Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Nv200 vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Nv200 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 NV200 vs FORD F 150: The NV200 has 87 complaints over 10 years (8.7/yr) and 11 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints (1131.1/yr) and 145 recalls. The NV200's top issues are air bags and fuel system, whereas the F-150's are powertrain and electrical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Nv200 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Nv200
The Nissan NV200 is a compact commercial van that, in owner reports, shows a pattern of relatively low complaint volume but with a few recurring trouble spots. The most frequent issues involve air bag system warnings and unexpected deployments, along with fuel system problems that have prompted multiple recalls. Owners also report electrical gremlins and engine concerns, but the overall rate of complaints is modest, suggesting that while the van has some known weaknesses, it does not generate the high volume of issues seen in some other vehicles.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, reflecting its popularity and long production run. The dominant problem area is the powertrain, with many owners describing harsh shifting, hesitation, and even sudden loss of power, particularly in models with the 10-speed automatic. Electrical system issues are also common, including camera and sensor malfunctions. While the F-150 has many recalls, the sheer number of complaints indicates that buyers should be prepared for potential transmission and electronic gremlins.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Nv200 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 87 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 5 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 8.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 8 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 Nv200
- 01AIR BAGS26
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER21
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM10
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
- 05ENGINE6
Owners report air bag warning lights and, in some cases, unexpected deployment even at low speeds or when parked. This suggests a potential sensor or wiring fault that could affect safety systems.
Complaints include fuel pump module failures that can cause stalling or fire risk, and a narrow fuel filler neck that causes splashback during refueling. Multiple recalls have been issued for the fuel pump module.
There are reports of communication errors between the ECM and other modules, leading to warning lights and potential drivability issues. Some electrical problems are linked to the fuel system defects.
“OUR COMPANY HAS A 2018 NV 200, A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WITH 100,000 MILE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER COMMERCIAL NISSAN WARRANTY. THERE ARE ABOUT 58,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. ON JANUARY, 26, 2021 WHILE DRIVING ON A SMALL RESIDENTIAL ROAD AT 5 MILES AN HOUR, THE PASSENGER SIDE…”
“2015 NISSAN NV200 SV 78,000 MILES. DRIVER HAD MOVED VEHICLE INTO GARAGE, PARKED VEHICLE WITH A SLIGHT ANGLE TO THE STEERING. DRIVER COULD NOT REMEMBER IF VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OR KEY IN IGNITION IN 'ON' POSITION. WEATHER STRIPPING ON DRIVER'S DOOR WAS LOOSE AND…”
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, especially in the 10-speed automatic, with some owners experiencing sudden loss of power or transmission failure. This can be a safety concern in traffic.
Many owners report recurring warnings for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist unavailability, which can disable safety features. Other electrical gremlins include battery and wiring issues.
Headlight problems are frequent, with owners reporting condensation, flickering, or complete failure, which can reduce visibility at night.
“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 Nv200 — 11 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2021 NV200 Van, 2014-2017, 2019 NV200 Taxi, and 2015-2018 Chevrolet City Express vehicles. The Fuel Tank Temperature (FTT) sensor harness may have been incorrectly routed, damaging wires and causing a short circuit in the fuel pump fuse.
The risk: A blown fuel pump fuse can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the FTT sensor harness or replace the fuel pump assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbe…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2021 NV200 Van, 2014-2017, 2019 NV200 Taxi, and 2015-2018 Chevrolet City Express vehicles. The Fuel Tank Temperature (FTT) sensor harness may have been incorrectly routed, damaging wires and causing a short circuit in the fuel pump fuse.
The risk: A blown fuel pump fuse can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the FTT sensor harness or replace the fuel pump assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbe…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2021 NV200 Van, 2014-2017, 2019 NV200 Taxi, and 2015-2018 Chevrolet City Express vehicles. The Fuel Tank Temperature (FTT) sensor harness may have been incorrectly routed, damaging wires and causing a short circuit in the fuel pump fuse.
The risk: A blown fuel pump fuse can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the FTT sensor harness or replace the fuel pump assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbe…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2021 NV200 Van, 2014-2017, 2019 NV200 Taxi, and 2015-2018 Chevrolet City Express vehicles. The Fuel Tank Temperature (FTT) sensor harness may have been incorrectly routed, damaging wires and causing a short circuit in the fuel pump fuse.
The risk: A blown fuel pump fuse can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the FTT sensor harness or replace the fuel pump assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbe…
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 Nv200 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Nissan NV200 has far fewer complaints per year (8.7) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the NV200's air bag and fuel system problems are serious safety concerns. In practice, the F-150's higher volume reflects its popularity, but the transmission and electrical issues are more widespread.
Key differences
- The NV200 has a much lower complaint rate (8.7/yr) than the F-150 (1131.1/yr), but its air bag and fuel system issues are safety-critical.
- The F-150's powertrain complaints focus on harsh shifting and loss of power, while the NV200's fuel system recalls address fire hazards.
- Electrical problems in the F-150 often disable driver-assist features, whereas NV200 electrical issues are more tied to ECM communication.
- The NV200 has fewer recalls (11) than the F-150 (145), but the NV200's recalls are concentrated on the fuel pump module.
- Check for open recalls, especially the fuel pump module recall (PMA56), and verify it has been performed.
- Test the air bag system by ensuring no warning lights are on and have a mechanic inspect the system for any signs of previous deployment or sensor issues.
- Test drive the F-150 through various speeds and gears to feel for harsh shifts or hesitation, especially in the 10-speed automatic.
- Check for any warning lights related to the front camera or pre-collision system, and have the battery and charging system tested.
Before you buy
- For the NV200, ask for the recall history and confirm the fuel pump module recall is completed.
- For the F-150, get a transmission fluid service history and consider a pre-purchase inspection by a transmission specialist.
- Test all exterior lights on the F-150, including high beams and fog lights, for proper operation.
- On the NV200, check the air bag system by starting the vehicle and ensuring no warning lights remain on after the bulb check.
- For both, review the NHTSA complaint database 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 | Nissan Nv200 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 4 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 1 | 33 |
| 2019 | 9 | 36 |
| 2018 | 14 | 56 |
| 2017 | 7 | 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 Nv200 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Nv200 vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Nv200 total complaints
- 87
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Nissan Nv200 total recalls
- 11
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Nissan Nv200 avg complaints/year
- 8.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Nv200
- Nissan Nv200 top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN