Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti FX35 vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti FX35 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
Infiniti FX35 vs FORD F 150: The FX35 has 74 complaints over 9 years (8.2/yr) with airbag and door lock issues, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131/yr) with transmission problems. The F-150 also has 328 crash-related complaints. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti FX35 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti FX35
The Infiniti FX35, a luxury crossover from the mid-2000s to early 2010s, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 8 per year. Owners frequently report issues with airbags, door locks, and electrical gremlins, along with cosmetic problems like a cracked or melting dashboard. While not as high-volume as some trucks, these issues can be costly and annoying for a used buyer.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year, reflecting its popularity and widespread use. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners describing harsh shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss. Electrical problems and lighting issues also appear frequently, making it a vehicle where buyers should be vigilant about specific model years and maintenance history.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti FX35 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 74 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 42 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 8.2 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 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.
Infiniti FX35
- 01AIR BAGS16
- 02LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES12
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
- 04STRUCTURE9
- 05ENGINE8
Owners report Takata inflator recalls with long waits for parts, and at least one case where airbags deployed unexpectedly after hitting debris, causing injury. This suggests potential for non-deployment or inadvertent deployment in certain scenarios.
Power door lock actuators fail intermittently, sometimes trapping children in the back because the rear child locks engage and the doors cannot be opened from outside. This is a safety and convenience concern for families.
Fuel gauges stop working, and some vehicles lose power while driving with warning lights illuminating. These electrical issues can leave you stranded or misinformed about fuel levels.
Dashboards crack, become sticky, and reflect glare into the windshield, impairing visibility. This is a common complaint that affects the driving experience and can be expensive to fix.
“TAKATA RECALL THE RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THIS CAR IN MAY 2016, AND THE DEALERSHIPS STILL DO NOT HAVE PARTS AS OF TODAY, 10/21/2016. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE PARTS WILL NOT BE HERE BEFORE MID TO END OF NOVEMBER. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT IT IS SAFE TO…”
“WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON A FIVE LANE FREEWAY, A PIECE OF DEBRIS (ABOUT 1X2 FT) WAS BOUNCING FROM LANE TO LANE. IT BOUNCED INTO MY LANE AND WENT UNDER MY 2012 INFINITE FX35. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND MY AIRBAGS EJECTED OPEN. MY WHOLE FRONT WINDSHIELD…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 transmission is a major sore point, with owners reporting hard shifts, clunks, and even complete power loss while driving. This can be dangerous in traffic and often requires costly repairs.
Warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available appear frequently, indicating sensor or software issues that may disable safety features.
Headlight problems are common enough to be a top complaint area, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. This could range from dimming to complete failure, affecting nighttime visibility.
Engine issues are also reported, but the sample text does not provide specifics. Given the high volume, it's worth checking for any engine-related recalls or service bulletins.
“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.
Infiniti FX35 — 42 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2003 INFINITI FX35, 2006-2008 FX35 and FX45 vehicles that previously received a replacement front passenger air bag assembly under recall number 20V-008. The air bag cushion was folded incorrectly, which could increase internal pressure and…
The risk: A tear in the air bag may decrease air bag performance, and increase the risk of injury.
The fix: INFINITI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 19, 2021. Owners may contact INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's number for this recall…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles ar…
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: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 o…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and th…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2011 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missis…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2017. All owners should receive a second notice by May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer s…
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
Infiniti FX35 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti FX35 has far fewer complaints per year (8.2) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the FX35's problems are still significant, especially with airbags and door locks. In practice, the F-150's transmission issues are more likely to affect your daily driving and safety, while the FX35's issues may be more about comfort and convenience.
Key differences
- The FX35 has a much lower complaint rate (8.2/yr) than the F-150 (1,131/yr), but the F-150's numbers are inflated by its popularity.
- The FX35's most common issues are airbag recalls, door lock actuator failures, and dashboard cracking, while the F-150's top issue is transmission harshness and failure.
- The F-150 has a higher rate of crash-related complaints (328 vs 3) and injuries (287 vs 5), suggesting more severe incidents, possibly due to its size and usage.
- The FX35's electrical problems include fuel gauge and power loss, while the F-150's electrical issues involve camera and sensor malfunctions.
- Check for open Takata airbag recalls and ensure parts are available; ask if the inflator has been replaced.
- Test all power door locks, especially rear child locks, to ensure they work reliably from inside and outside.
- Test drive the F-150 through various speeds and gears, paying attention to any hard shifts or clunks, especially between 4th and 6th gears.
- Check for any warning lights related to the front camera or pre-collision system, and have the battery and charging system tested.
Before you buy
- For the FX35, inspect the dashboard for cracks or stickiness, and check the fuel gauge operation.
- For the F-150, review the transmission service history and ask if any software updates or repairs have been done.
- Check NHTSA recall databases for both vehicles and confirm all recalls have been addressed.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the specific problem areas mentioned.
- Consider an extended warranty if buying the F-150, given the transmission repair costs.
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 Infiniti FX35 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti FX35 vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti FX35 total complaints
- 74
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Infiniti FX35 total recalls
- 42
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Infiniti FX35 avg complaints/year
- 8.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti FX35
- Infiniti FX35 top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN