Head-to-head reliability
Chrysler Aspen vs FORD F 150
How the Chrysler Aspen 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
Chrysler Aspen vs FORD F 150: The Aspen has 147.7 complaints per year, with fuel system stalling and airbag recalls being top issues. The F-150 has 1,131.1 complaints per year, mainly transmission and electrical problems. The Aspen's issues are more safety-critical, while the F-150's are more numerous but less severe. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chrysler Aspen or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chrysler Aspen
The Chrysler Aspen, a full-size SUV from the late 2000s, shows a troubling reliability record in NHTSA data, with 443 complaints over three years. Owners frequently report fuel system issues, including fuel spitting back during refueling and stalling after fill-ups, which can lead to loss of steering and control. Airbag recalls, including Takata inflators, are also prominent, and some owners report incomplete recall repairs. This pattern suggests a vehicle that may require careful attention to fuel system and safety recall status.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a popular full-size pickup, has a much higher volume of complaints (11,311 over ten years) but also a longer production run and higher sales. The most common issues are transmission problems, particularly hard shifting and jerking in the 10-speed automatic, and electrical glitches like camera and pre-collision warnings. While these issues are widespread, they are not typically life-threatening, but they can be costly and annoying for owners.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chrysler Aspen | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 443 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 9 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 29 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 147.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 22 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.
Chrysler Aspen
- 01AIR BAGS108
- 02FUEL SYSTEM95
- 03GASOLINE95
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM89
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM48
Owners report Takata inflator recalls and incomplete repairs, leaving them without a remedy for years. This is a safety-critical issue that could affect airbag deployment in a crash.
Fuel spits back and spills when filling the tank, and the vehicle can stall repeatedly after a fill-up, causing loss of steering and control. This is a serious safety hazard and a common complaint.
Electrical issues are less frequent but still notable, with some owners reporting problems that may be related to the hybrid system or other components, potentially causing unexpected shutdowns.
“2009 CHRYSLER ASPEN HYBRID HAS 3 RECALLS. THE FIRST RECALL UPDATE WASN'T SUCCESSFULLY DONE AND SUBSEQUENTLY I CANT GET THE OTHER 2, S43 AND S92 RECALLS ADDRESSED. FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO P48 RECALL, MY TRUCK WOULD DROP DEAD WHILE DRIVING AND THE DEALERSHIP…”
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER ASPEN 4X4. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V947000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V352000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO SUPPLY THE REMEDY PARTS TO THE DEALER TO RECEIVE THE REPAIR IN A REASO…”
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 owners reporting hard shifts, jerking, and even loss of power or vehicle shutdown. This can be dangerous in traffic and expensive to repair.
Many owners report persistent warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which can be annoying and may indicate underlying sensor or software issues.
Headlight issues are common, with recalls and complaints about poor visibility or failures, which can compromise nighttime driving safety.
“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.
Chrysler Aspen — 9 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen vehicles manufactured January 17, 2007, to December 18, 2008, and 2010 RAM 3500 cab chassis manufactured September 25, 2009, to February 1, 2010. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver f…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2017. Owners may…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2…
The risk: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occur…
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger front…
The defect: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December…
The risk: If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.
The fix: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicle…
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
Chrysler Aspen or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chrysler Aspen has far fewer complaints per year (147.7) than the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), but its issues are more safety-critical, especially fuel system stalling and airbag recalls. The F-150's problems are more numerous but often less severe, focusing on transmission and electrical annoyances. In practice, the Aspen may be riskier to own due to potential loss of control, while the F-150 may be more reliable but with higher maintenance costs.
Key differences
- The Aspen has a dangerous fuel system issue causing stalling after fill-ups, while the F-150's main issue is harsh transmission shifting.
- The Aspen has multiple airbag recalls, including Takata, which may not be remedied, whereas the F-150's recalls are less safety-critical.
- The F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, but that's partly due to its popularity and longer production run.
- The Aspen's complaints are concentrated in fuel and airbags, while the F-150's are spread across powertrain, electrical, and lighting.
- Test the fuel filler neck for spitting back and check for any signs of fuel smell or leaks.
- Verify that all airbag recalls have been completed and get written proof from a dealer.
- Test drive at various speeds to feel for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th-5th and 7th-8th gears.
- Check for any warning lights related to camera or pre-collision systems and have them diagnosed.
Before you buy
- For the Aspen, perform a thorough fuel system inspection, including the filler neck and venting, and ask for service records of any fuel-related repairs.
- For the Aspen, check the recall status on NHTSA's website and ensure all open recalls are completed before purchase.
- For the F-150, get a transmission fluid service history and consider a pre-purchase inspection by a transmission specialist.
- For the F-150, test all driver-assist features and check for any stored trouble codes.
- For both, obtain a vehicle history report and have a trusted mechanic do a full inspection.
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 Chrysler Aspen or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chrysler Aspen vs FORD F 150
- Chrysler Aspen total complaints
- 443
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chrysler Aspen total recalls
- 9
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chrysler Aspen avg complaints/year
- 147.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chrysler Aspen
- Chrysler Aspen top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN