Head-to-head reliability
Lexus NX vs FORD F 150
How the Lexus NX 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 NX vs FORD F 150: The NX averages 28 complaints per year, while the F-150 averages 1,131, a 40-fold difference. NX owners report electrical failures causing loss of power brakes, while F-150 owners face transmission jerking and power loss. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus NX or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus NX
The Lexus NX, over the past decade, has averaged about 28 complaints per year, a relatively low number for a luxury compact SUV. Owners most frequently report electrical system failures, often with cascading warning lights and loss of power brakes or air conditioning, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous. Structural and brake complaints also appear, but the overall volume is modest, suggesting that while issues exist, they are not widespread.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, in contrast, has averaged over 1,100 complaints per year, a much higher rate reflecting its popularity and the breadth of reported problems. The dominant issue is the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as shifting hard, jerking, or even losing power. Electrical system problems, including camera and pre-collision malfunctions, are also common, along with exterior lighting and engine concerns. This pattern indicates a vehicle with more frequent and varied reliability challenges.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus NX | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 284 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 34 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 26 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 NX
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM85
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER63
- 03STRUCTURE29
- 04SERVICE BRAKES21
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE21
Owners report sudden cascading warning lights, loss of air conditioning, and apparent power brake failure while driving, which can force an emergency stop. This suggests a potential issue with the vehicle's electrical architecture or a central control module.
Some complaints are not easily categorized, including reports of inadequate side mirror adjustment for shorter drivers, which can affect visibility and safety. Others mention unusual electromagnetic fields causing discomfort, though these are anecdotal.
Structural complaints often mirror the electrical issues, with owners describing the same sudden warning light events. This overlap may indicate that the root cause is electrical but manifests in multiple systems, or that structural components are affected by the same failure.
Brake-related complaints include dissatisfaction with service and potential performance issues. While not as frequent as electrical problems, they highlight concerns about braking reliability and dealer support.
“While driving our Lexus on 8/13/2023 on the interstate under normal driving conditions ALL of our warning lights came on one after another. We also lost air conditioning and power brakes it seemed. We immediately exited and pulled over. Opened the hood and th…”
“While driving our Lexus on 8/13/2023 on the interstate under normal driving conditions ALL of our warning lights came on one after another. We also lost air conditioning and power brakes it seemed. We immediately exited and pulled over. Opened the hood and th…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners report shifts hard, jerks, or clunks between gears, and in some cases, the vehicle loses power and shuts off. This can be a safety hazard, especially in traffic.
Electrical complaints often involve the transmission as well, with loud bangs and popping sounds from the rear, but also include persistent warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' that appear on every start, indicating sensor or software issues.
Headlight problems are frequent enough to be a top component, though specific details are not provided in the sample. This could range from premature failure to poor visibility, affecting nighttime driving safety.
Engine-related complaints are also notable, though the sample text does not detail specific symptoms. Given the high volume, it likely includes performance issues, stalling, or other failures that could leave drivers stranded.
“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 NX — 15 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 2022-2025 Lexus NX350, NX250, 2023-2026 RX350, and 2024-2026 TX350 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federa…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Camry, 2019 Lexus NX300, and 2019 RX350L vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TA01 and 25LA01.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024 Lexus RX 350, RX 350h, 2024-2025 NX 250, NX 350, and NX 350h vehicles. The head restraints on the driver and front passenger seats may be inadvertently removed without pressing the lock release button. As such, these vehicl…
The risk: A head restraint that is inadvertently removed and not reinstalled can increase the risk of injury during a rear-end crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat head rest assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 14, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are…
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 NX or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Lexus NX has far fewer complaints per year (28.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. In practice, this means NX owners are less likely to encounter major failures, but the electrical problems that do occur can be serious. The F-150's higher complaint rate suggests more frequent and varied problems, particularly with the transmission, which could lead to costly repairs and downtime.
Key differences
- The Lexus NX's most serious reported issue is sudden electrical failures that can disable power brakes and air conditioning, whereas the F-150's top issue is harsh shifting and loss of power from the transmission.
- The F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, with over 1,100 per year, indicating a higher likelihood of encountering a problem.
- The NX has fewer crash-related complaints (34) and no deaths, while the F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and one death, though these numbers are relative to the complaint totals.
- The NX's complaints are concentrated in electrical and unknown areas, while the F-150's are spread across powertrain, electrical, lighting, and engine, suggesting broader reliability concerns.
- Inspect the electrical system: ask for service records related to warning light issues or battery/alternator problems, and test all dashboard lights and climate control functions.
- Check the side mirror adjustment: if you are shorter, ensure you can see adequately; if not, consider aftermarket mirrors or avoid the vehicle.
- Test drive the F-150 through various speeds and gears, paying attention to any hard shifts, jerks, or clunks, especially between 4th and 6th gears.
- Look for warning messages on the dash, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available,' and have the dealer verify they are cleared.
Before you buy
- For the Lexus NX: obtain a vehicle history report and check for any open recalls, especially those related to the fuel pump or backup camera.
- For the Ford F-150: have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the transmission and electrical system.
- Ask the seller for all maintenance and repair records, particularly for transmission service on the F-150 and any electrical work on the NX.
- During the test drive, simulate stop-and-go traffic and highway speeds to feel for transmission issues in the F-150 and any electrical glitches in the NX.
- Check online forums for model-year-specific issues to be aware of common problems beyond the NHTSA data.
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 NX | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 24 |
| 2025 | 34 | 329 |
| 2024 | 167 | 617 |
| 2023 | 29 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 16 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 34 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 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 Lexus NX or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus NX vs FORD F 150
- Lexus NX total complaints
- 284
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Lexus NX total recalls
- 15
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Lexus NX avg complaints/year
- 28.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Lexus NX
- Lexus NX top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN