Head-to-head reliability
GMC B7 vs FORD F 150
How the GMC B7 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
GMC B7 vs FORD F 150: The GMC B7 has 0 owner complaints over 3 years and 4 recalls, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years, 145 recalls, and 328 crash-related reports. The Ford's main issues are transmission and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the GMC B7 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
GMC B7
The GMC B7 is a commercial-style vehicle that, over the three years of data provided, has no owner complaints on record. That means there is no reported pattern of real-world failures from drivers, which is unusual and suggests either very low sales volume or strong initial quality. However, it does have four recalls covering the engine, antilock brakes, and automatic transmission, so some safety defects were caught by the manufacturer rather than reported by owners. For a buyer, this means you are relying on recall repairs rather than owner feedback to judge reliability.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a huge number of owner complaints—over 11,000 across ten years—and 145 recalls. The most common trouble spots are the transmission, electrical system, and exterior lighting, with many owners describing hard or delayed shifts, sudden loss of power, and warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction.' There are also 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and one death reported, so some of these issues have serious safety consequences. Living with this truck means staying on top of recalls and being alert for transmission and electrical symptoms.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | GMC B7 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 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.
GMC B7
No component data available.
A recall covers gasoline engine issues, but no owner complaints describe the exact symptom. Buyers should verify the recall repair was done, as an unaddressed engine defect could lead to stalling or power loss.
Two separate recalls involve the air antilock braking system. No owner complaints describe the failure, but a faulty antilock system can increase stopping distances in an emergency, so confirm both recalls are closed.
A recall covers the automatic transmission, but no owner complaints detail the problem. Without owner reports, it is unclear if the issue causes rough shifting or sudden failure, so ask for proof the recall was performed.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard, delayed, or jerky shifts—especially between 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8 gears—and sometimes a loud bang followed by loss of power. These transmission problems can leave you stranded or cause a crash if the truck shuts off in traffic.
Complaints include warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available,' plus popping sounds from the rear suspension. Electrical glitches can disable driver-assist features and may be a sign of deeper wiring or battery cable issues.
There are over 1,100 complaints about exterior lighting, and a recall covers headlights. Owners may experience headlights that fail or flicker, which hurts visibility at night and can lead to accidents.
Engine complaints number 847, and recalls cover engine issues. While the sample complaints do not describe engine symptoms, the volume of reports suggests owners have faced problems that could affect power and reliability.
“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.
GMC B7 — 4 recalls
The defect: CERTAIN MEDIUM DUTY C-SERIES AND B7 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH A 7.4 LITER GAS ENGINE AND AN IMPCO LPG CONVERSION KIT. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE ENGINE BACKFIRES WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO DAMAGE THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM AND THE AIR CLEANER FILTER ELEMENT.
The risk: IF THE DAMAGED AIR CLEANER PARTS ARE DISLODGED FROM THEIR NORMAL POSITION, THESE PARTS COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND/OR HOT EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) VALVE TUBE RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIR…
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED MIXER BONNET AND AIR CLEANER HOUSING COVER, SELECTIVE UPGRADES IN VARIOUS CONNECTIONS RELATED TO THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM, AND IF NEEDED, A NEW AIR CLEANER FILTER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 18, 200…
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES, MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS AND TRACTORS BUILT WITH BENDIX AIR ABS WITH AN EC-17 1030R ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU), THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSED BY 1) CHAFED ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRES ON ROTATING PARTS OR 2) A DAMAGED COMPONE…
The risk: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COULD LEAK FROM A HEAT DEGRADED TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER HOSE ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
The risk: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER INLET HOSE AND OUTLET HOSE DESIGNED WITH A HEAT SLEEVE AND ENSURE ADEQUATE CLEARANCE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TAKE-DOWN PIPE. DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE RIGHT-HAND EXHAUST MANIFOLD SEAL…
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES, MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS AND TRACTORS BUILT WITH BENDIX AIR ABS WITH AN EC-17 1030R ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU), THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSED BY 1) CHAFED ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRES ON ROTATING PARTS OR 2) A DAMAGED COMPONE…
The risk: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.
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
GMC B7 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The GMC B7 has 0 complaints per year on average, while the Ford F-150 has about 1,131 complaints per year. That is a massive difference: the GMC B7 has no owner-reported failure pattern in the data, whereas the Ford F-150 has thousands of reports of transmission, electrical, and lighting problems. In practice, the GMC B7 appears to have far fewer day-to-day reliability complaints, but it still has recalls that need checking.
Key differences
- The GMC B7 has zero owner complaints over three years, while the Ford F-150 has over 11,000 complaints over ten years—mostly about transmission and electrical failures.
- Ford F-150 owners report hard shifting, sudden power loss, and warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction,' while the GMC B7 has no such owner reports.
- The Ford F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and 1 death; the GMC B7 has none of these reported.
- Both vehicles have recalls, but the GMC B7's recalls cover engine, antilock brakes, and transmission, while the Ford F-150's recalls include headlights, battery cables, engine, and seat recliners.
- Check that all four recalls (engine, antilock brakes, automatic transmission) have been repaired by a dealer—ask for written proof.
- Since there are no owner complaints, focus on a thorough mechanical inspection of the engine, brakes, and transmission for any signs of trouble.
- Test drive at various speeds and listen for clunks, jerks, or delayed shifts from the automatic transmission—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 verify all electrical features work, including lights and driver-assist systems.
Before you buy
- For either vehicle, run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls and confirm they were fixed.
- On the Ford F-150, ask for transmission service records and test drive long enough to feel for hard shifts or power loss.
- On the Ford F-150, check every exterior light and the operation of the front camera and pre-collision assist.
- On the GMC B7, verify the antilock brake recall was performed and test the brakes on a safe surface.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on the transmission and electrical system.
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 GMC B7 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- GMC B7 vs FORD F 150
- GMC B7 total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- GMC B7 total recalls
- 4
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- GMC B7 avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- GMC B7
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN