Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Frontier vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Frontier 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
Nissan Frontier averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Nissan Frontier has 447 complaints and 22 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 27,559 complaints and 141 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.
| Category | Nissan Frontier | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 447 Better | 27,559 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 22 Better | 141 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 31 Better | 762 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 44.7 Better | 2755.9 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 12 Better | 714 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 10 |
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.
Nissan Frontier
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM116
- 02POWER TRAIN106
- 03SERVICE BRAKES78
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER66
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE62
“Complete power/ignition failure resulting in death of driver on [XXX] while driving at night in the rain in a 2017 Nissan Frontier Pickup 4 door. The TDPS in McKinney, TX is pulling the black box for testing. 2 weeks before the accident the same vehicle (2017…”
“As I was driving my truck this morning it stalled on me, two times. The first time I was able to turn the key off and back on again and it started right up. I then drove it about 20 yards (luckily I was in a parking lot) and it stalled again but this time the…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN9,972
- 02ENGINE4,861
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3,475
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER3,212
- 05STRUCTURE1,486
“When I am parking the truck, I press and hold the brake pedal, While the truck shifter in in "Drive", I press the start/stop button to shut truck down, the shifter gets stuck in "drive" and doesn't automatically shift in to park. The truck locks down and will…”
“My truck is a 2025 Ford F150 STX with 5,900 miles on it. This truck was purchased new at River City Ford in Lavalette, WV The component in questions seems to be involved with the turbos and more specifically the wastegate that attached to the turbos. Also, ye…”
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.
Nissan Frontier — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Frontier vehicles. Due to a software logic error, the daytime running lights may dim unexpectedly when the idle start-stop feature cycles the engine from off to on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of F…
The risk: Daytime running lights that dim unexpectedly may cause confusion to other vehicles or pedestrians, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the engine control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall is R25C3.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Frontier and Kicks vehicles. The center information display unit may display a blank screen when shifted into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the software on the vehicle’s center information display, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 10, 2025. The manufacturer numbers for this recall are PD152 and PMA48.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mot…
The risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Iden…
FORD F 150 — 141 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may los…
The risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, 2024 Expedition and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine. The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 23, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for th…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
The risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
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 | Nissan Frontier | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 | 9 |
| 2025 | 7 | 320 |
| 2024 | 36 | 600 |
| 2023 | 128 | 1448 |
| 2022 | 110 | 3292 |
| 2021 | 17 | 4939 |
| 2020 | 46 | 2530 |
| 2019 | 28 | 5718 |
| 2018 | 25 | 5505 |
| 2017 | 38 | 3198 |
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 Nissan Frontier or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Frontier vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Frontier total complaints
- 447
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 27,559
- Nissan Frontier total recalls
- 22
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 141
- Nissan Frontier avg complaints/year
- 44.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 2755.9
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Frontier top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN