Head-to-head reliability
Lexus LC vs FORD F 150
How the Lexus LC 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 LC vs FORD F 150: The LC averages 1.1 complaints per year over 9 years, while the F-150 averages 1,131 per year over 10 years. The LC's main issue is door handle actuators; the F-150's is transmission harshness and electrical glitches. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus LC or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus LC
The Lexus LC is a low-volume luxury coupe/convertible with a very low complaint rate—about one per year over the past nine years. Most owner complaints center on a single structural issue: door handles/actuators that can fail, apparently due to water intrusion. There are also isolated reports of a fuel/propulsion system stumble and an engine overheating incident caused by a rock penetrating the grille and damaging the radiator. Overall, it's a vehicle that owners report as generally reliable, but the door handle issue is a known, recurring problem that could affect access.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with a much higher complaint rate—over 1,100 per year—and a long list of recalls. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission (10R80), which owners describe as shifting hard, jerking, clunking, and sometimes losing power or stalling. Electrical system problems are also frequent, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions. With hundreds of crash-related complaints and injuries, the F-150's reliability record is concerning for a first-time buyer, especially given the transmission's potential safety implications.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus LC | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 10 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.1 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.
Lexus LC
- 01STRUCTURE5
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
- 04ENGINE1
Owners report that door handles/actuators can fail, apparently due to water intrusion, affecting models from 2018 to 2025. This can make it difficult or impossible to open the doors, which is a safety concern in an emergency.
The same door handle/actuator issue is often categorized under 'unknown or other,' indicating that the root cause may not be clearly identified, but the symptom is consistent: water seems to cause the handles to malfunction.
One owner reported the car shuddering and almost stalling while pulling out of a gas station, suggesting a possible fuel delivery or engine management issue that could cause a loss of power.
A rock can penetrate the large grille and damage the radiator, leading to overheating. This is a design vulnerability that could leave you stranded on the highway.
“GOOD DAY GENTLEMEN: THIS REPORT IS CONCERNING A KNOWN, ONGOING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH LEXUS LC500 CARS FROM 2018 UP TO AND INCLUDING 2025 COUPES AND CONVERTIBLES. THE PROBLEM CONCERNS THE DOOR HANDLES/ACTUATORS. APPARENTLY WATER SEEMS TO BE TH…”
“GOOD DAY GENTLEMEN: THIS REPORT IS CONCERNING A KNOWN, ONGOING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH LEXUS LC500 CARS FROM 2018 UP TO AND INCLUDING 2025 COUPES AND CONVERTIBLES. THE PROBLEM CONCERNS THE DOOR HANDLES/ACTUATORS. APPARENTLY WATER SEEMS TO BE TH…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission (10R80) is the biggest problem area. Owners describe hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and occasional loss of power or stalling, which can be dangerous in traffic.
Many owners report recurring warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which can disable safety features. Some also report loud bangs from the transmission and rear suspension, possibly related to electrical or sensor issues.
Headlight-related recalls are common, and owners may experience issues with headlight performance or aiming, which can reduce visibility at night.
Engine-related complaints are less frequent but still notable, with some owners reporting stalling or other performance issues that could be linked to the transmission or electrical systems.
“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 LC — 3 recalls
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…
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 LC or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Lexus LC has far fewer issues per year (about 1.1) compared to the Ford F-150 (over 1,100). This means that, on average, LC owners are much less likely to encounter problems, especially those that could leave you stranded or compromise safety. The F-150's transmission and electrical issues are widespread and can be serious, making the LC a more reliable choice in terms of reported complaints.
Key differences
- The LC has a single dominant issue (door handles) while the F-150 has multiple major problem areas (transmission, electrical, lighting).
- The F-150 has a much higher rate of complaints and recalls, indicating a higher likelihood of encountering problems.
- The LC's complaints are mostly about convenience/access, whereas the F-150's include loss of power and stalling, which are more safety-critical.
- The F-150 has crash-related complaints and injuries, while the LC has none reported.
- Test all door handles from inside and outside, and check for any signs of water leaks around the handles or doors.
- Inspect the front grille and radiator for any damage or debris impact, and consider a grille guard if you drive on gravel roads.
- During a test drive, pay close attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th-5th and 7th-8th gears, for any hard shifts, jerks, or clunks.
- Check for any warning lights related to the front camera or pre-collision assist, and ask for service records showing these issues were addressed.
Before you buy
- For the LC: Have a mechanic inspect the door handle actuators and check for any water intrusion in the door panels.
- For the F-150: Get a transmission fluid analysis and have a trusted mechanic test drive the truck to assess shift quality.
- For the F-150: Check the recall status and ensure all outstanding recalls are performed, especially those related to the transmission and electrical system.
- For both: Obtain a vehicle history report to see if the LC has had door handle repairs or if the F-150 has had multiple transmission repairs.
- For both: Consider an extended warranty if you're concerned about potential repair costs.
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 LC | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 0 | 329 |
| 2024 | 6 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 1 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 1 | 33 |
| 2019 | 0 | 36 |
| 2018 | 2 | 56 |
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 LC or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus LC vs FORD F 150
- Lexus LC total complaints
- 10
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Lexus LC total recalls
- 3
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Lexus LC avg complaints/year
- 1.1
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Lexus LC
- Lexus LC top complaint area
- STRUCTURE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN