Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Cruze vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet Cruze 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 Cruze vs FORD F 150: The Cruze averages 371.7 complaints per year, with engine issues like oil leaks and misfires, while the F-150 averages 1131.1, dominated by transmission problems such as hard shifts and power loss. Both have electrical gremlins, but the F-150's transmission is a major concern. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Cruze or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact sedan that, over a decade of owner reports, shows a pattern of engine troubles, electrical gremlins, and transmission issues. Owners describe persistent musty odors from HVAC condensate leaks, engine misfires with oil leaks, and infotainment screens freezing. These issues suggest a car that may require frequent dealer visits, especially as it ages.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a high volume of complaints, but its issues are concentrated in the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission. Owners report hard shifts, clunks, and even sudden power loss. Electrical problems, like camera malfunctions, and exterior lighting issues also appear, but the transmission is the standout concern for buyers.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Cruze | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,717 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 44 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 292 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 371.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 200 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 3 | 1 Better |
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 Cruze
- 01ENGINE1,258
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM758
- 03POWER TRAIN676
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER468
- 05SERVICE BRAKES382
Owners report engine misfires, oil leaks at the front of the engine, and a musty smell inside the cabin linked to HVAC condensate draining into the passenger compartment. These issues can lead to performance problems and potential water damage.
The infotainment touchscreen can completely freeze, showing an error screen, and HVAC drain disconnection causes water to leak into the cabin. These electrical and moisture issues can be frustrating and costly to diagnose.
Transmission problems are noted, including a recall for power train issues. Owners also report the same musty smell and fluid leaks, indicating potential seals or gaskets failing.
“For a year I have had my car to the shop multiple times due to a musty smell inside my car. I have never been able to find any fluids or moisture inside the car, however, the inside of my windshield tends to get a weird film on it, I am constantly cleaning to…”
“Purchased new in 2019 – 32k miles - Oil changes every 6 months. Lightly driven, no modifications, all original engine components and tune. Engine developed a significant miss. Several warnings on Stabilitrak, ABS, and P0300. Significant oil leak at front of e…”
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 source of complaints, with hard shifts, clunks between gears, and even sudden loss of power while driving. This can be a safety concern and may require transmission repair or replacement.
Owners report warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear every time the truck starts. These electrical issues can disable safety features.
Headlight problems are common enough to be a top complaint area, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. This could range from bulb failures to more complex electrical issues.
“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 Cruze — 44 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insu…
The risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrole…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insu…
The risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrole…
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 Cruze or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Cruze has fewer complaints per year (371.7) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but its issues are more varied across engine, electrical, and transmission. The F-150's problems are heavily concentrated in the transmission, which could be a more expensive fix. In practice, the Cruze may have more frequent but less severe issues, while the F-150's transmission problems could be more serious.
Key differences
- The Cruze has a higher proportion of engine complaints (34% of total) compared to the F-150 (7.5%), indicating more engine-related issues.
- The F-150 has a much higher number of power train complaints (3553) than the Cruze (676), with transmission problems being a standout.
- Electrical issues are significant in both, but the Cruze's infotainment freezing and HVAC leaks are distinct, while the F-150's camera and pre-collision warnings are more safety-related.
- The Cruze has fewer crash-related complaints (292) than the F-150 (328) despite having fewer total complaints, suggesting a lower rate of safety incidents.
- Check for musty odors or damp carpets, which could indicate a disconnected HVAC condensate drain leading to water intrusion.
- Test the infotainment screen for freezing or unresponsiveness, a common electrical issue.
- Test drive at various speeds to feel for hard shifts or clunks, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears.
- Look for warning messages about front camera or pre-collision assist on startup, which could indicate electrical problems.
Before you buy
- Have a mechanic inspect the engine for oil leaks and perform a compression test on the Cruze.
- Check the Cruze's HVAC system for proper drainage and any signs of water damage under the dash.
- For the F-150, take it on a highway test drive to assess transmission shift quality.
- Scan both vehicles for stored trouble codes, especially P0300 (misfire) for the Cruze and transmission-related codes for the F-150.
- Review the recall history and ensure all recalls have been addressed for the specific 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 | Chevrolet Cruze | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 21 | 36 |
| 2018 | 109 | 56 |
| 2017 | 201 | 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 Cruze or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Cruze vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet Cruze total complaints
- 3,717
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chevrolet Cruze total recalls
- 44
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chevrolet Cruze avg complaints/year
- 371.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Cruze
- Chevrolet Cruze top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN