Head-to-head reliability
Mclaren 650S vs FORD F 150
How the Mclaren 650S 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
Mclaren 650S vs FORD F 150: The Mclaren has only 2 complaints over 10 years (0.2/yr) versus the F-150's 11,311 (1131.1/yr). Mclaren owners report headlight cracks and airbag recall delays, while F-150 owners face transmission failures and electrical glitches. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mclaren 650S or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mclaren 650S
The Mclaren 650S is a low-volume, high-performance sports car where owners report very few issues overall, but the ones that do surface are significant. The complaint pattern shows two main concerns: headlight lenses developing spider-web cracks over time, and a serious Takata airbag recall that has left owners waiting for parts. This suggests that while the car is generally reliable, the few problems it has can be safety-critical and slow to resolve.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a mass-market pickup with a high volume of complaints, reflecting its popularity and the wide range of issues owners encounter. The dominant problems are transmission failures, particularly hard shifting and loss of power, along with electrical glitches affecting safety systems like pre-collision assist. With over 11,000 complaints and 145 recalls, the F-150 shows a pattern of recurring powertrain and electronic issues that can affect daily drivability and safety.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mclaren 650S | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 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.
Mclaren 650S
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
- 02AIR BAGS1
Owners report that the headlight lenses develop small spider-web cracks on the interior section over time, which can reduce visibility and may require expensive replacement.
The passenger airbag inflator is under recall due to a risk of exploding with shrapnel, but owners say dealers lack parts, leaving the vehicle unsafe until fixed.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MCLAREN 650S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER TIME THE FRONT PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S HEADLIGHT LENSES HAD DEVELOPED VERY SMALL SPIDER WEB CRACKS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE CRACKS WERE LOCATED ON THE INTERIOR SECTION OF THE LENSE…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints, with owners experiencing hard shifts, jerks, clunks, and even sudden loss of power while driving, which can be dangerous in traffic.
Electrical issues manifest as warning lights for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist being unavailable, often appearing every time the truck is started, indicating a persistent sensor or software problem.
Headlight-related recalls and complaints are common, though specific failure details are not provided in the sample, but they contribute to the high complaint count.
Engine-related complaints are numerous, but without specific sample text, the exact nature is unclear; however, the volume suggests potential reliability concerns.
“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.
Mclaren 650S — 3 recalls
The defect: McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain 2012-2013 MP4-12C, 2014-2016 650s, 2015-2016 675 LT, 2014-2015 P1 and 2015-2017 570 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or r…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bags, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.
The defect: McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain 2012-2013 MP4-12C, 2014-2016 650s, 2015-2016 675 LT, 2014-2015 P1 and 2015-2017 570 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or r…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bags, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.
The defect: McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain 2012-2013 MP4-12C, 2014-2016 650s, 2015-2016 675 LT, 2014-2015 P1 and 2015-2017 570 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or r…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bags, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.
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
Mclaren 650S or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Mclaren 650S has far fewer complaints per year (0.2) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a much lower rate of reported issues. However, the Mclaren's issues are safety-critical, while the F-150's are more frequent but varied. In practice, the Mclaren is likely to have fewer problems overall, but the F-150's issues are more common and can affect everyday usability.
Key differences
- The Mclaren 650S has only 2 complaints in 10 years, while the F-150 has over 11,000, a massive difference in reported issues.
- Mclaren owners report headlight lens cracking and airbag recall delays, whereas F-150 owners report transmission failures and electrical system glitches.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls and 328 crash-related complaints, indicating a higher safety risk in real-world incidents, while the Mclaren has no crash-related complaints.
- The F-150's transmission issues can cause sudden loss of power, a serious safety hazard, while the Mclaren's airbag issue is a known defect but not yet triggered.
- Inspect the headlight lenses for any spider-web cracking, as this is a known issue that may require replacement.
- Check if the passenger airbag recall has been completed; if not, be aware that parts may be unavailable, leaving the vehicle unsafe.
- Test drive the truck to feel for hard shifts or jerks, especially between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, as transmission problems are common.
- Look for warning lights on the dash, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available,' which indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- For the Mclaren: verify all recalls are performed, especially the airbag inflator, and inspect headlight lenses for cracks.
- For the F-150: check the transmission for smooth shifting and ask for service records related to transmission or electrical repairs.
- For the F-150: scan for any stored diagnostic trouble codes related to the transmission or camera systems.
- For both: get a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist familiar with the model.
- For the F-150: research the specific model year for known issues, as some years may be worse than others.
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 | Mclaren 650S | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
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 Mclaren 650S or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mclaren 650S vs FORD F 150
- Mclaren 650S total complaints
- 2
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Mclaren 650S total recalls
- 3
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Mclaren 650S avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Mclaren 650S
- Mclaren 650S top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN