Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Versa NOTE vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Versa NOTE 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 Versa NOTE vs FORD F 150: The Versa has 110.4 complaints per year, with transmission and air bag issues, while the F-150 has 1131.1 per year, mainly transmission and electrical problems. The Versa's air bag failures are a critical safety concern, but the F-150's higher rate suggests more frequent issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Versa NOTE or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Versa NOTE
The Nissan Versa NOTE is a subcompact hatchback that, in ownership terms, shows a high rate of owner-reported issues, averaging over 110 complaints per year. The dominant theme is transmission trouble, with owners describing sudden downshifts, loss of acceleration, and the vehicle refusing to move forward. Air bag non-deployment in crashes and engine-related issues also appear frequently, painting a picture of a car that may be unreliable and potentially unsafe in certain situations.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher total complaint count, but that's partly due to its popularity and longer production span. The main issues cluster around the powertrain, especially the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners report shifting hard, jerking, and occasionally losing power. Electrical system problems, including camera and sensor malfunctions, are also common, suggesting that while the F-150 is a workhorse, it has its share of electronic gremlins.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Versa NOTE | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 773 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 89 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 110.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 78 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 3 | 1 Better |
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 Versa NOTE
- 01POWER TRAIN248
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER140
- 03AIR BAGS119
- 04ENGINE117
- 05SERVICE BRAKES102
Owners report the transmission suddenly downshifting at highway speeds, causing the car to decelerate to 5 mph, or the engine revving but the car not moving forward. This can be dangerous in traffic and indicates a serious transmission defect.
Several complaints describe air bags failing to deploy in moderate to severe collisions, leading to injuries. This is a critical safety concern for any buyer.
Engine issues include hydrocarbons leaking into the cabin, which can cause health problems, and check engine lights related to transmission codes, indicating potential engine-transmission integration problems.
Some owners report being trapped inside the vehicle due to a frozen door lock, which is a safety hazard in an emergency.
“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the transmission downshifted, and the vehicle decelerated to 5 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 NISSAN VERSA NOTE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE ENGINE REVVED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a frequent source of complaints, with owners experiencing hard shifts, clunks, jerks, and occasional loss of power, sometimes leading to the vehicle shutting off while driving.
Electrical problems include warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which can disable safety features. Some owners also report loud bangs from the transmission area that may be related to electrical issues.
Headlight issues are common, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample, but they can affect visibility and safety at night.
Engine problems are less frequent but still notable, with some owners reporting engine-related issues that may be linked to transmission or electrical faults.
“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 Versa NOTE — 11 recalls
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-…
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 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-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018 Nissan Versa Note vehicles. During deployment of the side curtain air bag, a component of the air bag inflator may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) num…
The risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
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 Versa NOTE or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Nissan Versa NOTE has fewer complaints per year (110.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but the nature of the Versa's issues—especially air bag failures and transmission failures that can cause sudden loss of speed—may be more concerning for safety. The F-150's higher count is partly due to its popularity, but its transmission and electrical issues are also serious. In practice, the Versa may be riskier in terms of crash safety, while the F-150 may be more of a nuisance with its electronic and transmission quirks.
Key differences
- The Versa NOTE has a much lower complaint rate per year (110.4) than the F-150 (1131.1), but its complaints include air bag non-deployment, which is a critical safety issue.
- The F-150's main issue is its 10-speed transmission, which causes hard shifts and occasional power loss, while the Versa's transmission can suddenly downshift to very low speeds.
- The Versa has reported door lock failures that can trap occupants, a unique safety hazard not seen in the F-150 complaints.
- The F-150 has more electrical system complaints, including camera and sensor malfunctions, which can disable driver-assist features.
- Test drive at highway speeds and check for any sudden downshifts or loss of acceleration, which are common transmission failures.
- Inspect the air bag system and check for any open recalls related to air bags; also ask if the air bags have ever been replaced.
- During a test drive, pay attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4th and 8th gears, for any hard jerks or clunks.
- Check the dashboard for warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available' and verify that all safety systems are operational.
Before you buy
- Check the NHTSA website for open recalls on both vehicles and ensure they have been addressed.
- Have a mechanic inspect the transmission on both vehicles, including a road test to feel for shifting issues.
- For the Versa, test the door locks from inside and outside to ensure they work properly.
- For the F-150, test all camera and sensor functions, including the front camera and pre-collision assist.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any transmission or electrical repairs.
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 Versa NOTE | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 2019 | 1 | 36 |
| 2018 | 3 | 56 |
| 2017 | 69 | 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 Versa NOTE or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Versa NOTE vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Versa NOTE total complaints
- 773
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Nissan Versa NOTE total recalls
- 11
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Nissan Versa NOTE avg complaints/year
- 110.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Versa NOTE
- Nissan Versa NOTE top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN