Head-to-head reliability

Mclaren P1 vs FORD F 150

How the Mclaren P1 and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.

Mclaren P10 complaints · 4 recalls Fewer issues per year
FORD F 15011,176 complaints · 144 recalls

Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records

Which should you buy?

Mclaren P1 averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Mclaren P1 has 0 complaints and 4 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,176 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.

The numbers

Side-by-side NHTSA record

Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.

CategoryMclaren P1FORD F 150
Total complaintsAll model years combined0 Better11,176
Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns4 Better144
Crash reportsCrash-related complaints0 Better324
Complaints per yearAveraged across model years0.0 Better1117.6
Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints0 Better287
Reported deathsTied to owner complaints0 Better1

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 P1

No component data available.

FORD F 150

  1. 01POWER TRAIN3,507
  2. 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,061
  3. 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,389
  4. 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
  5. 05ENGINE833
In owners' words — POWER TRAIN

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 filing a safety complaint regarding the transmission in my 2019 Ford F-150 equipped with the 5.0L V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission. My vehicle currently has approximately 88,000 miles. The transmission began experiencing abnormal shifting, includin…

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 P1 — 4 recalls

Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module
#19V141000

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.

Latches/Locks/Linkages — Hood — Latch
#15V836000Nov 2015

The defect: McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 P1 hybrid vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to October 31, 2015. The affected vehicles have a secondary hood latch that may not properly re-engage. As a result, if the primary latch is released inadvertently, the…

The risk: If the hood opens while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hood latch with a newly-designed latch, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2016. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.

Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module
#19V141000

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.

Latches/Locks/Linkages — Hood — Latch
#15V836000Nov 2015

The defect: McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 P1 hybrid vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to October 31, 2015. The affected vehicles have a secondary hood latch that may not properly re-engage. As a result, if the primary latch is released inadvertently, the…

The risk: If the hood opens while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hood latch with a newly-designed latch, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2016. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.

FORD F 150 — 144 recalls

Tires — Bead
#19V903000

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 F-150 trucks equipped with 17-inch spare tires. The spare tire could have been damaged when it was installed on the rim.

The risk: The damage can cause the tire to rapidly lose air pressure or detach from the wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare tire, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S55.

Exterior Lighting — Headlights
#20V097000

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.

Electrical System — 12v/24v/48v Battery — Cables
#19V805000Dec 2019

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…

Back Over Prevention — Sensing System — Camera
#20V575000

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or dist…

The risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may…

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.

YearMclaren P1FORD F 150
202105192
2020027
Years to scrutinize: the 2021 FORD F 150 drew the most (5,192). Inspect these model years especially closely.

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 P1 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.

Go deeper

Full reliability reports

Mclaren P1 vs FORD F 150 — comparison facts
Comparison
Mclaren P1 vs FORD F 150
Mclaren P1 total complaints
0
FORD F 150 total complaints
11,176
Mclaren P1 total recalls
4
FORD F 150 total recalls
144
Mclaren P1 avg complaints/year
0.0
FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
1117.6
More reliable overall
Mclaren P1
FORD F 150 top complaint area
POWER TRAIN