Head-to-head reliability
KIA EV9 vs FORD F 150
How the KIA EV9 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
KIA EV9 vs FORD F 150: The EV9 averages 80 complaints per year with 13 recalls, while the F-150 averages 1,131 complaints per year with 145 recalls. The F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries; the EV9 has 3 and 5. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the KIA EV9 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
KIA EV9
The Kia EV9 is a newer electric SUV with an average of about 80 complaints per year over three years. Owners frequently report electrical glitches, including battery cell imbalance and instrument cluster blackouts, as well as suspension issues that can destroy tires. While the complaint volume is lower than the Ford F-150, the EV9's problems often involve critical systems like forward collision avoidance and propulsion.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a long-running pickup with over 11,000 complaints in ten years, averaging about 1,131 per year. The most common issues involve the transmission, which can shift hard, jerk, or lose power, along with electrical problems such as camera malfunctions. With 145 recalls and 328 crash-related complaints, the F-150 has a higher rate of reported safety incidents.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | KIA EV9 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 241 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 13 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 80.3 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 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.
KIA EV9
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM116
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER44
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE25
- 04SUSPENSION22
- 05LANE DEPARTURE20
Owners report battery cell imbalance and state-of-charge mismatches that can lead to reduced performance or shutdowns. Instrument cluster blackouts while driving are also common, leaving drivers without speed or warning displays.
Complaints describe dashboard blackouts that disable forward collision warnings and other safety features. Some owners also receive 'Check EV System' messages that require dealer service, potentially leaving the vehicle undrivable.
Reports include rapid tire wear, with some owners destroying multiple tire sets in months despite alignments. Others experience heavy swaying at 20-40 mph on rough roads, taking a second or two to stabilize.
Multimedia displays can go dark after a few minutes of driving and only reset after a full vehicle restart. Some vehicles jerk and show 'Motor Control System' warnings, indicating a motor control unit fault.
“I would also like to highlight the serious safety concern due to cell deviation (imbalance) along with SOC (State of Charge) mismatch as per my car's BMS (Battery management system) which is present in my vehicle and shared with Kia corporate. In an electric…”
“Component: Electrical System / Instrument Panel Speed at time of failure: [Insert typical speed, e.g., 65 mph] Description of Incident: My vehicle is suffering from an intermittent but total loss of the instrument cluster functionality while in motion. The di…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners of F-150s with the 10R80 transmission report hard or delayed shifts, jerking between gears, and occasional total power loss. These issues can occur at highway speeds, increasing crash risk.
Common complaints include front camera malfunctions and pre-collision assist warnings appearing at startup. Some owners also hear loud bangs from the transmission or rear suspension during downshifts.
Headlight problems are frequently reported, which can reduce visibility and safety. Recalls have addressed some lighting issues, but complaints persist.
Engine-related complaints include various performance and reliability issues, though specific patterns are less detailed in the sample. Recalls have been issued for engine concerns.
“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.
KIA EV9 — 13 recalls
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 EV9 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel screen may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
The risk: An instrument panel screen that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: The instrument cluster software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2024. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 EV9 vehicles. The second- and third-row seat mounting bolts may be missing.
The risk: Seats without mounting bolts may not properly restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and install mounting bolts as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC329.
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 EV9 vehicles. The rear gear drive unit (GDU) motor shaft may have been improperly welded and become damaged, causing a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the rear GDU, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC337.
The defect: Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Ve…
The risk: A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Serv…
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
KIA EV9 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Kia EV9 has far fewer complaints per year (about 80) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,131). However, the EV9's issues often involve critical electrical and safety systems, while the F-150's higher volume includes many transmission and electrical problems. In practice, the EV9 may have fewer overall visits to the shop, but the F-150's issues are more widely documented and may have more established repair paths.
Key differences
- The Kia EV9 averages about 80 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages about 1,131 per year, but the F-150 has been on the road longer and sold in higher volumes.
- EV9 owners frequently report battery and instrument cluster blackouts, whereas F-150 owners commonly report transmission jerking and power loss.
- The F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, compared to 3 crash-related and 5 injuries for the EV9, though these numbers are not adjusted for sales volume.
- Both vehicles have recalls for electrical and powertrain issues, but the F-150 has 145 recalls versus 13 for the EV9, reflecting its longer production run and larger fleet.
- Check for any history of instrument cluster or multimedia screen blackouts, as these can disable safety features and are a recurring complaint.
- Inspect tires for uneven or rapid wear, and ask about alignment history, since some owners report destroying tires in a few months.
- Test drive the truck at various speeds and pay attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th and 8th gears, for jerking or delays.
- Verify that front camera and pre-collision assist systems are functioning, as warnings about malfunctions are common.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- For the EV9, ask the dealer to perform a battery health check and review any software updates for the instrument cluster.
- For the F-150, have a mechanic inspect the transmission fluid and test drive extensively to detect shift issues.
- Check tire tread depth and wear patterns on both vehicles, as suspension issues can cause premature tire damage.
- Confirm that all safety systems, including forward collision avoidance and cameras, are operational before purchase.
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 | KIA EV9 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 | 24 |
| 2025 | 12 | 329 |
| 2024 | 207 | 617 |
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 KIA EV9 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- KIA EV9 vs FORD F 150
- KIA EV9 total complaints
- 241
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- KIA EV9 total recalls
- 13
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- KIA EV9 avg complaints/year
- 80.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- KIA EV9
- KIA EV9 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN