Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Rogue Sport vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Rogue Sport 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 Rogue Sport vs FORD F 150: The Rogue Sport averages 61.7 complaints per year over 6 years, while the F-150 averages 1131.1 per year over 10 years. The Rogue Sport has 10 recalls, the F-150 has 145. Owners report engine and brake issues in the Rogue Sport, and transmission problems in the F-150. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Rogue Sport or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Rogue Sport
The Nissan Rogue Sport is a compact crossover that, in ownership terms, shows a moderate but notable rate of complaints, averaging about 62 per year over six years. The pattern suggests that owners frequently encounter issues with the engine and electrical systems, including intermittent air conditioning and more serious reports of steering and brake lockup. There are also many complaints about forward collision avoidance and service brakes, indicating potential safety-related concerns. While not as high-volume as some trucks, the Rogue Sport's issues are spread across multiple critical systems, which could mean more frequent trips to the shop.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year over ten years, reflecting its popularity and long production run. The dominant problem area is the powertrain, with owners reporting hard shifts, loss of power, and transmission failures, particularly in the 10-speed automatic. Electrical system issues are also common, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions. With 145 recalls and a higher number of crash and injury reports, the F-150's reliability picture is more complex, but its issues are often tied to specific components like the transmission and lighting.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Rogue Sport | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 370 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 28 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 61.7 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 28 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 Rogue Sport
- 01ENGINE86
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM75
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER73
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE67
- 05SERVICE BRAKES56
Owners report intermittent air conditioning that turns on and off, and in one case, the steering wheel and brake pedal locked, causing a crash. This suggests potential engine or related control module issues that could affect drivability.
Complaints include air conditioning problems and bizarre claims of hacking or wiretapping, but more commonly, electrical gremlins may cause intermittent failures in various systems, leading to warning lights and loss of function.
Several owners describe the vehicle suddenly veering left or experiencing unintended acceleration, possibly due to malfunctioning sensors or software. This is a safety-critical system that could cause loss of control.
Brake-related complaints are frequent, with some owners reporting the brake pedal locking or becoming hard, which can lead to crashes. This is a serious safety concern that requires immediate attention.
“The vehicle’s air conditioning began turning on and off intermittently while driving. I initially had the issue inspected by an independent mechanic, who checked the refrigerant and confirmed that the freon level was normal. After further inspection, the mech…”
“The steering wheel and brake peddle locked (unable to steer or pump brakes) causing me to lose control of the car. I ended up sideswiping a tree and rear-ending a parked pickup truck, totaling my car. This malfunction was an ongoing issue that I initially rep…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners reporting hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power and shutdown. This can be dangerous in traffic and may require costly repairs.
Many owners see warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on startup, indicating problems with sensors or wiring. These issues can disable safety features and may be persistent.
Headlight problems are common enough to be a top complaint area, though specific symptoms aren't detailed in the sample. Faulty lighting reduces visibility and can be a safety hazard.
Engine-related complaints are less frequent but still notable, with potential issues that could lead to stalling or performance problems, though the sample text focuses on transmission and electrical.
“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 Rogue Sport — 10 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.
The risk: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as int…
The fix: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 3…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue Sport vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, reducing the protection offered to an installed child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A seat belt retractor that does not function as intended can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt and as necessary both outer rear seat belts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 14, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nis…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue Sport vehicles. The liftgate hinges can separate from the vehicle during a rear end crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 206, "Door Locks and Door Reten…
The risk: Separated hinges compromise the protection offered by the liftgate, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the left and right liftgate hinges, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 7, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21A7.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.
The risk: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as int…
The fix: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 3…
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 Rogue Sport or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Nissan Rogue Sport has far fewer complaints per year (about 62) compared to the Ford F-150 (over 1,100), but the Rogue Sport's issues are more concentrated in safety-critical systems like brakes and collision avoidance. The F-150's higher volume is partly due to its popularity, but its transmission problems are widespread and can be severe. In practice, the Rogue Sport may have lower overall frequency, but the F-150's issues are more predictable and often covered by recalls.
Key differences
- The Rogue Sport has a much lower complaint rate (61.7/yr) than the F-150 (1131.1/yr), but its complaints often involve safety systems like brakes and forward collision avoidance.
- The F-150's top issue is the powertrain, specifically the 10-speed transmission, with owners reporting hard shifts and loss of power, while the Rogue Sport's top issue is the engine, but with varied symptoms.
- The F-150 has more recalls (145) and more crash/injury reports, but that's partly due to higher sales volume; the Rogue Sport has fewer recalls (10) but still has safety-related complaints.
- Electrical system issues are common in both, but the Rogue Sport's complaints include bizarre claims of hacking, while the F-150's are more typical sensor failures.
- Check for any signs of brake or steering lockup by test driving at low speeds and paying attention to pedal feel and steering response.
- Inspect the forward collision avoidance system by testing it in a safe area, and look for any warning lights or previous repairs.
- Test the transmission thoroughly, especially shifting through gears at various speeds, and listen for clunks or jerks.
- Check for any warning messages on the dash, especially related to the front camera or pre-collision assist, and have the electrical system scanned for codes.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to check for any open recalls and previous accident damage.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine, transmission, brakes, and electrical systems.
- Test drive both vehicles on the highway and in stop-and-go traffic to feel for transmission shifts and brake response.
- Ask the seller for service records, especially for any repairs related to the known problem areas.
- Check the NHTSA website for the latest recalls and complaints for the specific model year you're 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 Rogue Sport | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 12 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 35 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 58 | 33 |
| 2019 | 99 | 36 |
| 2018 | 93 | 56 |
| 2017 | 73 | 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 Rogue Sport or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Rogue Sport vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Rogue Sport total complaints
- 370
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Nissan Rogue Sport total recalls
- 10
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Nissan Rogue Sport avg complaints/year
- 61.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Rogue Sport
- Nissan Rogue Sport top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN