Head-to-head reliability
Isuzu FRR vs FORD F 150
How the Isuzu FRR 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
Isuzu FRR vs FORD F 150: The FRR has 1 complaint over 5 years (0.2/yr) and 4 recalls, all electrical, with no crashes or injuries. The F-150 has 11,621 complaints over 10 years (1,162/yr), 151 recalls, 330 crash-related complaints, and 297 injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Isuzu FRR or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Isuzu FRR
The Isuzu FRR is a commercial truck, and in this data set it shows very few owner complaints—just one over five years, about a steering issue where the dealer refused to fix it. There are four recalls, all for the electrical system, but no crashes, injuries, or deaths are recorded. For a buyer, that suggests a vehicle with little reported trouble, though the single complaint hints that getting a dealer to address a steering problem can be a fight.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a huge volume of owner complaints—over 11,600 in ten years—and 151 recalls. The most common trouble spots are the power train, electrical system, exterior lighting, and engine, with reports of transmission limp mode, lead frame failures, and even a rear window shattering. There are also 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and one death, so a buyer should go in expecting to check for known recurring faults.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Isuzu FRR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 297 |
| 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.
Isuzu FRR
- 01STEERING1
The only owner complaint says the dealer refused to fix a steering problem and tried to force delivery. That matters because a steering issue can affect control, and the report suggests warranty or repair support may be difficult.
“DEALER REFUSES TO FIX AND IS TRYING TO FORCE ME TO TAKE DELIVERY. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Owners report the transmission going into limp mode and getting stuck in 5th gear, often daily, and a recurring 'lead frame' issue that one owner says nearly caused a collision. These are drivability and safety concerns that can leave you stranded or worse.
Complaints include the same lead frame problem and an output speed sensor failure that triggers highway limp mode, plus a rear window defroster short that caused the back window to explode outward. Electrical gremlins can be hard to diagnose and expensive to fix.
One owner describes the rear window shattering after the defroster was turned off, with no other cars around. This is a sudden, unexpected failure that could injure someone or cause a crash.
This is a top complaint area by count, though the sample text does not give a specific failure story. Buyers should still check all lights and look for reports of flickering or failed lamps.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
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.
Isuzu FRR — 4 recalls
The defect: Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain model year 2001-2013 Isuzu N-Series; model year 2001-2010 Chevrolet and GMC W-Series; model year 2001-2004 Isuzu FRR and model year 2001-2004 Chevrolet and GMC WT5500 trucks. The affected vehicles are equipped with an option…
The risk: Overheating of the extension cord could melt the oil pan heater plug and/or block heater plug, resulting in an increased risk of fire.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners and dealers will inspect the trucks. The extension cord and damaged components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2013. Owners may contact Isuzu at 1-866-441-9638.
The defect: Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain model year 2001-2013 Isuzu N-Series; model year 2001-2010 Chevrolet and GMC W-Series; model year 2001-2004 Isuzu FRR and model year 2001-2004 Chevrolet and GMC WT5500 trucks. The affected vehicles are equipped with an option…
The risk: Overheating of the extension cord could melt the oil pan heater plug and/or block heater plug, resulting in an increased risk of fire.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners and dealers will inspect the trucks. The extension cord and damaged components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2013. Owners may contact Isuzu at 1-866-441-9638.
The defect: Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain model year 2001-2013 Isuzu N-Series; model year 2001-2010 Chevrolet and GMC W-Series; model year 2001-2004 Isuzu FRR and model year 2001-2004 Chevrolet and GMC WT5500 trucks. The affected vehicles are equipped with an option…
The risk: Overheating of the extension cord could melt the oil pan heater plug and/or block heater plug, resulting in an increased risk of fire.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners and dealers will inspect the trucks. The extension cord and damaged components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2013. Owners may contact Isuzu at 1-866-441-9638.
The defect: Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain model year 2001-2013 Isuzu N-Series; model year 2001-2010 Chevrolet and GMC W-Series; model year 2001-2004 Isuzu FRR and model year 2001-2004 Chevrolet and GMC WT5500 trucks. The affected vehicles are equipped with an option…
The risk: Overheating of the extension cord could melt the oil pan heater plug and/or block heater plug, resulting in an increased risk of fire.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners and dealers will inspect the trucks. The extension cord and damaged components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2013. Owners may contact Isuzu at 1-866-441-9638.
FORD F 150 — 151 recalls
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 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 and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Buyer analysis
Isuzu FRR or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Isuzu FRR has far fewer issues per year—about 0.2 complaints annually versus about 1,162 for the Ford F-150. In practice, that means an FRR buyer is unlikely to face a long list of recurring owner-reported failures, while an F-150 buyer should expect to research and inspect for transmission, electrical, and lighting problems.
Key differences
- The Isuzu FRR has one steering complaint about a dealer refusing repair, while the Ford F-150 has thousands of power train complaints about limp mode and lead frame failures.
- The Ford F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints and 297 injuries in the data; the Isuzu FRR has zero crash-related complaints, injuries, or deaths.
- The Isuzu FRR's four recalls are all electrical system; the Ford F-150's 151 recalls cover engine, seat belts, door latches, and air bag inflators.
- Ford F-150 owners report sudden failures like a rear window shattering from a defroster short, a pattern not seen in the Isuzu FRR sample.
- Test the steering at low and high speeds and ask for any repair records; the one complaint says a dealer refused to fix a steering issue.
- Check for open electrical system recalls and confirm they were performed, since all four recalls are electrical.
- During the test drive, watch for the transmission sticking in 5th gear or entering limp mode, especially on the highway; owners report this as a daily problem.
- Ask whether the lead frame and output speed sensor recalls or software updates were done, and check the rear window defroster for signs of shorting or cracking.
Before you buy
- For either vehicle, run the VIN through NHTSA to see all open recalls and confirm they were repaired.
- On the Ford F-150, test-drive at highway speed and note any limp mode, harsh shifting, or stuck gears.
- On the Ford F-150, inspect the rear window and defroster operation, and ask if the window has ever shattered or been replaced.
- On the Isuzu FRR, test the steering through turns and ask for a written statement that any steering complaint was resolved.
- Ask each seller for service records, especially for transmission or electrical work, and have a mechanic inspect before purchase.
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 Isuzu FRR or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Isuzu FRR vs FORD F 150
- Isuzu FRR total complaints
- 1
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Isuzu FRR total recalls
- 4
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Isuzu FRR avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Isuzu FRR
- Isuzu FRR top complaint area
- STEERING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN