Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Sonic vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet Sonic 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 Sonic averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Chevrolet Sonic has 951 complaints and 23 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,157 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Sonic | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 951 Better | 11,157 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 23 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 91 Better | 324 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 105.7 Better | 1115.7 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 76 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 | 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 Sonic
- 01ENGINE239
- 02POWER TRAIN231
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM225
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER165
- 05AIR BAGS126
“Purchased this vehicle in February 2022 with 105,000 miles. Oil sticker indicated recent oil change and oil color was light and clear. The day after purchase the check engine light came on. Diagnostic scan indicated bad thermostat assembly and 2 oil sensors n…”
“Engine Cooling System (Thermostat Housing / Water Outlet) The vehicle suffered a premature structural failure of the factory engine coolant thermostat housing. The component, which is manufactured from a fragile plastic composite, cracked completely open with…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,503
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,058
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,383
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE829
“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 filing a safety complaint regarding the transmission in my 2019 Ford F-150 equipped with the 5.0L V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission. My vehicle currently has approximately 88,000 miles. The transmission began experiencing abnormal shifting, includin…”
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 Sonic — 23 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. A joint in the driver's seat-back frame may not be properly welded, reducing the strength of the seat-back frame.
The risk: In the event of a rear-impact crash, the seat-back may fail, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat-back, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18178.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leave…
The risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and…
The risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leave…
The risk: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
FORD F 150 — 144 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…
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 Sonic | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10 | 27 |
| 2019 | 8 | 32 |
| 2018 | 14 | 42 |
| 2017 | 37 | 31 |
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 Sonic or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Sonic vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet Sonic total complaints
- 951
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,157
- Chevrolet Sonic total recalls
- 23
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Chevrolet Sonic avg complaints/year
- 105.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1115.7
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Sonic
- Chevrolet Sonic top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN