Head-to-head reliability
FORD F 750 vs FORD F 150
How the FORD F 750 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
FORD F 750 vs FORD F 150: The F-750 has 6 complaints and 7 recalls over 10 years, with fuel system fire risks. The F-150 has 11,311 complaints, 145 recalls, and 287 injuries, mostly from transmission and electrical issues. The F-150 has far more reported problems per year. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD F 750 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD F 750
The Ford F-750 is a medium-duty commercial truck, often used for heavy hauling or specialized work. Over ten years, it has only 6 complaints and 7 recalls, with no crashes or injuries reported. The main pattern is fuel system and engine problems, including fires from fuel leaks. For a buyer, this means low complaint volume but potentially severe issues when they occur.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a popular light-duty pickup with 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over ten years, including 328 crash-related reports and 287 injuries. The most common issues are transmission problems, electrical glitches, and lighting failures. Owners frequently report hard shifting, loss of power, and warning messages. This suggests a higher likelihood of needing repairs, some of which could affect safety.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD F 750 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 6 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 7 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.6 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.
FORD F 750
- 01ENGINE4
- 02FUEL SYSTEM1
- 03DIESEL1
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
- 05POWER TRAIN1
Owners report high-pressure fuel system failures, particularly the secondary fuel filter, which can lead to fuel leaks and engine fires. One complaint described flames from the injector manifold. This is a serious fire risk that could cause vehicle damage or injury.
Complaints include reduced power and failure to accelerate, often with no warning light. This can leave a driver stranded or unable to maintain speed, especially when loaded. The fuel system is a recurring trouble spot.
Similar to fuel system issues, diesel-related complaints mention reduced power and acceleration problems. These can be costly to diagnose and repair, affecting the truck's usability for work.
One complaint involves the automatic transmission cooling unit and lines, which could lead to overheating or fluid leaks. While less common, transmission problems in a heavy truck can be expensive.
“1. The high pressure fuel system failed, specifically the secondary fuel filter. The fire originated from the injector manifold, burning straight up to the bottom of the hood. Fuel was everywhere and the driver could obviously smell it. 2. This could have bee…”
“The contact owned a 2019 Ford F-750 SD. The contact stated that while an employer was driving at approximately 40 MPH, he smelled a burning odor. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected. The contact observed flames emanating from the eng…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most frequent complaint area, with reports of hard or delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and sudden loss of power. Some owners describe the truck shutting off while driving. These transmission issues can be dangerous and costly to fix.
Owners report warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available,' as well as loud bangs and popping sounds from the transmission or rear suspension. Electrical gremlins can be frustrating and may affect safety features.
Many complaints fall into this category, often describing miscellaneous issues that don't fit a specific component. This suggests a range of unpredictable problems that can be hard to diagnose.
Headlight problems are common, with recalls for exterior lighting. Faulty lights can reduce visibility and increase crash risk, especially at night.
“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.
FORD F 750 — 7 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, F600, and 2021-2022 F-650, F750 vehicles. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump.
The risk: High pressure fuel pump failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) and Transmission Control Module (TCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Fo…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, 2021-2022 F600, and 2022 F750 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V957. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the h…
The risk: High pressure fuel pump failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed mailed April 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S…
The defect: Mickey Truck Bodies, Inc. (Mickey Truck Bodies) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-750 based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to…
The risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Mickey Truck Bodies will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners, and provide a remedy to keep the image from reversing, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service at 1-800-384-4400…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and Medium Duty F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. A small void may be present in the top-center of the vehicle's underhood secondary fuel filter cap, which may progress to a p…
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the primary and secondary fuel filters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S01.
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
FORD F 750 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Ford F-750 has far fewer complaints per year (0.6) compared to the F-150 (1,131.1), but the F-750's issues tend to be severe, like fuel fires. The F-150 has many more complaints and recalls, including crashes and injuries. In practice, the F-750 may have fewer problems overall, but when they occur, they can be critical.
Key differences
- The F-750 has only 6 complaints and 7 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls, indicating a much higher reported problem rate for the F-150.
- F-750 complaints often involve fuel system fires, a severe but rare issue; F-150 complaints frequently involve transmission hard shifting and loss of power, which are more common but can also be dangerous.
- The F-150 has 328 crash-related reports and 287 injuries, while the F-750 has none, though this may reflect different usage patterns.
- Recalls for the F-750 focus on fuel system and diesel components, while F-150 recalls cover lighting, electrical, engine, and seats.
- Check for any signs of fuel leaks or smell of diesel around the engine, especially near the injector manifold and secondary fuel filter, as these have been linked to fires.
- Inspect the transmission cooling lines for leaks or damage, as a recall exists for this component.
- Test drive at various speeds and pay attention to transmission shifting, especially between gears 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8; look for jerking, clunking, or delayed engagement.
- Check for warning messages on the dashboard related to front camera or pre-collision assist, and ensure all electrical features work properly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report to see if all recalls have been addressed, especially fuel system and transmission recalls.
- Have a mechanic inspect the fuel system and engine for leaks or damage, particularly on the F-750.
- For the F-150, test drive extensively and scan for transmission error codes; consider a transmission fluid change if maintenance history is unknown.
- Check all lights, including headlights, and ensure they function correctly, as lighting recalls are common on the F-150.
- Verify that any open recalls are fixed before purchase by checking the NHTSA website with the VIN.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | FORD F 750 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 0 | 329 |
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 1 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 1 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 2019 | 1 | 36 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 2017 | 3 | 43 |
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 FORD F 750 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD F 750 vs FORD F 150
- FORD F 750 total complaints
- 6
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- FORD F 750 total recalls
- 7
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- FORD F 750 avg complaints/year
- 0.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- FORD F 750
- FORD F 750 top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN