sounds from the rear suspension, and warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' These can distract the driver and indicate deeper electronic faults.
With 1,164 complaints, headlight issues are common. Recalls for headlights suggest they may fail or be misaligned, reducing visibility at night and increasing crash risk.
Engine complaints (847) and recalls point to potential stalling, rough running, or other failures. A sudden engine shutdown while driving can be dangerous and expensive to repair.
“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.
Chevrolet 6500xd — 28 recalls
The defect: Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Isuzu FVR, Isuzu FTR, Chevrolet 6500XD, and 2023-2026 Chevrolet 7500XD vehicles. The fuel heater may overheat, melting the casing and allowing fuel to leak into the electrical connector.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel heater and electrical connectors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. Isuzu's number f…
The defect: Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Isuzu FVR, 2023-2026 Chevrolet 7500XD, 2018-2026 Chevrolet 6500XD, and Isuzu FTR vehicles. The axle stabilizer bracket bolts may crack and break, allowing the bracket to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: A detached axle stabilizer bracket can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the stabilizer bar brackets, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include Class 6 vehicles (FTR, Chevy 6500XD). Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2025 to FTR and Chevrolet 6500XD ow…
The defect: Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2019-2024 FTR, 2020-2024 Chevrolet LCF 6500XD, 2022-2024 FVR, and 2023-2024 Chevrolet LCF 7500XD vehicles equipped with a Mobileye Collision Warning System. The Mobileye camera cable may have been routed improperly, which can result in wiring damage…
The risk: Overloaded electrical circuits can overheat, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, wiring damage may cause a loss of turn signal, hazard lights, and/or collision system function, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the Mobileye camera cable or replace the Mobileye camera cable and T-harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 08, 2024. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service a…
The defect: Isuzu Motors Limited (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Isuzu FVR, Isuzu FTR, Chevrolet 6500XD, and 2023-2026 Chevrolet 7500XD vehicles. The fuel heater may overheat, melting the casing and allowing fuel to leak into the electrical connector.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel heater and electrical connectors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. Isuzu's number f…
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
Chevrolet 6500xd or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet 6500xd has far fewer issues per year (0 complaints vs. 1,131 for the Ford F-150). In practice, the Ford F-150 is more likely to leave you dealing with transmission, electrical, or engine problems, while the Chevrolet 6500xd has no reported owner complaints but still has recalls to address.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years, while the Chevrolet 6500xd has 0 complaints over 9 years.
- Ford F-150 owners report transmission jerking, sudden power loss, and electrical glitches; Chevrolet 6500xd has no owner complaint text, only recalls for fuel, suspension, and camera systems.
- The Ford F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and 1 death; the Chevrolet 6500xd has none of these reported.
- Recalls are more frequent on the Ford F-150 (145) than the Chevrolet 6500xd (28), but both have safety-related recall subjects.
- Check for any open recalls on the fuel filter and rear leaf spring hanger brackets; these can cause stalling or suspension failure.
- Inspect the forward collision camera system for proper operation, as a recall may not have been performed.
- Test drive at various speeds to feel for hard or delayed transmission shifts, especially between 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8 gears.
- Check for electrical warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on the dashboard.
Before you buy
- Look up the VIN on NHTSA's recall site to see if all recalls are completed for either vehicle.
- For the Ford F-150, ask for transmission service records and test drive extensively in stop-and-go and highway conditions.
- For the Chevrolet 6500xd, inspect the rear leaf spring brackets and fuel filter for signs of wear or leaks.
- Have a mechanic scan for stored error codes, especially in the transmission and electrical systems of the Ford F-150.
- Request a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the specific recall areas for each vehicle.
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 | Chevrolet 6500xd | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 0 | 329 |
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 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 Chevrolet 6500xd or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet 6500xd vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet 6500xd total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chevrolet 6500xd total recalls
- 28
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chevrolet 6500xd avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet 6500xd
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN