Head-to-head reliability
Lexus ES vs FORD F 150
How the Lexus ES 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
Lexus ES vs FORD F 150: Over 10 years, the Lexus ES had 181 complaints and 8 recalls, while the Ford F-150 had 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls. The F-150 also had 287 injuries vs 18 for the ES. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus ES or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus ES
The Lexus ES is a luxury sedan that, based on NHTSA data, generates relatively few complaints per year—about 18—over the past decade. Owners most often report airbag issues, fuel/propulsion quirks like lunging, and occasional brake or engine problems. With 8 recalls and 32 crash-related complaints, it appears to have a lower volume of reported issues than some competitors, but the airbag and brake complaints are worth noting.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that, according to NHTSA data, averages over 1,100 complaints per year—far more than the Lexus ES. The most common trouble spots are the power train (especially transmission shifting problems), electrical system glitches, and exterior lighting failures. With 145 recalls and 287 injuries reported, it has a much higher rate of owner-reported problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus ES | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 181 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 8 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 32 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 18.1 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 18 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.
Lexus ES
- 01AIR BAGS44
- 02FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM34
- 03SERVICE BRAKES23
- 04ENGINE20
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER18
Owners report airbag recalls for passenger-side inflators and cases where airbags failed to deploy in crashes, sometimes accompanied by an 'SRS Airbag System Malfunction' warning. This matters because airbag reliability is critical for occupant protection.
Some owners describe the car lunging forward when shifting into drive, or experiencing a momentary loss of power during acceleration. These drivability issues can be unsettling in traffic and may indicate fuel or transmission control problems.
Complaints include brake pedal failure—where the pedal goes to the floor without stopping the car—and instances of unintended lunging. Brake problems are a serious safety concern and should be inspected immediately.
Reports include transmission failure and timing chain cover leaks on the 2GR-FKS engine, sometimes requiring costly repairs. These issues can lead to unexpected breakdowns and high repair bills.
“I am writing to formally express my deep concern and frustration regarding the prolonged recall of the passenger-side airbag in my 2020 Lexus ES350 (VIN #[XXX]). The recall numbers are (23LA03, 23LB03 and 23V865) these were issued in December of 2023, which h…”
“On 7/25/25, I was rear-ended while driving my 2018 Lexus ES 300h with my child in the front seat. Despite the force of impact and resulting injuries, none of the airbags deployed. Moments after the crash, a “SRS Airbag System Malfunction” message appeared on…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners frequently report hard or delayed shifts, jerking, and even sudden loss of power with the 10R80 automatic transmission. These symptoms can occur while driving and may lead to dangerous situations if the truck shuts off or jerks unexpectedly.
Complaints include warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available,' as well as loud bangs from the transmission area. Electrical glitches can disable safety features and are often intermittent, making them hard to diagnose.
There are reports of headlight issues, which may reduce visibility at night. Proper lighting is essential for safe driving, and failures can increase the risk of accidents.
Some owners report engine-related problems, though fewer than power train complaints. These can include various engine faults that may affect performance and 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.
Lexus ES — 8 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Mirai, Lexus LS500, LS500H, 2023-2024 Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, 2024 Lexus LC500, and LC500H vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Due to incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic cont…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TA01 and 24LA0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
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
Lexus ES or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Lexus ES has far fewer complaints per year (about 18) compared to the Ford F-150 (over 1,100), indicating a lower rate of owner-reported issues. In practice, this means a used Lexus ES may require less frequent attention for major problems, while the F-150's higher complaint volume suggests a greater likelihood of encountering transmission, electrical, or lighting issues.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has over 11,000 complaints in 10 years, while the Lexus ES has only 181, a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- Ford F-150 owners frequently report transmission shifting problems and sudden power loss, whereas Lexus ES complaints are more varied and less centered on one system.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls versus 8 for the Lexus ES, meaning the Ford has had many more safety-related fixes mandated.
- Lexus ES complaints include airbag non-deployment and brake failure, but these are reported less often than the F-150's power train issues.
- Check for any open airbag recalls and confirm the passenger-side airbag has been replaced; also test that the SRS warning light illuminates briefly and then goes out.
- During a test drive, pay attention to any lunging when shifting into drive and test the brakes for a firm pedal; any sponginess or failure to stop could indicate a serious brake issue.
- Test drive the truck at various speeds to feel for hard or delayed shifts, jerking, or clunking from the transmission, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears.
- Check for any electrical warning messages on the dashboard, such as front camera or pre-collision assist errors, and ensure all exterior lights function properly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for any outstanding recalls on both models, prioritizing airbag and brake recalls for the Lexus ES and power train recalls for the Ford F-150.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the transmission for the F-150 and the airbag system and brakes for the Lexus ES.
- During the test drive, specifically test the transmission shifting in the F-150 and the brake feel and acceleration response in the Lexus ES.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any transmission repairs or software updates for the F-150 and any airbag or brake work for the Lexus ES.
- Verify that all safety features (airbags, backup camera, collision warning) are operational and free of warning lights 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 | Lexus ES | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 12 | 329 |
| 2024 | 9 | 617 |
| 2023 | 22 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 23 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 28 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 18 | 33 |
| 2019 | 62 | 36 |
| 2018 | 5 | 56 |
| 2017 | 2 | 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 Lexus ES or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus ES vs FORD F 150
- Lexus ES total complaints
- 181
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Lexus ES total recalls
- 8
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Lexus ES avg complaints/year
- 18.1
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Lexus ES
- Lexus ES top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN