Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Impala vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet Impala 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 Impala vs FORD F 150: The Impala averaged 229.7 complaints per year with 23 recalls, while the F-150 averaged 1,131.1 complaints per year with 145 recalls. The F-150's most common issue is transmission problems, while the Impala's is electrical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Impala or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size sedan that averaged about 230 complaints per year over a decade, with 23 recalls. Owners most often report electrical glitches, steering trouble, and engine issues, including a case where the car lost power and shut off while turning. It's a comfortable car, but the complaint pattern suggests you should budget for potential electrical and steering repairs.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that generated roughly 1,131 complaints per year, with 145 recalls. The dominant theme is transmission problems—hard shifts, clunks, and even sudden power loss—along with electrical faults like camera and pre-collision warnings. It's a capable truck, but the high complaint volume means you should be extra careful about its service history.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Impala | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,297 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 23 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 112 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 229.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 97 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 Impala
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM589
- 02ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)430
- 03STEERING341
- 04ENGINE322
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER294
Owners report check engine lights, complete power loss while driving, and emissions-related codes. One driver said the car shut off during a turn, which is a serious safety concern.
This is the second most complained-about area, though specific symptoms aren't detailed in the sample. ESC issues can affect traction and stability, so a pre-purchase scan is wise.
Multiple owners describe hard steering and repeated dealer visits without a fix. One 2020 Impala owner had steering problems right after warranty expired, meaning you could face out-of-pocket costs.
Complaints include a parking brake that releases on its own and a loud bang from an exploded catalytic converter. These suggest potential emissions and brake system faults that can be expensive.
“I purchased this vehicle in a CHEVY DEALERSHIP in palatine, IL. [XXX]. 50k miles a chevy impala around 38k total with taxes and all. A month later I had to pay 200 for a diagnostic at the dealership to check an issue with the steering. They said nothing was w…”
“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON, CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF DURING AS I TURNED RIGHT AT A LIGHT, HAD ONSTAR RUN DIAGNOSTICS, CODE INVOLVED THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM, WAS ADVISED TO FILL UP WITH HIGH QUALITY FUEL, AND DRIVE WITH THE GAS CAP OFF TO…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common complaint by far: hard or delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power. One owner lost all power on a crowded road, which is a major safety risk.
Owners report warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' every time they start the truck. These can disable driver-assist features you may rely on.
With 1,164 complaints, lighting issues are frequent. Recalls include headlights, so check for proper function and any open recalls.
Engine complaints number 847, and there are multiple engine-related recalls. Symptoms aren't detailed in the sample, but the volume suggests potential mechanical problems.
“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 Impala — 23 recalls
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 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: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain…
The risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, a…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors custom…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured March 22, 2013, to May 22, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to stay partially engaged. Thus, these vehicl…
The risk: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
The fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the electronic parking brake control module with new software, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number…
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 Impala or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Impala has far fewer issues per year (about 230 vs. 1,131 for the Ford F-150). In practice, that means you're less likely to face frequent repair visits with the Impala, but the F-150's higher count is partly because it's a much more popular vehicle. Still, the F-150's transmission complaints are severe enough to warrant extra caution.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has about five times as many complaints per year as the Chevrolet Impala (1,131 vs. 230).
- F-150 owners frequently report transmission jerking, clunking, and sudden power loss, while Impala owners more often cite electrical and steering problems.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls versus 23 for the Impala, including multiple engine and lighting recalls.
- The Impala has 0 reported deaths in the data, while the F-150 has 1 death and more crash-related complaints (328 vs. 112).
- Test the steering at low and high speeds for any stiffness or noise, as owners report hard steering and dealer visits that didn't resolve it.
- Scan for stored electrical codes and check that the check engine light isn't on, since power loss and emissions faults are common.
- During a test drive, pay close attention to transmission shifts—especially between 4th-5th and 7th-8th gears—for jerks, clunks, or delayed engagement.
- Start the truck and look for warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on the dashboard.
Before you buy
- Run a free NHTSA recall check by VIN and confirm all recalls are repaired before purchase.
- Ask for a complete service history, focusing on transmission fluid changes for the F-150 and electrical/steering repairs for the Impala.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, including a scan for pending trouble codes.
- For the F-150, test drive at highway speeds and in stop-and-go traffic to feel for transmission issues.
- For the Impala, test all electronics (windows, radio, lights) and check for any warning lights on the dash.
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 Impala | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 15 | 33 |
| 2019 | 28 | 36 |
| 2018 | 59 | 56 |
| 2017 | 116 | 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 Impala or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Impala vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet Impala total complaints
- 2,297
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chevrolet Impala total recalls
- 23
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chevrolet Impala avg complaints/year
- 229.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Impala
- Chevrolet Impala top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN