Head-to-head reliability
Chrysler Sebring vs FORD F 150
How the Chrysler Sebring 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 Sebring vs FORD F 150: The Sebring averaged 194 complaints per year with 7 deaths, while the F-150 averaged 1,131 complaints per year with 1 death. Both have recalls for major components. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chrysler Sebring or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chrysler Sebring
The Chrysler Sebring is a mid-size car that, based on owner complaints, can be a headache to live with. Over 10 years, it averaged about 194 complaints per year, with many reports of stalling, electrical glitches, and air bag problems. The high number of crash-related complaints (143) and injuries (134) suggests these issues can have serious consequences. Buyers should expect to deal with frequent repairs and safety concerns.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that, despite its popularity, has a very high volume of owner complaints—over 11,000 in 10 years, averaging about 1,131 per year. The most common issues involve the transmission, electrical system, and lighting, with many reports of harsh shifting, sudden power loss, and warning lights. While only one death was reported, the sheer number of complaints indicates widespread problems. Buyers should be aware that this truck may require frequent attention.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chrysler Sebring | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,936 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 53 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 143 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 193.6 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 134 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 7 | 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.
Chrysler Sebring
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM438
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING314
- 03AIR BAGS310
- 04POWER TRAIN227
- 05ENGINE164
Owners report erratic dashboard lights, stalling, and loss of power while driving. One complaint describes all indicator lights flashing before the car stalled at 55 mph, which could lead to a crash.
Complaints include the engine stalling without warning, sometimes after braking, and failure to restart. This can leave drivers stranded and is a major safety risk.
Owners report air bag warning lights illuminating and beeping, and in one case, the air bag deployed independently while driving at 70 mph without a crash. This could cause injury or distract the driver.
Complaints mention loss of power and stalling, often linked to electrical issues. One owner described the car losing power and stalling at 55 mph, which is dangerous in traffic.
“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2009 CHRYSLER SEBRING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ALL BEGAN TO FLASH ERRATICALLY. THE CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER AND THEN STALLED WHILE SHE WAS TRYING TO REMAIN IN CONTROL. S…”
“I TOOK MY SEBRING IN FOR BRAKES AND THEY PUT NEW PADS ON. THEY ASK IF I WANTED AN OIL CHANGE. I DIDN'T NEED ONE SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHANGE THE COMPUTER TO TAKE THE REMINDER OFF. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALER, MY RADIO NO LONGER WORKED. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BRING…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Many owners report harsh or delayed transmission shifts, especially between gears, and sudden loss of power. One complaint describes the truck shutting off and drifting on a crowded road, which is a serious safety concern.
Complaints include warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available,' as well as loud bangs from the transmission. These electrical glitches can distract and frustrate owners.
Headlight issues are common, with recalls for headlights. Owners may experience dim or failing lights, reducing visibility and increasing crash risk.
Engine problems are reported, though less frequently than transmission issues. Recalls for engine components suggest potential failures that could lead to stalling or performance loss.
“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 Sebring — 53 recalls
The defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2001-2002 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus vehicles, equipped with beige interiors. The affected vehicles were previously repaired for a recall issue using an incorrect part. The incorrect part may not prevent the passen…
The risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify the affected owners. Dealers will install the correct tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2016, owners will be sent a second email when parts are available. Owners…
The defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 20…
The risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
The fix: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA custom…
The defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 20…
The risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
The fix: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA custom…
The defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 20…
The risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
The fix: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA custom…
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 Sebring or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Chrysler Sebring has far fewer complaints per year (about 194) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,131), but the Sebring's complaints often involve severe safety issues like stalling and air bag malfunctions. The F-150's higher volume means more overall problems, but many are transmission-related and may be less immediately dangerous. In practice, the Sebring may have fewer issues but they can be more critical, while the F-150 may require more frequent repairs.
Key differences
- The Chrysler Sebring has 1,936 complaints over 10 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311—nearly six times more, but the F-150 is also a much more popular vehicle.
- Sebring owners frequently report stalling and air bag malfunctions, which can be life-threatening; F-150 owners often report transmission jerking and electrical glitches that are annoying but less immediately dangerous.
- The Sebring has 7 deaths and 134 injuries reported, compared to 1 death and 287 injuries for the F-150, indicating different severity patterns.
- Both have recalls for major components: Sebring for air bags and brakes, F-150 for lighting, battery cables, engine, and seats.
- Check for any signs of electrical issues: test all dashboard lights, radio, and power windows, and look for warning lights on the instrument cluster.
- Inspect the air bag system: ensure no warning lights are on, and ask if any recalls for air bag inflators have been addressed.
- Test drive the truck extensively, focusing on transmission shifts—look for jerking, clunking, or delayed engagement, especially between 4th and 8th gears.
- Check for electrical problems: verify that all warning lights, cameras, and collision assist systems function properly, and listen for unusual noises from the transmission or rear suspension.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report to see if recalls have been performed, especially for air bags (Sebring) and lighting/engine (F-150).
- Have a mechanic inspect the transmission and electrical system, as these are common problem areas for both vehicles.
- During a test drive, pay attention to any stalling, hesitation, or unusual noises, and test all electronic features.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and check for any outstanding recalls by VIN with a dealer.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with Chrysler or Ford models to identify potential issues.
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 Sebring or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chrysler Sebring vs FORD F 150
- Chrysler Sebring total complaints
- 1,936
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Chrysler Sebring total recalls
- 53
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Chrysler Sebring avg complaints/year
- 193.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Chrysler Sebring
- Chrysler Sebring top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN