Head-to-head reliability
Ferrari California vs FORD F 150
How the Ferrari California 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 California vs FORD F 150: The Ferrari has 6 complaints over 5 years (1.2/yr) and 14 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131/yr) and 145 recalls. Ferrari issues center on airbag recalls and electronics; F-150 issues involve transmission and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Ferrari California or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Ferrari California
The Ferrari California is a low-volume luxury grand tourer, and its complaint history reflects that: very few owners report issues, but those that do often involve safety-critical systems like airbags and speed control. The Takata airbag recalls dominate, with owners complaining about long waits for remedy parts. Other complaints point to intermittent electronic gremlins that dealers struggle to diagnose, which can be frustrating for a high-end vehicle.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with a much larger complaint footprint, averaging over 1,100 complaints per year. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners reporting hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss. Electrical system problems, including camera and sensor malfunctions, are also common. While the F-150 has more recalls and incidents, its sheer popularity means more data, but the transmission issues are a clear pattern.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Ferrari California | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 6 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 14 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.2 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 California
- 01AIR BAGS3
- 02VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
- 03WHEELS1
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
- 05ENGINE1
Owners report being notified of Takata airbag recalls but facing long waits for parts, leaving them with a potentially dangerous defect unresolved for months.
One owner described wheels not operating properly and a speedometer failure, with dealers unable to replicate the issue, suggesting an intermittent electronic fault.
The same complaint about wheels not operating properly points to possible wheel speed sensor or ABS issues that can affect stability control.
The electrical system complaint is tied to the speedometer failure, indicating a broader computer or sensor problem that can be hard to diagnose.
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FERRARI CALIFORNIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V006000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A R…”
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FERRARI CALIFORNIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V341000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT C…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is the 10R80 transmission, with owners reporting hard shifts, clunks, and even sudden loss of power while driving, which is a serious safety concern.
Many owners report warning lights for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, often appearing every time the truck starts, indicating persistent sensor or software issues.
Headlight-related recalls and complaints suggest potential visibility issues, which can be a safety hazard at night.
Engine-related complaints and recalls point to possible performance or reliability issues, though specific details are not provided in the sample.
“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 California — 14 recalls
The defect: Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Ferrari California, and 2010-2011 Ferrari 458 Italia vehicles that have not had their passenger frontal air bag replaced. These passenger frontal air bag modules have air bag inflators that may explode in the event of a crash due…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assembly with one that uses an alternate inflator, free of charge. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-201-816-2668. Ferrari's number for this…
The defect: Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Ferrari California vehicles manufactured February 16, 2009, to July 8, 2011, and model year 2010-2011 458 Italia vehicles manufactured March 5, 2010, to July 29, 2011. These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2017. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 201-816-2668. Ferrari's number for this recall i…
The defect: Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2009-2011 California and 2010-2011 458 Italia vehicles equipped with non-desiccated, passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Taka…
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: Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly with an alternate one, including a new non-ammonium nitrate inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ferrari cust…
The defect: Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2005-2009 430, 2019-2020 488 Pista, 2016 F60 America, 2005-2011 612 Scaglietti, 2010-2011 612, 2018-2022 812, 2020-2022 F8 Spider, 2020-2022 F8 Tributo, 2021-2022 Roma, 2009-2017 California, 2015-2017 California T, 2013-2017 F12 Berlinetta,…
The risk: A loss of brake function can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap and update the software to provide a new warning message for low brake fluid, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed September…
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 California or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Ferrari California has far fewer complaints per year (1.2 vs 1,131.1), indicating a much lower rate of reported issues. However, the F-150's problems are more widespread and involve critical systems like transmission and electrical, which could lead to more frequent and costly repairs. In practice, the Ferrari may have fewer issues, but when they occur, they can be just as serious.
Key differences
- The Ferrari has 6 complaints over 5 years, while the F-150 has 11,311 over 10 years, a massive difference in volume.
- Ferrari complaints focus on airbag recalls and intermittent electronics, while F-150 complaints are dominated by transmission failures.
- The F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, whereas the Ferrari has none, indicating higher real-world safety incidents.
- Both have multiple recalls, but the F-150's recalls cover a wider range of systems including lighting and seats.
- Check if all Takata airbag recalls have been completed; if not, be prepared for a wait.
- Test the speedometer and wheels for any intermittent failures, and have a thorough diagnostic scan done.
- Test drive the F-150 through all gears, especially 4-5 and 5-6 shifts, to feel for hard shifts or clunks.
- Check for any warning lights related to camera or pre-collision assist, and verify they clear after a restart.
Before you buy
- For the Ferrari, verify open recalls with NHTSA and get written confirmation from a dealer that parts are available.
- For the F-150, obtain a transmission service history and consider a pre-purchase inspection by a transmission specialist.
- For both, check for any outstanding recalls and ensure they are completed before purchase.
- For the F-150, test all advanced driver assistance systems (cameras, sensors) to ensure they function properly.
- For the Ferrari, have a qualified mechanic inspect the electrical system and wheel speed sensors for any signs of corrosion or damage.
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 California or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Ferrari California vs FORD F 150
- Ferrari California total complaints
- 6
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Ferrari California total recalls
- 14
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Ferrari California avg complaints/year
- 1.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Ferrari California
- Ferrari California top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN