Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai Venue vs FORD F 150
How the Hyundai Venue 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 Venue vs FORD F 150: The Venue has about 20 complaints per year over 7 years, while the F-150 has over 1,100 per year over 10 years. The Venue's issues are mostly electrical, like a persistent backup camera, whereas the F-150 suffers from serious transmission problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai Venue or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai Venue
The Hyundai Venue is a subcompact crossover that, in owner reports, shows a pattern of electronic and electrical glitches rather than major mechanical failures. Complaints center on the backup camera staying on, keyless entry and window malfunctions, and seat belt issues, with some steering and powertrain concerns. Over seven years, it has averaged about 20 complaints per year, which is relatively low, but the nature of the issues suggests a need for careful electrical system checks.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year over a decade. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners reporting hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss. Electrical system problems, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions, and exterior lighting issues also appear frequently. This pattern points to a vehicle that may be powerful and capable but has notable reliability concerns, especially in the drivetrain.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai Venue | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 139 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 5 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 9 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 19.9 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 3 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 Venue
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER45
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM42
- 03SEAT BELTS23
- 04STEERING12
- 05POWER TRAIN11
Owners report the backup camera staying on while driving forward, which is distracting and a potential safety hazard. Other electrical issues include keyless entry and power window malfunctions that persist despite repair attempts.
There are multiple complaints about seat belt issues, though the specific symptoms are not detailed in the samples. Recalls related to front seat belts suggest a known concern that buyers should verify has been addressed.
The lane keeping assist can be overly aggressive, yanking the wheel and causing the driver to feel loss of control. One complaint also mentions the vehicle being stolen without keys, hinting at potential security vulnerabilities.
Some owners report engine challenges, including a persistent check engine light and unusual noises, though diagnostic tests sometimes return 'normal.' This could indicate intermittent issues that are hard to pinpoint.
“The backup camera stays on even in neutral and drive mode. In reverse the guide lines are present, however they are not present when in drive or neutral but the camera remains on. This is a safety hazard because it is very distracting to drive forward with li…”
“I was going to work, dropping my one year old off at his grandparents on the way. My purse (with my spare key) along with the rest of my belongings were dumped into the front passenger seat after I unlocked my car. Unfortunately, I also placed my main set in…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is the 10R80 transmission, with owners describing hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden power loss while driving. This is a serious safety concern and a major cost risk.
Frequent warnings for 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' appear on the dash, indicating problems with the advanced driver assistance systems. These can disable safety features and be annoying.
Headlight issues are common enough to have been recalled. Owners may experience dim or failing headlights, which is a safety hazard at night.
Engine-related complaints are also present, though less frequent than transmission issues. Recalls related to the engine suggest potential defects that could affect performance or 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.
Hyundai Venue — 5 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 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 could 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 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G.…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Venue 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 pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 231. Th…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Elantra, Venue, and Kona vehicles. An electrical short circuit may occur in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assembly, which can result in a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 28, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 260.
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Venue 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 pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 231. Th…
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 Venue or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Hyundai Venue has far fewer complaints per year (about 20) compared to the Ford F-150 (over 1,100), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Venue's problems are more electronic and less severe, while the F-150's transmission issues can be dangerous and expensive. In practice, the Venue is likely to be more reliable for daily commuting, but the F-150 offers more capability if you can tolerate the risk.
Key differences
- The Venue's backup camera staying on is a distraction, while the F-150's transmission can cause sudden power loss, a more serious safety issue.
- The Venue has seat belt recalls, while the F-150 has recalls for headlights and engine components.
- The F-150's electrical issues affect driver assistance systems, while the Venue's are more about convenience features like windows and keyless entry.
- The Venue's steering complaint is about lane keep assist being too aggressive, whereas the F-150's steering is not a top complaint.
- Check the backup camera operation in all gears to ensure it turns off when not in reverse.
- Test all power windows and keyless entry functions, and ask for service records for any electrical repairs.
- Test drive the F-150 through all gears, especially 4-5 and 5-6 shifts, to feel for hard shifts or jerking.
- Look for warning lights related to the front camera or pre-collision assist, and have the transmission fluid and software checked.
Before you buy
- Check the NHTSA recall status for both vehicles and ensure all recalls have been performed.
- For the Venue, verify the seat belt recall fix has been applied.
- For the F-150, ask for transmission service records and any previous repairs.
- Have a trusted mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the electrical system for the Venue and the transmission for the F-150.
- Test all safety features, including backup camera, lane keeping, and pre-collision assist, during a test drive.
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 Venue | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 24 |
| 2025 | 4 | 329 |
| 2024 | 18 | 617 |
| 2023 | 24 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 22 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 28 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 42 | 33 |
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 Venue or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai Venue vs FORD F 150
- Hyundai Venue total complaints
- 139
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Hyundai Venue total recalls
- 5
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Hyundai Venue avg complaints/year
- 19.9
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai Venue
- Hyundai Venue top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN