Head-to-head reliability
Lincoln Nautilus vs FORD F 150
How the Lincoln Nautilus 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
Lincoln Nautilus vs FORD F 150: The Nautilus averages 28 complaints per year over 8 years, while the F-150 averages 1,131 per year over 10 years. Transmission issues are common in both, but the Nautilus has fewer reported problems overall. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lincoln Nautilus or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lincoln Nautilus
The Lincoln Nautilus, a midsize luxury SUV, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 28 per year over eight years. Owners report issues concentrated in the powertrain and electrical systems, with some complaints describing sudden loss of power or unintended shifting, which can be alarming. While not the highest-volume problem vehicle, the nature of these reports suggests potential reliability concerns that could affect daily driving confidence.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year, reflecting its popularity and longer production run. The dominant issues are in the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners describing harsh shifts and occasional power loss. Electrical and lighting problems also feature prominently, indicating a range of issues that could impact both functionality and safety.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lincoln Nautilus | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 224 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 33 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 11 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 3 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.
Lincoln Nautilus
- 01POWER TRAIN57
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM44
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER39
- 04ENGINE26
- 05STRUCTURE17
Owners report the vehicle sputtering, jerking, or suddenly shifting into neutral, especially with the 8F35 transmission. This can occur at highway speeds, making it a safety concern as drivers may lose power momentarily.
There are reports of the vehicle shifting itself into neutral and the check engine light coming on, as well as the steering column adjusting on its own. These electrical glitches can be unpredictable and distracting while driving.
Some complaints describe the vehicle acting 'weird' without a clear cause, and the BlueCruise hands-free system's safety alerts turning off without warning. This lack of clarity can make it hard for owners to trust the vehicle's systems.
“The contact owns a 2022 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while another person was driving approximately 15-50 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and jerked. The vehicle was driven to the workplace, and the contact attempted to test-drive the vehicle. The con…”
“There is a class action lawsuit for the 2019-2021 Nautilus with the 8F35 transmission, which is the same transmission that my 2022 Nautilus has. Ford has also issued multiple technical service bulletins (25-2154, 21-2389) regarding the 8F35 transmission. My t…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 transmission is a frequent source of complaints, with owners experiencing hard and delayed shifts, jerking, and clunking between gears. In some cases, the vehicle loses power and shuts off, which is dangerous in traffic.
Electrical issues include warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist being unavailable, which appear every time the truck is started. These persistent alerts can be annoying and may indicate underlying sensor problems.
Headlight problems are common, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. Given the high complaint count, lighting failures could affect visibility and safety at night.
“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.
Lincoln Nautilus — 33 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction, and the window reversal distance does not meet the minimum requirement. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the re…
The risk: A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will recalibrate the driver door module (DDM) and the passenger door module (PDM), free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numb…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is p…
The risk: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupl…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicl…
The risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model an…
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
Lincoln Nautilus or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Lincoln Nautilus has far fewer complaints per year (28 vs. 1,131), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Nautilus's problems, such as sudden power loss, can be just as serious. In practice, the F-150's higher volume reflects its widespread use, but the Nautilus may offer a more trouble-free ownership experience on average.
Key differences
- The Nautilus has a much lower complaint rate per year (28) compared to the F-150 (1,131), suggesting fewer reported problems overall.
- Transmission issues are common in both, but the Nautilus's 8F35 has a class-action lawsuit, while the F-150's 10R80 is known for harsh shifts and power loss.
- Electrical problems in the Nautilus include unintended shifting and steering column movement, while the F-150 has persistent camera and pre-collision warnings.
- The F-150 has a higher number of crash-related complaints (328 vs. 11) and injuries (287 vs. 3), though this may reflect its larger sales volume.
- Test the transmission for any signs of jerking, slipping, or unexpected shifts, especially at speeds between 15-50 mph.
- Check that the steering column does not move on its own and that all electrical features, including BlueCruise, function properly.
- During a test drive, pay close attention to transmission shifts between 4th-6th gears for any harshness or clunking.
- Start the truck and see if any warning messages appear for the front camera or pre-collision assist; if they do, it may indicate an electrical issue.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to check for any open recalls or previous transmission repairs.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the transmission and electrical systems.
- Take both vehicles for an extended test drive that includes highway speeds to feel for any shifting or power issues.
- Ask for service records to see if the transmission has been updated or repaired under warranty.
- Check online forums for known issues 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 | Lincoln Nautilus | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 24 |
| 2025 | 21 | 329 |
| 2024 | 21 | 617 |
| 2023 | 7 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 13 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 21 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 33 | 33 |
| 2019 | 100 | 36 |
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 Lincoln Nautilus or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lincoln Nautilus vs FORD F 150
- Lincoln Nautilus total complaints
- 224
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Lincoln Nautilus total recalls
- 33
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Lincoln Nautilus avg complaints/year
- 28.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Lincoln Nautilus top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN