Head-to-head reliability
Honda Pilot vs FORD F 150
How the Honda Pilot 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 Pilot vs FORD F 150: The Pilot averages 376 complaints per year and 66 recalls, while the F-150 averages 1,131 complaints and 145 recalls. The F-150 has more than triple the annual complaints, often about transmission problems, whereas the Pilot's issues include engine fires and steering assist failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Pilot or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is a three-row family SUV that, over the past decade, has generated an average of 376 owner complaints per year. The most common trouble spots are the engine and electrical system, with owners describing warning lights, stalling, and even engine fires. While the Pilot has fewer complaints than some rivals, the severity of issues like fire risk and sudden loss of steering assist means buyers should verify that all recalls have been completed.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that has averaged 1,131 complaints per year over the last decade, more than three times the Pilot's rate. Power train and electrical problems dominate, with owners reporting harsh transmission shifts, sudden power loss, and camera or sensor failures. The higher volume of complaints and recalls suggests that living with an F-150 may require more frequent attention to mechanical and electronic systems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Pilot | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,760 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 66 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 76 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 376.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 73 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 Pilot
- 01ENGINE1,128
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1,055
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER648
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE456
- 05POWER TRAIN408
Owners report engine fires, often after an open recall for fuel system issues was not properly fixed. There are also complaints of auto idle stop problems causing stalling at red lights. These failures can leave a driver stranded or worse, so confirming recall completion is critical.
Multiple warning lights for steering assist, brakes, and stability control can appear suddenly while driving. One owner described a 'STOP Steering assist reduced' message on a highway, which could lead to loss of control. Such electrical glitches are alarming and may require costly diagnostics.
Phantom braking events occur when the system misreads shadows or other objects, causing the vehicle to brake unexpectedly. Owners report the car halting while accelerating onto a highway, which increases rear-end collision risk. This undermines trust in advanced safety features.
Some complaints involve unidentified failures that owners suspect are electrical or powertrain related, often after recalls were supposedly fixed. These vague but serious issues can be hard to diagnose and may indicate deeper quality problems.
“recall has been open since December of that year I have documentation that I took it last year to get this recall fix and your web site is stating that it is incomplete. today 11/12 at 7:30am my engine caught on fire there was a lot of witness at the elementa…”
“My vehicle has already had recalls on the fuel system and brake pin. Now I have an auto idle stop system problem. The indicator light is constantly flashing. Two days ago I was stopped at a red light on a two lane road in the city. When I pushed in the brake…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a frequent source of complaints, with owners reporting hard shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power. One driver experienced the truck shutting off and drifting on a crowded road. These transmission problems can be dangerous and expensive to repair.
Owners report warning messages such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' appearing regularly. There are also reports of loud bangs from the transmission and popping sounds from the rear suspension. Electrical gremlins can disable safety aids and distract the driver.
Headlight issues are common enough to rank among the top complaint categories, though specific failure details are not provided in the sample. Problems with exterior lighting can reduce visibility and increase accident risk, especially at night.
While less frequent than transmission complaints, engine problems do appear, often related to recalls. Owners may face issues that require dealer visits and could affect reliability. Regular maintenance and recall checks are advised.
“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 Pilot — 66 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Pilot vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the gear box assembly may contain a loose ball bearing, which can result in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.
The risk: A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the electric power steering rack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FFX.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Honda Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Pilot, and 2024 HR-V, Acura Integra and Acura Integra Type S vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may not have been tightened properly, which can result in an unsecured se…
The risk: An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this r…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
The risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.
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 Pilot or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Honda Pilot has far fewer complaints per year (376 vs. 1,131 for the F-150), suggesting it may be less troublesome overall. However, the Pilot's issues include severe safety risks like engine fires and steering assist failures, while the F-150's problems are more often transmission-related. In practice, the Pilot may need fewer repair visits, but the F-150's higher complaint volume means a buyer should be prepared for more frequent shop time.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has over three times as many complaints per year as the Honda Pilot (1,131 vs. 376), indicating a higher rate of owner-reported issues.
- The F-150's most common problem is the power train, with reports of harsh shifting and sudden power loss, while the Pilot's top issues are engine and electrical, including fire risk and steering assist failures.
- The Pilot has 0 deaths reported in the data, while the F-150 has 1 death, though these figures alone do not prove safety differences.
- Both vehicles have numerous recalls, but the F-150 has more than double the recalls (145 vs. 66), suggesting more frequent safety fixes.
- Check for any open recalls, especially those related to fuel system and steering, as incomplete fixes have been linked to engine fires and loss of steering assist.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system for phantom braking by driving on varied road surfaces; unexpected braking is a reported safety concern.
- Test drive the truck at various speeds to feel for hard or delayed shifts, especially between 4th and 8th gears, which could indicate transmission problems.
- Check for recurring dashboard warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' that may signal electrical issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm that all safety recalls have been completed by a dealer.
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the transmission (for F-150) or engine and electrical systems (for Pilot) before purchase.
- Test drive the vehicle in conditions that trigger reported issues, such as highway driving for phantom braking or stop-and-go traffic for transmission shifts.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and check for any repeated repairs related to the top complaint areas.
- Verify that the vehicle identification number (VIN) has no outstanding recalls by checking the NHTSA website.
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 | Honda Pilot | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 24 |
| 2025 | 194 | 329 |
| 2024 | 109 | 617 |
| 2023 | 137 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 149 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 424 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 483 | 33 |
| 2019 | 894 | 36 |
| 2018 | 437 | 56 |
| 2017 | 915 | 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 Honda Pilot or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Pilot vs FORD F 150
- Honda Pilot total complaints
- 3,760
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Honda Pilot total recalls
- 66
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Honda Pilot avg complaints/year
- 376.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Pilot top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN