Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Murano vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Murano 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 Murano vs FORD F 150: The Murano has 266 complaints over 10 years (26.6/yr) versus the F-150's 11,311 (1131.1/yr). Murano issues often involve forward collision and electrical glitches, while F-150 owners report transmission hard shifts and power loss. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Murano or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Murano
The Nissan Murano, over a decade of ownership, shows a moderate complaint rate with issues concentrated in driver-assistance and electrical systems. Owners report false warnings and failures in forward collision avoidance, especially in sunlight, and some incidents where automatic collision notification didn't activate after a crash. Brake and speed control complaints also appear, including a parking brake that failed to release. While not as numerous as some rivals, these issues point to potential electronic gremlins that could affect daily driving and safety features.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over a thousand per year, with the majority centered on the powertrain. Owners frequently describe hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss in the 10-speed automatic transmission. Electrical system issues are also common, including camera malfunctions and warning lights. This pattern suggests that while the F-150 is a popular workhorse, its transmission and electronics may be sources of frustration and costly repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Murano | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 266 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 17 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 26.6 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 18 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.
Nissan Murano
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER67
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE43
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM33
- 04SERVICE BRAKES31
- 05VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25
Owners report the system disabling itself with a 'Driving Aids temporarily disabled' warning when driving into sunlight, and in some cases, the automatic collision notification failed to activate after a real crash, leaving occupants without automatic help.
Complaints include unintended acceleration after a software update, and a separate issue where the vehicle failed to restart after the parking brake was engaged, suggesting potential software or wiring faults.
Brake-related complaints include a parking brake that failed to release, stranding the vehicle, and another report of brake issues possibly linked to the electrical system, indicating a reliability concern with braking components.
“My wife was victim to a hit and run driver on 30 Dec 22. Our 2022 Nissan Murano's AUTOMATIC COLLISION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED TO ACTIVATE UPON COLLISION. There were no warnings in the car prior. Additionally, the secondary system known as the "SOS BUTTON"…”
“I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2025 Nissan Murano SL, purchased on April 21, 2026. On May 9, 2026, while driving from [XXX] to [XXX] , the vehicle began experiencing repeated failures at stoplights and in traffic. While stopped at red ligh…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is harsh or delayed shifting, particularly in the 10-speed automatic, with owners reporting jerks, clunks, and even sudden power loss while driving, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous in traffic.
Many owners see persistent warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' on startup, indicating problems with the camera or related sensors that may disable safety features.
Headlight-related recalls and complaints suggest potential issues with visibility, which is critical for night driving and overall safety.
“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.
Nissan Murano — 11 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Murano vehicles. The incorrect primer may have been used on the quarter glass, resulting in the left and right quarter glass detaching from the vehicle.
The risk: Detached glass panels can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace both side quarter glass panels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PD102.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Murano, Pathfinder, and INFINITI QX60 vehicles. One or both front brake caliper assemblies may have reduced strength and could break. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard n…
The risk: A broken front brake caliper can cause a loss of front brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake caliper assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 9, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or INFINITI's customer servi…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Murano, 2025-2026 Armada, and Infiniti QX80 vehicles. A software error may occur in the In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is shifted into rever…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The IVI system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 2, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
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
Nissan Murano or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Nissan Murano has far fewer complaints per year (26.6) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. In practice, this means a Murano owner is less likely to encounter major mechanical or electrical problems, but the F-150's issues are more frequent and often involve the transmission, which can be expensive to fix.
Key differences
- The Murano's complaints are mostly about driver-assist and electrical glitches, while the F-150's are dominated by transmission problems.
- The F-150 has a much higher rate of complaints per year, suggesting a higher likelihood of encountering issues.
- The Murano has had recalls for brakes and backup camera, while the F-150 has had recalls for headlights and engine components.
- The F-150 has more crash-related complaints and injuries, but that could be due to higher sales volume.
- Test the forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking in various lighting conditions, especially direct sunlight, to see if it disables.
- Check the electrical system by testing all features, including the parking brake, and ask about any software updates or recalls.
- Take a thorough test drive to feel for any hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th and 6th gears, and listen for clunks.
- Start the truck and see if any warning lights appear, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available'.
Before you buy
- Check NHTSA recall lists for both vehicles and ensure all recalls have been performed.
- For the Murano, test the forward collision warning and automatic braking in different lighting conditions.
- For the F-150, test drive at various speeds to feel for transmission shift quality.
- Ask for service records, especially for transmission fluid changes or repairs on the F-150.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the electrical system on both vehicles, particularly the cameras and sensors.
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 Murano | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 24 |
| 2025 | 21 | 329 |
| 2024 | 4 | 617 |
| 2023 | 8 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 6 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 16 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 45 | 33 |
| 2019 | 43 | 36 |
| 2018 | 15 | 56 |
| 2017 | 107 | 43 |
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 Murano or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Murano vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Murano total complaints
- 266
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Nissan Murano total recalls
- 11
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Nissan Murano avg complaints/year
- 26.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Murano
- Nissan Murano top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN