Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet SS vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet SS 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 SS vs FORD F 150: The SS averages 24.8 complaints per year with 0 injuries, while the F-150 averages 2,755 complaints per year with 714 injuries and 10 deaths. The SS's main issue is steering loss; the F-150's are powertrain and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet SS or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet SS
The Chevrolet SS is a low-volume performance sedan with a modest complaint count of 99 over 4 years, averaging 24.8 per year. The dominant issue is steering, with owners reporting loss of power steering at random times due to a faulty power steering rack. Seat belt and air bag problems also appear, often linked to tensioner cables that can fray and trigger warning lights. Overall, the SS has a focused set of recurring failures but relatively few complaints per year.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with 27,552 complaints over 10 years, averaging 2,755 per year—over 100 times the SS rate. The powertrain and engine dominate, with reports of the shifter getting stuck in drive, sudden unintended acceleration, and loss of power while driving. Electrical system failures include complete loss of power, disabling brakes, steering, and airbags. With 762 crashes, 714 injuries, and 10 deaths, the F-150's issues are more severe and widespread.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet SS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 99 Better | 27,552 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 23 Better | 141 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 762 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 24.8 Better | 2755.2 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 714 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 10 |
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 SS
- 01STEERING62
- 02SEAT BELTS13
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
- 04AIR BAGS7
- 05SUSPENSION5
Owners report sudden loss of power steering at random times due to a defective power steering rack. The problem can occur without warning, making the steering heavy and difficult to control, especially at low speeds.
The seat belt tensioner cables can abrade against trim and cut through, causing the seat belt to fail to restrain properly. This also triggers the air bag warning light, as the system detects a fault.
Infotainment issues like Bluetooth connectivity problems with Pandora are reported, along with water intrusion causing failure of detection systems. These are less safety-critical but can be frustrating.
The air bag warning light often activates due to faulty seat belt tensioner cables or passenger seat sensors. This indicates a potential failure of the air bag system in a crash.
“Collapsed lifter on cyl 6. Lifter tick / knock since 100,200 miles. Car has a warranty until 5/2026 or 171,000 miles and they refuse to honor it. Car has a steering issue. Two separate chevy dealerships unable to fix. vanderevere charged me 500-600 to fix NOT…”
“I OWN A 2016 CHEVROLET SS SEDAN, THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING RACK DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT RANDOM TIMES DUE TO THEIR CHOICE TO CUT COSTS IN THE INITIAL ASSEMBLY. MY VIN IS NOT LISTED ON THE RECALL, MY VEHICLE WAS MADE IN DEC…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN9,967
- 02ENGINE4,861
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3,479
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER3,210
- 05STRUCTURE1,485
The shifter can get stuck in drive when pressing the start/stop button while braking, preventing the vehicle from shifting into park. This can cause the truck to lock down or roll unexpectedly.
Engine issues include turbo wastegate problems and sudden unintended acceleration. Some owners report the vehicle accelerating on its own without pressing the gas pedal, leading to loss of control.
Complete loss of power while driving is reported, disabling all safety systems including brakes, steering, airbags, and hazard lights. This creates a dangerous situation with no warning.
Severe shake and vibration after repairs, and sudden acceleration incidents with one-pedal driving mode active. These issues affect drivability and safety.
“When I am parking the truck, I press and hold the brake pedal, While the truck shifter in in "Drive", I press the start/stop button to shut truck down, the shifter gets stuck in "drive" and doesn't automatically shift in to park. The truck locks down and will…”
“My truck is a 2025 Ford F150 STX with 5,900 miles on it. This truck was purchased new at River City Ford in Lavalette, WV The component in questions seems to be involved with the turbos and more specifically the wastegate that attached to the turbos. Also, ye…”
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 SS — 23 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet SS and Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 16V-518. The repair may not have been performed properly. The driver's seat belt tensioner cable may be repeatedly bent over the seat…
The risk: If the tensioner cable separates, the driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to determine whether the new seat trim was installed and replace the trim as necessary. Dealers will also inspect and replace the pretensioner cable assembly, as necessary. Repai…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit vehicles (PPV) and SS vehicles. Corrosion of the connector between the electric power steering module and the torque sensor connector may cause a loss of electric power steering assist.
The risk: A greater steering effort would be needed to control the vehicle if power steering is lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N192285350.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet SS vehicles that previously received an inspect-only remedy under recall 17V-382. Corrosion of the connector between the electric power steering module and the torque sensor connector may cause a loss of electric power steering assist.
The risk: A greater steering effort would be needed to control the vehicle if power steering is lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 27, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet SS vehicles that previously received an inspect-only remedy under recall 17V-382. Corrosion of the connector between the electric power steering module and the torque sensor connector may cause a loss of electric power steering assist.
The risk: A greater steering effort would be needed to control the vehicle if power steering is lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 27, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's…
FORD F 150 — 141 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may los…
The risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, 2024 Expedition and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine. The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 23, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for th…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
The risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Buyer analysis
Chevrolet SS or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet SS has far fewer issues per year (24.8 vs 2,755) and no reported injuries or deaths, while the Ford F-150 has 714 injuries and 10 deaths. In practice, the SS offers a more predictable ownership experience with a narrow set of known problems, whereas the F-150 carries a much higher risk of serious safety incidents.
Key differences
- Chevrolet SS has 24.8 complaints per year vs Ford F-150's 2,755 per year—a 100x difference.
- Ford F-150 has 762 crashes, 714 injuries, and 10 deaths; Chevrolet SS has 3 crashes, 0 injuries, 0 deaths.
- Chevrolet SS's top issue is steering loss; Ford F-150's top issues are powertrain and engine failures including unintended acceleration.
- Ford F-150 has 141 recalls vs Chevrolet SS's 23, indicating more widespread safety defects.
- Test the power steering at low speeds and listen for any hesitation or loss of assist; check if the vehicle is included in the steering rack recall.
- Inspect the front seat belt tensioner cables for abrasion or fraying near the trim; check for air bag warning lights.
- Test the shifter by parking on a slope and pressing start/stop while in drive to see if it gets stuck; check for any unintended acceleration incidents.
- Check for any history of complete power loss while driving, and inspect the electrical system for water intrusion or corrosion.
Before you buy
- Obtain the VIN and check NHTSA recall status for both vehicles; ensure all recalls are completed.
- For the Chevrolet SS, specifically verify the steering rack recall and seat belt tensioner cable recall are done.
- For the Ford F-150, check for powertrain and electrical system recalls, especially the integrated park module and brake booster.
- Test drive both vehicles at low speeds and highway speeds, paying attention to steering feel, transmission shifting, and any vibrations.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any repeated repairs related to the top complaint areas.
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 SS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 | 3198 |
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 SS or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet SS vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet SS total complaints
- 99
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 27,552
- Chevrolet SS total recalls
- 23
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 141
- Chevrolet SS avg complaints/year
- 24.8
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 2755.2
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet SS
- Chevrolet SS top complaint area
- STEERING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN