Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti M37 vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti M37 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 M37 vs FORD F 150: The M37 has 28 complaints per year and no recalls, while the F-150 has 1131 complaints per year and 145 recalls. M37 owners report acceleration stalling and air bag issues; F-150 owners report transmission failures and electrical glitches. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti M37 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti M37
The Infiniti M37 is a luxury sedan that, in ownership terms, shows a pattern of relatively low complaint volume but with issues concentrated in a few areas that can affect daily driving confidence. Owners report hesitation or stalling during acceleration, which is a serious safety concern, and steering instability that makes the car feel unsettled. Air bag warning lights and occupant classification problems also appear, which could affect safety systems. Overall, it's a car that may have intermittent electronic and drivetrain gremlins rather than widespread mechanical failure.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, reflecting its popularity and longer production run. The dominant issue is transmission harshness and failures, particularly in the 10-speed automatic, with reports of hard shifts, loss of power, and even stalling. Electrical system problems, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions, are also common. With 145 recalls, the F-150 has a history of factory-issued fixes, but the transmission and electrical issues appear persistent across model years.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti M37 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 84 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 6 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 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 M37
- 01POWER TRAIN26
- 02STEERING22
- 03AIR BAGS15
- 04ENGINE12
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
Owners report the car hesitates or stalls when accelerating, which can be dangerous when merging or passing. Some describe a delay in response that nearly caused a rear-end collision.
The rear of the car feels unstable, with swaying and jerking, and the steering wheel is off-center even after alignments. This suggests a possible issue with the stability control or rear suspension components.
The air bag warning light blinks continuously, and the front passenger air bag status light stays on regardless of occupancy. Dealers often diagnose a faulty Occupant Classification System, which may disable the air bag.
Some owners report engine-related issues that overlap with power train problems, such as stalling and lack of power, which could stem from fuel or ignition system faults.
“I LEASED MY INFINITI M37 SPORT THE FIRST MONTH IT CAME OUT IN 2010 (2011 MODEL). THE FIRST DAY I DROVE THE CAR THE ISSUES WERE APPARENT. I DROVE IT DIRECTLY BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE..ITS LEARNING YOUR DRIVING STYLE..(I TOO HAVE HA…”
“I HAVE NOTICED PROBLEMS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH MY M37 NOT ACCELERATING WHEN I HIT THE GAS. WHILE GETTING OVER INTO ANOTHER LANE TO PASS A VEHICLE MY CAR STALLED FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR. TWO M…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major sore point, with reports of hard or delayed shifts, especially between 7th and 8th gears. Some owners experienced a complete loss of power and vehicle shutdown while driving.
Electrical gremlins are common, including warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear every time the truck is started. These issues may affect driver-assist features.
Headlight problems are frequent enough to be a top complaint area, though specific symptoms aren't detailed in the sample. This could range from condensation to complete failure.
Engine issues are reported, but the sample text focuses on transmission-related problems. However, the high number of engine complaints suggests potential issues with 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.
Infiniti M37
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 M37 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti M37 has far fewer complaints per year (28 vs 1131) and no recalls, indicating a lower frequency of reported issues. However, the M37's problems are serious when they occur, such as acceleration stalling and air bag malfunctions. In practice, the M37 may be less troublesome overall, but the F-150's issues are more widespread and have prompted numerous recalls.
Key differences
- The M37 has a fraction of the complaints per year (28 vs 1131) and zero recalls, while the F-150 has 145 recalls.
- M37 owners report acceleration hesitation and steering instability, while F-150 owners report harsh transmission shifts and electrical system failures.
- Air bag issues are prominent in the M37, whereas the F-150 has more exterior lighting and engine complaints.
- The F-150's transmission problems can lead to sudden loss of power, which is a serious safety risk, similar to the M37's acceleration stalling.
- Test the acceleration from a stop and while passing to check for hesitation or stalling.
- Check the air bag warning light and have the Occupant Classification System inspected if it blinks or stays on.
- Test drive at highway speeds and listen for hard shifts or clunks, especially between 4th and 5th or 7th and 8th gears.
- Check for any warning lights related to the front camera or pre-collision assist, as these may indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to see if recalls were performed on the F-150.
- Have a mechanic inspect the M37's steering and suspension for signs of instability.
- For the F-150, ask about any transmission software updates or repairs done.
- Check the M37's air bag system for any stored codes.
- Test all electrical features in the F-150, including cameras and sensors.
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 M37 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti M37 vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti M37 total complaints
- 84
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Infiniti M37 total recalls
- 0
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Infiniti M37 avg complaints/year
- 28.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti M37
- Infiniti M37 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN