Head-to-head reliability
Honda CR Z vs FORD F 150
How the Honda CR Z 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
Honda CR Z vs FORD F 150: The CR Z has 67 complaints over 6 years (about 11 per year) and 10 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (over 1,100 per year) and 145 recalls. The CR Z's main issues are air bag recalls and door handles; the F-150's are transmission and electrical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda CR Z or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda CR Z
The Honda CR Z is a two-door hybrid hatchback with a relatively low complaint volume: 67 complaints over 6 years, or about 11 per year. Most owner complaints center on air bag inflator recalls, door handles that break or stick, and occasional electrical glitches. With 10 recalls and 7 crash-related reports, it's a niche car that demands attention to open recalls and small trim failures.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint rate: 11,311 complaints over 10 years, averaging over 1,100 per year. The most common trouble spots are the transmission, electrical system, and exterior lighting. With 145 recalls and 328 crash-related reports, it's a high-volume vehicle where many owners report drivability and electrical problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda CR Z | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 67 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 7 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 11.2 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 7 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.
Honda CR Z
- 01AIR BAGS36
- 02STRUCTURE8
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
- 05POWER TRAIN6
Owners report Takata air bag inflator recalls that left them unable to drive for months while waiting for parts. Some also say their air bags did not deploy in collisions, which is a serious safety concern.
The driver's side door handle can break or stop opening from the outside, especially after sun exposure. This forces owners to enter through the passenger side, which is inconvenient and potentially unsafe in an emergency.
Complaints include traction control lights flashing before a loss of control, and IMA (hybrid) warning lights that trace to a bad clutch sensor. These issues can affect drivability and may be hard to diagnose.
A small number of owners report power train problems, though details are limited in the sample. Any transmission or hybrid system issue can be costly, so a pre-purchase inspection is wise.
“TAKATA RECALL LAST WEEK WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT OUR CAR HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL. UP UNTIL THAT TIME OUR VIN NUMBER WAS NOT LISTED AS HAVING BEEN AFFECTED. AS OF THE END OF MARCH 2016, WE ARE TOLD IT NOW IS. WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE…”
“TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HONDA REGARDING THIS RECALL IN MARCH OF 2016. I CONSIDER MYSELF A REASONABLE MAN BUT ITS BEEN MORE THAN 5 MONTHS AND STILL NO PARTS AVAILABLE. THE LETTER STATES THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2016. MY DEALE…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Many owners describe hard or delayed shifts, jerking, and clunking from the 10-speed automatic transmission. Some report sudden loss of power or the truck shutting off, which can be dangerous in traffic.
Common complaints include warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' appearing at startup. Others hear loud bangs or popping from the transmission area, suggesting electrical or mechanical faults.
Headlight issues are frequently reported, and there are recalls for exterior lighting. Poor lighting can reduce visibility and increase accident risk, so check for recalls and function.
Engine problems appear in complaints and recalls, though the sample text focuses on transmission and electrical issues. Any engine trouble in a full-size truck can be expensive, so a thorough mechanical check is essential.
“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.
Honda CR Z — 10 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with…
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: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with…
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: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-2…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
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
Honda CR Z or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Honda CR Z has far fewer complaints per year (about 11) compared to the Ford F-150 (over 1,100). In practice, the CR Z owner is less likely to face frequent repair visits, but the F-150's higher volume means more reported problems overall. The CR Z's issues tend to be recalls and small trim failures, while the F-150's are often drivetrain and electrical.
Key differences
- The Honda CR Z averages about 11 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages over 1,100 per year.
- CR Z complaints are dominated by air bag recalls and door handle failures; F-150 complaints are dominated by transmission and electrical problems.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls and 328 crash-related reports, versus 10 recalls and 7 crash-related reports for the CR Z.
- Owners of the CR Z report waiting months for Takata air bag parts; F-150 owners report hard shifts, loss of power, and warning lights.
- Check if the Takata air bag inflator recall has been completed; if not, the car may be under a do-not-drive notice until fixed.
- Test the driver's side door handle from the outside, especially after the car has been in the sun, as they are known to break or stick.
- Test-drive the truck at various speeds and watch for hard or delayed shifts, jerking, or clunking from the 10-speed automatic transmission.
- Start the truck and check for warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on the dashboard.
Before you buy
- Look up the VIN on NHTSA's recall site to see if open recalls exist, especially the Takata air bag recall for the CR Z and any transmission or electrical recalls for the F-150.
- For the CR Z, inspect both door handles and test the hybrid IMA system for warning lights during a test drive.
- For the F-150, take a long test drive that includes highway speeds to feel for transmission shudder, hard shifts, or loss of power.
- Ask for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on the CR Z's electrical/clutch sensor and the F-150's transmission and electrical systems.
- Check for any aftermarket modifications or unrepaired damage that could affect safety or reliability.
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 Honda CR Z or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda CR Z vs FORD F 150
- Honda CR Z total complaints
- 67
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Honda CR Z total recalls
- 10
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Honda CR Z avg complaints/year
- 11.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Honda CR Z
- Honda CR Z top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN