Head-to-head reliability
Dodge Nitro vs FORD F 150
How the Dodge Nitro 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
Dodge Nitro vs FORD F 150: The Nitro has 242.7 complaints per year, while the F-150 has 1131.1. Nitro owners report fuel backflow and electrical gremlins, while F-150 owners face transmission hard shifts and camera malfunctions. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Dodge Nitro or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Dodge Nitro
The Dodge Nitro is a compact SUV that, in ownership terms, shows a high rate of complaints concentrated in electrical and fuel systems. Owners report random electrical gremlins like the horn, wipers, and washer fluid activating on their own, and starting issues that escalate from intermittent to requiring many attempts. Fuel system problems are also prominent, with reports of fuel backflow and overflow during refueling, creating fire hazards and inconvenience. These patterns suggest a vehicle that can be unpredictable and potentially unsafe in everyday use.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, but that's partly due to its popularity and longer production span. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners describing hard shifts, jerks, and occasional loss of power. Electrical problems, including camera malfunctions and warning lights, are also common. While the F-150 has more recalls and complaints overall, its issues are more mechanical and less about random electrical gremlins, but transmission reliability is a major concern for buyers.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Dodge Nitro | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,456 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 18 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 49 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 242.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 60 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.
Dodge Nitro
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM540
- 02FUEL SYSTEM223
- 03GASOLINE221
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM155
- 05POWER TRAIN144
Owners report the remote key causing the horn to blare, wipers to run, washer fluid to spray, and doors to lock/unlock independently. There are also starting problems where the car only clicks and may take over 20 attempts to start, indicating potential issues with the ignition or security system.
Refueling is a major pain point: gasoline backflows out of the filler, spilling on the car and ground, creating a fire hazard. Some owners report pressure buildup that prevents adding fuel, and the filler pipe may not shut off when the tank is full, leading to overflows.
While less frequent than electrical and fuel issues, power train complaints exist, but the sample doesn't provide specific details. However, the overall pattern suggests potential drivability concerns that could be related to the electrical gremlins affecting engine starting.
“WHILE USING THE REMOTE KEY TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE CARE, THE HORN STARTS BLARING, THE WIPERS (FRONT AND REAR) START GOING, WASHER FLUID SHOOTS OUT, DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK INDEPENDENTLY. DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK/LOCK WITH REMOTE. THE LIGHTS START BLINKING. I HAVE TO PH…”
“I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR STARTING FOR ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 3 YEARS. IT RANDOMLY WILL NOT START AND WILL ONLY CLICK WHEN YOU TRY TO START. IT STARTED OUT TURNING ON AFTER A COUPLE OF ATTEMPTS AND HAS ESCALATED TO MORE THAN 20 ATTEMPTS BEFORE IT WOULD STA…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 automatic transmission is a major source of complaints. Owners report hard and delayed shifts, especially between 7th and 8th gears, and sometimes a sudden loss of power followed by a hard jerk. These issues can be dangerous in traffic and may require transmission replacement.
Electrical problems include warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' appearing on startup. There are also reports of loud bangs from the transmission and popping sounds from the rear suspension, which may be related to electrical or sensor issues.
Headlight issues are common enough to be a top component, but the sample doesn't provide specific details. However, recalls for headlights suggest potential visibility problems that could affect 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.
Dodge Nitro — 18 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel. The loose emblem or the securing nuts for the emblem within the dri…
The risk: Projectiles as a result of driver air bag deployment in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's numb…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel. The loose emblem or the securing nuts for the emblem within the dri…
The risk: Projectiles as a result of driver air bag deployment in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's numb…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel. The loose emblem or the securing nuts for the emblem within the dri…
The risk: Projectiles as a result of driver air bag deployment in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's numb…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel. The loose emblem or the securing nuts for the emblem within the dri…
The risk: Projectiles as a result of driver air bag deployment in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's numb…
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
Dodge Nitro or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Dodge Nitro has far fewer complaints per year (242.7) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but its issues are more erratic and potentially dangerous, like fuel spills and random electrical activation. The F-150's problems are more predictable but still serious, especially transmission failures. In practice, the Nitro may be cheaper to fix but more frustrating, while the F-150's transmission issues could be costly.
Key differences
- The Nitro's electrical gremlins can cause the horn, wipers, and washer fluid to activate on their own, which is not reported in the F-150.
- Fuel backflow during refueling is a specific Nitro issue, creating a fire hazard, while the F-150's fuel system is not a top complaint.
- The F-150's transmission problems involve hard shifts and loss of power, which are more mechanical and potentially more expensive to fix than the Nitro's electrical issues.
- The Nitro has fewer complaints per year, but the F-150 has more recalls, indicating a longer history of safety issues.
- Test the remote key functions and check for any unintended activation of horn, wipers, or washer fluid.
- Inspect the fuel filler neck and tank for signs of backflow or overflow, and try filling the tank to see if it shuts off properly.
- Take a test drive and pay attention to transmission shifts, especially between 7th and 8th gears, for any hard or delayed shifts.
- Check for warning lights on the dash, particularly 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available'.
Before you buy
- Have a mechanic inspect the electrical system for any aftermarket modifications or signs of corrosion.
- For the Nitro, ask about any recalls and ensure they've been performed, especially airbag inflator recalls.
- For the F-150, check the transmission fluid condition and service history, and look for any TSBs or recalls related to the 10R80.
- Test the fuel filler on the Nitro by filling up and watching for backflow or premature shutoff.
- On the F-150, verify that all camera and sensor systems are functioning properly by starting the vehicle and checking for warnings.
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 Dodge Nitro or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Dodge Nitro vs FORD F 150
- Dodge Nitro total complaints
- 1,456
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Dodge Nitro total recalls
- 18
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Dodge Nitro avg complaints/year
- 242.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Dodge Nitro
- Dodge Nitro top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN