Head-to-head reliability
Ferrari 550 Barchetta vs FORD F 150
How the Ferrari 550 Barchetta 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
Ferrari 550 Barchetta vs FORD F 150: the Ferrari has 0 complaints and 3 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over 10 years. The F-150 also shows 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries. The Ferrari's record is sparse, so recalls matter more. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Ferrari 550 Barchetta or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Ferrari 550 Barchetta
The Ferrari 550 Barchetta is a rare, low-volume exotic car, so it has very little public complaint history: zero owner complaints over one year in this data. That silence does not mean it is trouble-free; it means few owners report problems to NHTSA. Instead, three recalls point to parking brake, seat, and automatic transmission cooling line issues. For a buyer, the main reliability story is that problems are likely to show up as expensive mechanical repairs rather than a large pattern of owner complaints.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with a large, well-documented complaint history: 11,311 complaints over 10 years, about 1,131 per year. The most common areas are the power train, electrical system, exterior lighting, and engine. Owner reports describe hard or delayed transmission shifts, sudden loss of power, loud bangs from the transmission, and dashboard warnings such as front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available. Recalls cover headlights, battery cables, engine, and seat recliner parts.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Ferrari 550 Barchetta | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Ferrari 550 Barchetta
No component data available.
A recall covers the parking brake system. For a buyer, this matters because a parking brake that does not hold properly can let the car roll when parked, especially on a slope.
A recall covers the seats. A seat that is not properly secured or that has a defective part can increase the risk of injury in a crash, so the recall should be checked as completed.
A recall covers the automatic transmission cooling unit and lines. A leak or failure in this area can lead to transmission overheating or fluid loss, which may cause poor shifting or transmission damage.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard or delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and sudden loss of power, often involving the 10-speed automatic transmission. These symptoms can leave a driver stranded or cause a loss of control in traffic.
Owners report dashboard warnings such as front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, as well as loud bangs and popping sounds from the transmission and rear suspension. Electrical glitches can disable driver-assist features and may be hard to diagnose.
There are many complaints about exterior lighting, and a recall covers headlights. Headlight problems matter because they affect nighttime visibility and can make the truck harder to see.
Engine complaints are common, and there are multiple engine-related recalls. Engine problems can range from rough running to stalling, and repairs can be costly.
“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.
Ferrari 550 Barchetta — 3 recalls
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HAND BRAKE RATCHET MECHANISM DID NOT RECEIVE THE PROPER HARDNESS TREATMENT OF THE RATCHET TEETH. AS A RESULT, THE RATCHET TEETH COULD BECOME DAMAGED.
The risk: IF THE RATCHET MECHANISM TEETH BECOME DAMAGED, FAILURE OF THE HAND BRAKE TO OPERATE AS EXPECTED WOULD RESULT. IF THE PROBLEM EXISTED AND THE VEHICLE'S USE WAS CONTINUED, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE THAT THE HAND BRAKE WOULD NOT FUNCTION AND COULD…
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION CODE OF THE RATCHET MECHANISM AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE HAND BRAKE RATCHET MECHANISM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON…
The defect: ON CERTAIN MODEL PASSENGER VEHICLES, AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER WELDING OF THE SEAT RAIL ASSEMBLIES, ONE SIDE OF THE SEAT MAY NOT FULLY LOCK INTO THE SET POSITION. UNDER EXTREME ACCELERATION OR DEACCELERATION CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE A ROCKING MOTION OF THE SEAT.
The risk: IF THE SEAT STARTED A ROCKING MOTION WHILE THE CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING, IT COULD POSE A SAFETY RISK TO THE DRIVER AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES AND COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR PROPERTY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT RAIL ASSEMBLIES ON BOTH SEATS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FERRARI AT 1-201-816-2651.
The defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION OIL LINES TO THE OIL COOLER MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. THE LINES COULD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE METAL FITTING AND LEAK OIL. IF THE LINES LEAK OIL, INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION COULD RESULT. IF THIS CONDITION WAS TO EX…
The risk: IF THE TRANSMISSION BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE THE CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING, IT COULD POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK TO THE DRIVER AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES AND POTENTIALLY RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR PROPERTY, AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO EXISTING TRANSMISSION OIL LINES TO THE COOLER WITH NEW LINES WHICH HAVE A PROPERLY CRIMPED METAL FITTING CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEAL…
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
Ferrari 550 Barchetta or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Ferrari 550 Barchetta has far fewer reported issues per year in this data: 0 complaints per year versus about 1,131 per year for the Ford F-150. In practice, the F-150 has a much larger and more detailed public record of transmission, electrical, lighting, and engine problems. The Ferrari's record is sparse, but its recalls still point to serious mechanical areas that need checking.
Key differences
- The Ferrari 550 Barchetta has 0 complaints and 3 recalls, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over 10 years.
- F-150 owners report real driving symptoms such as hard shifts, loss of power, and dashboard warnings; the Ferrari has no owner complaint text on record.
- The Ferrari's recalls involve parking brake, seats, and transmission cooling lines; the F-150's recalls include headlights, battery cables, engine, and seat recliner.
- The F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and 1 death in this data; the Ferrari has 0 in each of those categories.
- Confirm the parking brake recall was completed and test that the parking brake holds the car securely on a slope.
- Check the automatic transmission cooling lines for leaks or damage, and verify the seat recall was performed.
- Test drive at low and highway speeds and feel for hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially between 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8 gears.
- Check for dashboard warnings like front camera malfunction or pre-collision assist not available, and listen for loud bangs or popping sounds from the transmission or rear suspension.
Before you buy
- Ask for written proof that all open recalls were completed on the specific vehicle you are buying.
- For the F-150, scan for stored transmission and electrical fault codes and take a long test drive that includes highway merging.
- For the Ferrari, have a marque specialist inspect the parking brake, seats, and transmission cooling lines.
- Check the NHTSA VIN lookup for any remaining open recalls before you agree on a price.
- Budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who knows the model, and do not rely only on the complaint counts.
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 Ferrari 550 Barchetta or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Ferrari 550 Barchetta vs FORD F 150
- Ferrari 550 Barchetta total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Ferrari 550 Barchetta total recalls
- 3
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Ferrari 550 Barchetta avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Ferrari 550 Barchetta
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN