Head-to-head reliability
Mazda CX 70 vs FORD F 150
How the Mazda CX 70 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
Mazda CX 70 vs FORD F 150: The CX 70 has 28 complaints per year versus 1131 for the F-150, but its issues center on driver assistance glitches and powertrain jerkiness. The F-150's transmission problems are more frequent and can cause loss of power. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mazda CX 70 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mazda CX 70
The Mazda CX 70 is a relatively new model, with complaints concentrated in its driver-assistance systems, particularly lane departure and forward collision avoidance. Owners report false alerts and intermittent steering interventions that can be unsettling and potentially hazardous. Powertrain and engine issues, including jerky low-speed behavior and involuntary acceleration, add to the concerns. Overall, the CX 70 shows a pattern of electronic and software-related glitches that may require multiple dealer visits.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 has a long history with a high volume of complaints, dominated by powertrain issues, especially the 10-speed automatic transmission. Owners frequently report hard shifts, clunks, and occasional loss of power, which can be alarming in traffic. Electrical system problems, including camera and sensor malfunctions, are also common. The F-150's reliability picture is mixed, with many owners experiencing significant transmission and electrical gremlins, though the sheer number of vehicles on the road contributes to the high complaint count.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mazda CX 70 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 56 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 4 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.
Mazda CX 70
- 01LANE DEPARTURE23
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE9
- 03POWER TRAIN7
- 04ENGINE5
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
Owners report the lane departure system gives false alerts when no car is nearby and sometimes fails to alert when a car is actually in the blind spot. More concerning, some describe the steering stiffening and pulling the vehicle left or right without driver input, which can be dangerous.
The forward collision avoidance system has been reported to malfunction, with alerts occurring without reason and adaptive cruise control not maintaining safe distances. These issues persist despite software updates, indicating a deeper problem.
At low speeds (10-20 mph), the motor or transmission can be jerky and sluggish, making acceleration from stops or in stop-and-go traffic feel unresponsive and potentially unsafe.
There are reports of involuntary acceleration at very low speeds (1-5 mph), where the engine revs on its own and the car lurches forward, which could lead to loss of control in tight spaces like garages.
“Within 100 days of purchasing the CX70 new ,we noticed that the collision avoidance system was malfunctioning . It would alert when no car was near us . It did not alert every time a car was actually in our right blind spot or moving through our right blind s…”
“I purchased a Certified Pre-Owned Mazda CX-70 that exhibits intermittent and unpredictable steering behavior, creating a significant safety concern. The steering will intermittently stiffen and then pull the vehicle left or right without driver input, at time…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is with the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as shifting hard, jerking, or clunking between gears, especially 4-5 and 5-6. Some have experienced a complete loss of power while driving, which is a serious safety concern.
Electrical problems often manifest as warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, appearing every time the truck is started. These issues can disable safety features and require dealer intervention.
Headlight issues are common, with owners reporting failures or malfunctions that reduce visibility at night, increasing the risk of accidents.
Engine problems include stalling, rough idling, and in some cases, sudden shutdowns, which can be dangerous if they occur while driving.
“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.
Mazda CX 70 — 4 recalls
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024-2025 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 vehicles equipped with a Dash Electrical Supply Unit (ESU). During vehicle startup, the defroster, seat belt warning, 360° view monitor functions, and the PHEV high-voltage battery cooling system may not fun…
The risk: An ESU that does not function properly, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the Dash ESU with improved software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 vehicles. The powertrain control module (PCM) and engine control modules (ECM) software may cause malfunction indicator lights to illuminate and a loss of drive power.
The risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the PCM and ECM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7024J.
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Improper inverter software may cause the malfunction indicator lights to illuminate, and a loss of drive power may occur while in electric vehicle (EV) mode.
The risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install improved inverter software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7024J.
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024-2025 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV). The fuel gauge in the instrument cluster may display an inaccurate fuel reading.
The risk: An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the body control module (BCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 24, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. The manufacturer's number for this r…
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
Mazda CX 70 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Mazda CX 70 has far fewer complaints per year (28.0) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the CX 70's problems are concentrated in safety-critical driver assistance systems, which may be more concerning to some buyers. In practice, the F-150's higher volume reflects its longer production run and larger sales, but the nature of its transmission and electrical issues can be just as serious.
Key differences
- The CX 70's main issues are with lane departure and forward collision systems, causing false alerts and unintended steering, while the F-150's top issue is transmission harshness and failures.
- The CX 70 has a much lower complaint rate per year (28 vs 1131), but its complaints are newer and may indicate unresolved software bugs.
- The F-150 has a higher number of crash-related complaints (328) and injuries (287) compared to the CX 70 (2 and 4), though the F-150 has been on the market longer.
- The CX 70 has had 4 recalls, all related to software and electrical systems, while the F-150 has had 145 recalls covering a wide range of components.
- Test the lane departure and forward collision systems thoroughly, including in various traffic conditions, to check for false alerts or unintended steering.
- During a test drive, accelerate from a stop and drive at low speeds to see if the transmission or engine feels jerky or surges unexpectedly.
- Pay close attention to transmission behavior, especially shifts between 4th and 8th gears, for any hard shifts, clunks, or hesitation.
- Check for any warning lights related to camera or sensor malfunctions, and ask for service records showing if these issues have been addressed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the transmission and electrical systems.
- Take an extended test drive that includes highway and stop-and-go traffic to evaluate transmission and driver assistance behavior.
- Ask for all service records and verify that any software updates have been performed.
- Research common issues on owner forums and compare the frequency of complaints for the specific 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 | Mazda CX 70 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 24 |
| 2025 | 50 | 329 |
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 Mazda CX 70 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mazda CX 70 vs FORD F 150
- Mazda CX 70 total complaints
- 56
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Mazda CX 70 total recalls
- 4
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Mazda CX 70 avg complaints/year
- 28.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Mazda CX 70
- Mazda CX 70 top complaint area
- LANE DEPARTURE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN