Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti FX50 vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti FX50 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 FX50 vs FORD F 150: The FX50 has only 3 complaints over 5 years and no recalls, while the F-150 has over 11,000 complaints and 145 recalls. FX50 issues include sunroof leaks and pedal placement; F-150 issues involve transmission and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti FX50 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti FX50
The Infiniti FX50 is a niche, performance-oriented SUV that, based on NHTSA data, has a very low complaint rate—just three over five years. Owners report a few specific issues: a sunroof drain that leaks into the cabin, a pedal placement quirk that can cause unintended acceleration when braking, and a transmission that shifts erratically between second and third gears. These are isolated but potentially serious concerns, and the lack of recalls suggests no widespread safety campaign.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with a much higher complaint count—over 11,000 in ten years—and 145 recalls. The dominant issues are transmission problems (hard shifts, jerking, loss of power) and electrical glitches (camera and pre-collision warnings). With hundreds of crash-related complaints and injuries, the F-150 shows a pattern of more frequent and varied reliability headaches, though its popularity means more data points.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti FX50 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.6 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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 FX50
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
- 02SERVICE BRAKES1
- 03HYDRAULIC1
- 04POWER TRAIN1
Owners report the sunroof drain clogging and leaking water into the driver and passenger footwells, which can cause electrical damage. This is a known issue across several Infiniti models, and the dealer may not fix it.
The gas pedal is reportedly too high, so when braking, the side of the foot can also press the gas, causing the engine to roar and the car to lurch forward. Dealers say it can't be fixed, which is a safety concern.
The vehicle may shift erratically between second and third gears, with the dealer confirming the issue but no repair available at the time. This could affect drivability and safety.
“Sunroof Drain will leak into the car on driver and passenger side floor causing a puddle in the car. Causes electrical damage. This is a known issue on all Infiniti FX 35, FX50, G35, G37, M series, J series and QX series. Infiniti did not fix the issue.”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Many owners report hard and delayed shifts, especially in the 10-speed automatic, with jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power while driving. Some have experienced the vehicle shutting off and restarting abruptly.
Frequent warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available appear on the dash, often every time the truck starts. These issues may not be resolved by dealers and can affect safety features.
Headlight-related recalls and complaints are common, potentially reducing visibility at night. Owners may need to address faulty headlights or wiring.
“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 FX50
No recalls on record.
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 FX50 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti FX50 has far fewer complaints per year (0.6 vs. 1,131) and no recalls, indicating a lower incidence of reported problems. However, the F-150's issues are more varied and frequent, making the FX50 a more reliable choice based on this data, though its issues are still serious.
Key differences
- The FX50 has only 3 complaints in 5 years, while the F-150 has over 11,000 in 10 years.
- The FX50 has zero recalls; the F-150 has 145 recalls.
- FX50 issues are specific (sunroof leak, pedal placement, transmission shift), while F-150 issues span transmission, electrical, and lighting.
- F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, indicating more severe outcomes.
- Check for water stains or dampness under the front carpets, indicating a sunroof drain leak.
- Test the brake and gas pedal positions to ensure your foot doesn't accidentally hit both.
- Test drive and listen for hard shifts or clunks, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears.
- Check for dashboard warning lights like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' on startup.
Before you buy
- Have a mechanic inspect the sunroof drains and clear any blockages on the FX50.
- On the FX50, verify the transmission shifts smoothly through all gears, especially 2nd and 3rd.
- For the F-150, review the recall history and ensure all recalls are performed.
- On the F-150, test the transmission in stop-and-go traffic to feel for jerky shifts.
- Check the F-150's electrical system by starting the vehicle multiple times to see if warnings reappear.
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 FX50 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti FX50 vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti FX50 total complaints
- 3
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Infiniti FX50 total recalls
- 0
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Infiniti FX50 avg complaints/year
- 0.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti FX50
- Infiniti FX50 top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN