Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai Accent vs FORD F 150
How the Hyundai Accent 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
Hyundai Accent vs FORD F 150: The Accent has 551 complaints over 10 years (55/yr) versus the F-150's 11,311 (1,131/yr). Accent owners report engine failures and airbag non-deployment, while F-150 owners face transmission hard shifts and electrical glitches. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai Accent or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent is a subcompact sedan that, in ownership terms, is typically a budget-friendly commuter. However, its complaint history reveals a pattern of serious reliability concerns, with engine issues being the most frequent, followed by air bag and brake problems. Owners report sudden engine overheating and failures, non-deploying airbags, and brake failures that can lead to crashes, making it a vehicle that may require careful maintenance and inspection.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup known for its capability and popularity. Yet, its complaint data shows a high volume of issues, particularly with the powertrain and electrical system. Owners frequently report hard shifting and transmission failures, as well as electrical glitches like camera malfunctions. With over a thousand complaints per year, the F-150's reliability is a significant concern for potential buyers, especially given the potential for costly repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai Accent | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 551 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 57 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 55.1 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 70 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.
Hyundai Accent
- 01ENGINE165
- 02AIR BAGS110
- 03SERVICE BRAKES98
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM81
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER72
Owners report sudden overheating and complete engine failure, often with check engine lights that persist despite dealership visits. This can lead to breakdowns and expensive repairs.
There are reports of airbags not deploying in crashes, which is a critical safety concern. Also, the seat belt warning system can be overly complex and annoying.
Brake failure without warning has been reported, leading to crashes and even fires. This is a serious safety issue that could endanger occupants.
The car can shut off completely while driving without warning, which is dangerous and can leave the driver stranded.
“I am reporting a severe and hazardous failure involving my 2019 Hyundai Accent. On August 8, 2025, between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., while driving on Mopac (Loop 1), a heavily traveled highway in Austin, Texas, the vehicle abruptly experienced an overheating…”
“My 2019 Hyundai Accent engine failed at 65,004 miles. I've taken my car to a local Hyundai dealership from December 2020 up until it failing in December 2021, I've had an appointment at least once a month for my check engine light being on. They scheduled me…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The transmission is a major problem area, with hard shifts, jerking, clunking, and even loss of power and stalling. These issues can be unpredictable and dangerous in traffic.
Electrical gremlins are common, such as false warnings for front camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions, which can be distracting and may indicate deeper issues.
Headlight problems are frequent, which can reduce visibility and increase the risk of accidents at night.
Engine issues are also reported, though less frequently than transmission problems, but they can still lead to breakdowns and costly repairs.
“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.
Hyundai Accent — 16 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Accent vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
The risk: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
The risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
The fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. T…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
The risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
The risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall…
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
Hyundai Accent or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Hyundai Accent has significantly fewer complaints per year (55.1) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. In practice, this means the Accent may be less likely to have problems, but the Accent's issues are more safety-critical, such as airbag and brake failures. The F-150's problems are more numerous but often relate to drivability and comfort.
Key differences
- The Accent has far fewer complaints per year (55 vs 1131), but its issues include airbag non-deployment and brake failure, which are safety-critical.
- The F-150's most common problems are transmission hard shifting and electrical glitches, which can be annoying and costly but are less likely to cause immediate danger.
- The Accent's engine failures are often catastrophic, while the F-150's engine issues are less prominent.
- The F-150 has a higher number of recalls (145 vs 16), indicating more widespread factory defects.
- Check for any signs of engine overheating or recent engine work, as engine failure is a common complaint.
- Verify that all airbags have not been previously deployed and that the airbag system has no recalls or warnings.
- Test the transmission for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th and 6th gears, as this is a frequent issue.
- Check for any electrical warning lights, such as front camera malfunction, which may indicate wiring or sensor problems.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to check for any open recalls or previous accident damage.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine, transmission, brakes, and electrical system.
- Test drive the vehicle under various conditions, including highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic, to feel for any transmission or brake issues.
- Ask for maintenance records to see if the vehicle has been regularly serviced, especially for oil changes and transmission fluid.
- Check the NHTSA website for any unrepaired recalls and ensure they are fixed before purchase.
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 | Hyundai Accent | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 16 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 12 | 33 |
| 2019 | 30 | 36 |
| 2018 | 19 | 56 |
| 2017 | 68 | 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 Hyundai Accent or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai Accent vs FORD F 150
- Hyundai Accent total complaints
- 551
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Hyundai Accent total recalls
- 16
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Hyundai Accent avg complaints/year
- 55.1
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai Accent
- Hyundai Accent top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN