Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet VOLT vs FORD F 150
How the Chevrolet VOLT 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 VOLT vs FORD F 150: The Volt averages 206.6 complaints per year, far fewer than the F-150's 1131.1, but Volt owners report sudden power loss and stalling, while F-150 owners face transmission harshness. The F-150 has 145 recalls versus the Volt's 12. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet VOLT or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet VOLT
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid that owners use for daily commuting and longer trips. The complaint record shows a pattern of sudden power loss and reduced propulsion, often accompanied by warning messages, which can be alarming when it happens in traffic. Electrical system issues are the most common, frequently tied to the high-voltage battery and charging system, and they can leave the car unable to start or drive. While the Volt has a lower complaint volume than the F-150, the nature of these failures—stalling and brake problems—raises safety concerns for owners.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup known for its capability, but the complaint data reveals significant transmission problems, especially in models with the 10-speed automatic. Owners report hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden loss of power, which can be dangerous in traffic. Electrical issues, including camera and sensor malfunctions, are also common, adding to the list of potential headaches. With a much higher complaint volume, the F-150's reliability record is more concerning, but its issues are more predictable and often related to the transmission.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet VOLT | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,859 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 12 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 39 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 206.6 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 37 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 VOLT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM700
- 02FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM495
- 03POWER TRAIN429
- 04ENGINE366
- 05AIR BAGS310
Owners report sudden loss of propulsion power and 'Service High Voltage Charging' warnings, sometimes with a full battery and gas tank. This can cause the car to slow or stall unexpectedly, creating a hazard in traffic.
The car may stall while driving, displaying 'Propulsion Power Reduced to 0' and 'Shift to Park' messages, even with EV range and gas available. This suggests a fault in the hybrid system's control or battery management.
There are reports of the car not starting when the EV battery is drained, and the gas engine fails to engage. Also, sudden stalling incidents have occurred, leaving the driver without power.
Engine-related complaints often involve warning lights and reduced power, sometimes linked to the braking system. For example, one owner reported limited brake power with the check engine light on, indicating a system-wide failure.
“Was approaching an intersection with a stoplight that was red. Another car stopped at light. Applied brakes, but car slowed down only slightly, no matter how hard the brake pedal was applied. It was like braking on black ice, even though the cars wheels were…”
“Mileage: 38523 Engine Not Available Service Soon Propulsion Power Is Reduced Fuel Range Low: 3/4 Tank full of gas [XXX] - I was driving Northbound on [XXX] South of Castlewood in Northern California. I was driving 70 mph when I suddenly received the error mes…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is harsh shifting and jerking, especially in the 10-speed automatic transmission. Owners report hard shifts between gears, clunking noises, and occasional loss of power, which can be dangerous when merging or in traffic.
Many owners see warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' on startup, indicating sensor or camera failures. These can disable safety features, reducing driver assistance.
Headlight problems are frequent, with owners reporting flickering, dimming, or complete failure. This compromises visibility at night and can be a safety risk.
Engine issues are less common but include stalling and rough running, sometimes related to transmission problems. Owners have reported sudden shutdowns, which are alarming and dangerous.
“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 VOLT — 12 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 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly pre…
The risk: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet custom…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to rec…
The risk: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet custo…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
The risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8…
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 VOLT or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Volt has significantly fewer complaints per year (206.6) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Volt's problems often involve sudden power loss, which can be more dangerous in practice. The F-150's transmission issues are more predictable but still serious. Overall, the Volt appears more reliable in terms of frequency, but both have safety-critical failures.
Key differences
- The Volt has far fewer complaints per year (206.6) than the F-150 (1131.1), suggesting a lower rate of reported problems.
- Volt owners report sudden loss of propulsion and stalling, often due to electrical or hybrid system faults, which can be dangerous in traffic.
- F-150 owners frequently report harsh shifting and jerking from the 10-speed transmission, leading to a rough ride and potential safety concerns.
- The F-150 has more recalls (145) than the Volt (12), indicating a higher number of safety-related defects over the years.
- Check for any warning messages related to 'Propulsion Power Reduced' or 'Service High Voltage Charging' during a test drive, as these indicate potential electrical issues.
- Inspect the high-voltage battery and charging system for any signs of trouble, such as difficulty starting or unexpected shutdowns.
- Test drive the F-150 at various speeds and listen for hard shifts or clunking from the transmission, especially between 4th and 6th gears.
- Check if the dashboard shows any camera or sensor warnings on startup, as these may indicate electrical problems that disable safety features.
Before you buy
- For the Volt, have a mechanic inspect the high-voltage battery and charging system, and check for any stored trouble codes related to propulsion.
- For the F-150, take it for a thorough test drive that includes stop-and-go traffic and highway speeds to assess transmission behavior.
- Review the vehicle's recall history and ensure all recalls have been addressed by the dealer.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for the Volt's battery and the F-150's transmission fluid changes.
- Consider an extended warranty that covers hybrid components or transmission repairs, depending on the 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 VOLT | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 34 | 36 |
| 2018 | 222 | 56 |
| 2017 | 695 | 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 VOLT or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet VOLT vs FORD F 150
- Chevrolet VOLT total complaints
- 1,859
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chevrolet VOLT total recalls
- 12
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chevrolet VOLT avg complaints/year
- 206.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet VOLT
- Chevrolet VOLT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN