Head-to-head reliability
Lexus RX vs FORD F 150
How the Lexus RX 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 RX vs FORD F 150: The Lexus RX averages about 62 complaints per year and has 16 recalls, while the Ford F-150 averages over 1,100 complaints and 145 recalls. The F-150's complaints often involve transmission and electrical failures, whereas the RX's top issues are air bags and electrical glitches. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus RX or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus RX
The Lexus RX is a luxury SUV that averages about 62 complaints per year over the past decade, with 16 recalls. The most common owner-reported issues involve air bags, electrical glitches, and occasional unintended acceleration. While the overall complaint rate is relatively low, the severity of some reports—like sudden acceleration and battery drain—means buyers should pay close attention to specific model years and service history.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that generates roughly 1,131 complaints annually, with 145 recalls over ten years. Power train problems, especially transmission issues, dominate owner reports, followed by electrical system faults and exterior lighting failures. The high volume of complaints and recalls suggests that while the F-150 is popular, it may require more frequent attention and repairs than the Lexus RX.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus RX | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 617 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 61.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 65 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 RX
- 01AIR BAGS260
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER105
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM75
- 04ENGINE51
- 05STRUCTURE35
Owners report unintended acceleration leading to crashes, as well as failure to alert when rear seat belts are unbuckled. These issues are safety-critical and could result in injuries or costly repairs.
Complaints include harsh transmission shifting that feels like sudden braking, and parasitic battery drain that can leave the vehicle dead. These problems can strand drivers and lead to expensive diagnostic work.
Some owners describe stuttering or hesitation when accelerating, which could cause accidents in traffic. This suggests potential fuel delivery or transmission control issues that may require dealer attention.
Reports of sudden power loss after using seat coolers, and uncontrollable acceleration in drive-thrus, indicate unpredictable electronic or software glitches. These are hard to diagnose and can be frightening.
“The contact owns a 2025 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while driving into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove forward at a high rate of speed before crashing into the brick wall of an office building. Dur…”
“The car does not alert when a seat belt is not worn in the back seats. This feature is mentioned in the owner's manual, but the car fails to alert when a rear passenger does not buckle their seat belt. I have raised the complaint twice and proved to lexus ser…”
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 total power loss from the 10-speed automatic transmission. These failures can leave drivers stranded and may require costly transmission repairs.
Complaints include loud bangs from the transmission, rear suspension popping, and persistent dashboard warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction.' These electrical gremlins can affect safety features and are often difficult to resolve.
Headlight issues are common enough to be a top complaint category, though specific failure details are not provided in the sample. Malfunctioning lights reduce visibility and can lead to accidents or tickets.
While not detailed in the sample complaints, engine problems are a frequent category, suggesting issues like rough running or component failures. Buyers should check for recalls and service records related to engine 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.
Lexus RX — 16 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 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner…
The risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charg…
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 RX or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Lexus RX has far fewer complaints per year (about 62) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,131), and fewer recalls (16 vs. 145). In practice, this means the Lexus RX is likely to spend less time in the shop for major repairs, while the F-150 may demand more frequent maintenance and have a higher chance of experiencing transmission or electrical problems.
Key differences
- The Lexus RX averages about 62 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages over 1,100, indicating a much higher rate of owner-reported problems for the F-150.
- Ford F-150 complaints are dominated by power train issues, especially transmission jerking and power loss, whereas Lexus RX complaints are more varied, with air bags and electrical problems standing out.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls over ten years compared to 16 for the Lexus RX, meaning the Ford is subject to far more safety campaigns.
- Lexus RX owners report unintended acceleration and battery drain, while F-150 owners report transmission failures and dashboard warnings—different failure patterns that affect safety and reliability in distinct ways.
- During a test drive, check for any hesitation or stuttering when accelerating from a stop or at highway speeds, as owners report this can indicate transmission or engine issues.
- Inspect the 12V battery health and ask if the vehicle has had parasitic drain problems, especially on hybrid models, since owners report batteries dying unexpectedly.
- Test the transmission thoroughly: look for hard shifts, jerking, or delayed engagement between gears, particularly 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8, as these are commonly reported failure points.
- Check for any dashboard warning messages related to the front camera, pre-collision assist, or other electrical systems, and ensure all recalls have been performed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm that all open recalls have been addressed by a dealer.
- Take a lengthy test drive that includes highway speeds, stop-and-go traffic, and parking maneuvers to feel for transmission or acceleration anomalies.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the vehicle, focusing on the transmission (for F-150) or electrical system and battery (for Lexus RX).
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any transmission fluid changes or electrical repairs.
- Check the NHTSA website for any additional complaints or recalls specific to the model year you are considering.
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 RX | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 24 |
| 2025 | 22 | 329 |
| 2024 | 57 | 617 |
| 2023 | 65 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 40 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 277 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 151 | 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 RX or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus RX vs FORD F 150
- Lexus RX total complaints
- 617
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Lexus RX total recalls
- 16
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Lexus RX avg complaints/year
- 61.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Lexus RX
- Lexus RX top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN