Head-to-head reliability
Isuzu NPR vs FORD F 150
How the Isuzu NPR 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 NPR vs FORD F 150: The NPR has 5 complaints and 16 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls. The F-150 also reports 287 injuries and 1 death, compared to none for the NPR. This suggests the F-150 has more reported issues, but both require careful inspection. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Isuzu NPR or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Isuzu NPR
The Isuzu NPR is a commercial cab-over truck, often used for delivery or box truck work. Over 10 years, it has only 5 complaints and 16 recalls, with no injuries or deaths reported. Owners report occasional issues like a popping cab latch, tire sidewall bubbles, transmission failure, and unexpected lurching. Overall, the complaint volume is very low, suggesting fewer reported problems, but the truck is a niche vehicle with specific maintenance needs.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup widely used as a daily driver and work truck. It has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over 10 years, with 287 injuries and 1 death reported. Common complaints include transmission jerking or losing power, electrical glitches like camera warnings, and lighting problems. The high complaint count indicates many owners experience issues, but it remains a popular choice with widespread service availability.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Isuzu NPR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 5 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.5 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.
Isuzu NPR
- 01STRUCTURE1
- 02TIRES1
- 03POWER TRAIN1
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
- 05ENGINE1
One owner reported the cab latch popping while driving, which holds the cab in place. Although the cab stayed put, it was disconcerting and could indicate a safety concern if it fails completely.
A 2019 NPR owner found bubbles on the sidewall of a front tire, which can lead to blowouts. This is a critical safety issue that requires immediate tire replacement.
A 2009 NPR owner experienced sudden transmission failure without warning, requiring replacement. This can leave a driver stranded and is costly to repair.
One owner reported the vehicle lurching forward when the accelerator was not in use, with RPMs surging from 2500 to 4500. This unintended acceleration could cause loss of control.
“THE LATCH THAT HELPS HOLD THE CAB IN PLACE (THE CAB FLIPS TO GET TO THE ENGINE) HAS POPPED A COUPLE OF TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE CAB STAYED IN PLACE BUT IT IS DISCONCERTING TO HEAR ABOUT ONE OF THE PIECES THAT HOLDS THE CAB IN PLACE POPPING.”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Many owners report hard or delayed shifts, jerking, and even total power loss while driving, often linked to the 10-speed automatic transmission. This can be dangerous in traffic and lead to expensive repairs.
Owners report issues like loud bangs from the transmission, popping sounds from the rear suspension, and warnings such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' These electrical glitches can affect safety features and be frustrating to diagnose.
With 1,164 complaints, lighting problems are common, though specific details are not provided in the sample. Faulty lights can reduce visibility and increase crash risk.
There are 847 engine complaints, but no sample text is given. Engine issues can range from minor to severe, potentially leading to breakdowns and high repair costs.
“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.
Isuzu NPR — 16 recalls
The defect: Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2020 Isuzu NPR HD, NPR XD, NQR and NRR and Chevrolet 4500HD, 4500XD, 5500HD and 5500XD and 2019 Isuzu NPR HD GAS, NPR GAS and Chevrolet 4500 and Chevrolet 3500 vehicles equipped with a dual mode belt locking mechanism seat belt as…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the occupant is not properly restrained, there is an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2020. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638 or Chevrolet customer serv…
The defect: Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2019 NPR GAS, 2019 NPRHD GAS and 2019 Chevrolet 4500 vehicles. The brake line clips for the rear driver side brake line may have been incorrectly installed, potentially allowing the brake line to contact a grounding bolt, potentia…
The risk: If the rear driver side brake fails, the vehicle may experience reduced braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners, and dealers inspect and replace brake line assembly or reposition the brake line into the proper position, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at…
The defect: Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affe…
The risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.
The defect: Diesel Modification Center LLC. (Diesel Modification Center) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Isuzu NQR ,NRR, and NPR vehicles modified to be equipped with dual steering. The keystock may become dislodged from the steering cross shaft and cause unexpected loss of right hand steering.
The risk: Unexpected loss of steering increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Diesel Modification Center will notify owners, and dealers will verify the keystock is in place or replace it, as necessary. In addition, the set screw will be retorqued and a stamp will be drifted in the keyed slot to ensure the keystock…
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
Isuzu NPR or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Isuzu NPR has far fewer complaints per year (0.5) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), but this difference partly reflects the NPR's lower production volume and commercial use. In practice, the F-150 has a much higher reported rate of problems, especially with transmissions and electrical systems, while the NPR's issues are less frequent but can still be serious.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has over 11,000 complaints in 10 years, while the Isuzu NPR has only 5, indicating a much higher reported problem rate for the F-150.
- Transmission problems are a major theme for the F-150, with owners reporting jerking, hard shifts, and power loss, whereas the NPR has only one transmission complaint.
- Electrical issues, including camera and sensor warnings, are frequently reported on the F-150, but not mentioned for the NPR.
- The NPR has a unique structural concern with the cab latch popping, which is not an issue for the F-150.
- Inspect the cab latch mechanism for wear or looseness, as one owner reported it popping while driving.
- Check tire sidewalls for bubbles or cracks, especially on 2019 models with Yokohama tires, as sidewall bubbles were reported.
- Test drive the truck at various speeds and pay attention to transmission shifting; look for jerking, clunking, or delayed engagement.
- Check for electrical warnings on the dashboard, such as front camera malfunction or pre-collision assist not available, and ensure all safety systems work.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report to see if recalls were addressed, especially for the F-150's many recalls.
- Have a mechanic inspect the transmission on the F-150 for signs of wear or updated software.
- For the NPR, inspect the cab latch and tires carefully, and test drive to check for lurching or transmission issues.
- Verify that all safety recalls have been completed by checking the NHTSA website with the VIN.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who specializes in the specific model to catch potential problems.
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 | Isuzu NPR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2020 | 1 | 33 |
| 2019 | 1 | 36 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 2017 | 1 | 43 |
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 NPR or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Isuzu NPR vs FORD F 150
- Isuzu NPR total complaints
- 5
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Isuzu NPR total recalls
- 16
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Isuzu NPR avg complaints/year
- 0.5
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Isuzu NPR
- Isuzu NPR top complaint area
- STRUCTURE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN