Head-to-head reliability
Isuzu Reach vs FORD F 150
How the Isuzu Reach 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 Reach vs FORD F 150: The Reach has 0 complaints over 4 years and 6 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years, 145 recalls, and 328 crash-related reports. The F-150 shows far more owner-reported transmission and electrical issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Isuzu Reach or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Isuzu Reach
The Isuzu Reach is a low-volume commercial van, and in four years of NHTSA data it has zero owner complaints on file. That means there is no reported pattern of real-world breakdowns from drivers, but it also means buyers have little owner feedback to learn from. Its six recalls are all chassis and driveline hardware, so the main ownership story is checking that recall work was completed rather than chasing down recurring complaints.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with 11,311 complaints over ten years, averaging about 1,131 per year. Owner reports cluster around the powertrain, electrical system, and exterior lighting, with specific symptoms like hard or delayed shifts, sudden power loss, loud bangs from the transmission, and dashboard warnings for camera and pre-collision systems. With 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and one death in the data, the F-150's complaint record is far more active and safety-relevant than the Reach's.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Isuzu Reach | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 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 Reach
No component data available.
Recalls cover the driveshaft, which can fail and leave the vehicle unable to move or cause a loss of control. Buyers should confirm the recall repair was done, because a broken driveshaft on a commercial van can strand a driver and create a road hazard.
Recalls address rear leaf spring U-bolts that can loosen or fail, affecting how the rear axle stays planted. If ignored, this can lead to poor handling or rear-end instability, especially when the van is loaded.
Recalls cover axle hubs, which if defective can cause wheel or axle separation. That is a serious failure that can happen without much warning, so a buyer should verify the hub recall was performed.
There are no owner complaints on file, so there is no reported symptom pattern to review. That is not proof of trouble-free ownership; it simply means the data does not show what owners experience day to day.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially in the 10R80 automatic transmission, and some describe losing all power while driving. These symptoms matter because a transmission that jerks or drops power can leave a driver stranded or unable to accelerate out of a dangerous situation.
Complaints include loud bangs and popping sounds during downshifts, plus recurring dashboard warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' These warnings can disable driver-assist features and point to electrical faults that are hard to diagnose.
Exterior lighting is a top complaint area, and recalls cover headlights. If headlights fail or flicker, a driver may not see or be seen at night, which is a direct safety concern for a daily-driven truck.
Engine complaints and recalls appear in the data, though the sample text focuses more on transmission and electrical issues. Buyers should still check for engine-related recall work, because an unresolved engine defect can lead to stalling or costly repairs.
“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 Reach — 6 recalls
The defect: XL Hybrids Inc. (XL) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Isuzu Reach vehicles modified to be equipped with XL's electric hybrid system. The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach.
The risk: If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle, drive power will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. The detached driveshaft may also create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for following traffic.
The fix: XL will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driveshaft with an updated one, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact XL customer service at 1-866-414-3212.
The defect: Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Isuzu NPR, Reach, 2016-2020 Isuzu NPR XD, NPR HD, NQR, 2016-2021 Isuzu NRR, 2017-2020 Chevrolet 4500XD, 4500HD, 5500HD, and 2020 Chevrolet 5500XD vehicles. The U-bolt nuts for the rear axle may not have been properly tig…
The risk: The misalignment may cause the propeller shaft to separate, causing a loss of power to the rear wheels and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace and tighten the rear axle U-bolt nuts, free of charge. The recall began on April 23, 2021. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. Isuzu's numb…
The defect: Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2011-2016 NPR, 2011-2017 NPR-HD, NQR, NRR, 2015-2017 NPR-XD, 2012-2016 Reach, NPR Gas and NPR-HD Gas incomplete trucks. The left rear wheel bearing hub locking bolts may not have been properly tightened during assembly.
The risk: The loose bolts can allow the wheel assembly to move outward from the axle housing, affecting the control of the vehicle and reducing braking performance, thereby increasing a risk of a crash.
The fix: Isuzu will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left rear wheel bearing hub locking bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 19, 2017. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638.
The defect: XL Hybrids Inc. (XL) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Isuzu Reach vehicles modified to be equipped with XL's electric hybrid system. The cardan (universal) joint on the front driveshaft may fail, possibly causing the front driveshaft to detach.
The risk: If the front driveshaft detaches from the vehicle, drive power will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. The detached driveshaft may also create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for following traffic.
The fix: XL will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driveshaft with an updated one, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact XL customer service at 1-866-414-3212.
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 Reach or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Isuzu Reach has 0 complaints per year versus about 1,131 per year for the Ford F-150, so the Reach shows far fewer reported issues in this data. In practice, that means an F-150 buyer is much more likely to encounter owner-reported transmission, electrical, and lighting problems, while a Reach buyer mainly needs to confirm recall repairs were completed.
Key differences
- The Isuzu Reach has 0 complaints over 4 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years, about 1,131 per year.
- The F-150's top complaint areas are power train (3,553), electrical system (2,071), and exterior lighting (1,164), with real owner reports of hard shifts, power loss, and dashboard warnings.
- The Reach has no owner complaint text on file, so its main documented issues are six recalls covering the driveshaft, rear leaf spring U-bolts, and axle hubs.
- The F-150 data includes 328 crash-related complaints, 287 injuries, and 1 death, while the Reach data shows 0 in each of those categories.
- Ask for proof that the driveshaft and axle hub recalls were completed, since those failures can cause loss of power or wheel separation.
- Inspect the rear leaf spring U-bolts and suspension for looseness or prior repair, because that recall affects rear axle stability.
- Test drive at low and highway speeds and feel for hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially between 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8 gears, which owners report.
- Check for recurring dashboard warnings like front camera malfunction or pre-collision assist not available, and confirm headlight and battery cable recalls were done.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN for both vehicles on NHTSA to confirm all open recalls are repaired before purchase.
- For the Ford F-150, get a transmission specialist to scan for stored codes and test the 10R80 shifting behavior.
- For the Isuzu Reach, inspect the driveshaft, rear leaf springs, U-bolts, and axle hubs for wear or prior recall work.
- Ask for a complete maintenance history and any repair invoices, especially for transmission, electrical, and lighting work on the F-150.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds, stop-and-go traffic, and a check of all lights and driver-assist warnings.
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 Reach | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | 36 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Reach or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Isuzu Reach vs FORD F 150
- Isuzu Reach total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Isuzu Reach total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Isuzu Reach avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Isuzu Reach
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN