Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Versa vs FORD F 150
How the Nissan Versa 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 vs FORD F 150: The Versa has 479 complaints over 10 years (47.9/yr) with engine and powertrain issues causing loss of power, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints (1131.1/yr) with transmission and electrical problems. The Versa's issues are more safety-critical, but the F-150's are more frequent. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Versa or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa is a subcompact sedan that, over the past decade, has generated a moderate number of complaints per year, with the highest volume centered on engine and powertrain issues. Owners describe sudden loss of acceleration, grinding noises when reversing, and even complete inoperability, which can be alarming for a car meant to be an economical daily driver. Electrical problems also surface, including complete shutdowns and failing headlights, adding to the sense that the car may be unreliable as it ages.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, shows a much higher complaint volume, but that's partly due to its popularity. The dominant issues are in the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners report shifting hard, jerking, or even causing the truck to shut off. Electrical gremlins, such as camera malfunctions and warning lights, are also common. While these problems can be frustrating, they are not necessarily safety-critical in every case, but they do affect the driving experience and long-term dependability.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Versa | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 479 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 13 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 48 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 47.9 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 43 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 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 Versa
- 01ENGINE139
- 02POWER TRAIN134
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER92
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM88
- 05AIR BAGS62
Owners report sudden loss of acceleration, with the car unable to exceed 35 mph, as if fuel injectors are cutting out. This can be dangerous in traffic and has been present since low mileage.
Grinding noises when reversing and hard shifts are common, indicating potential transmission or driveline issues. Some owners report the car becoming completely inoperable, leaving them stranded.
Complete electrical shutdowns occur, including loss of engine power and hazard lights failing to activate. This can leave the driver without warning in emergency situations.
While specific complaints are not detailed, the high number of air bag complaints suggests potential issues with deployment or warning lights, which is critical for safety.
“I’m [XXX] with health issues and my mother is [XXX] we bought a car at ( Drive Time ) hoping we would get a good car to go to the dr , I have a [XXX] I can’t afford it though,in my opinion I felt drive time took advantage of us because I look Mexican and indi…”
“Driving down the road, the car enters a phase where you can not accelerate at all. It seems like the fuel injectors are cut off by 90% and you can only accelerate to about 35 mph. Although this has happened the whole life of the car 26,000 miles, today I was…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints, with hard and delayed shifts, jerking, and clunking between gears. Some owners report a complete loss of power and vehicle shutdown, which is alarming.
Recurring warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available appear on the dash, indicating sensor or software issues that may disable safety features.
Headlight problems are frequent, with owners reporting failures or poor visibility, which can compromise nighttime driving safety.
Engine-related complaints, though fewer, include stalling or power loss, which can be dangerous if it happens at speed.
“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 — 13 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Titan, Titan XD, and Versa vehicles. The front right and/or left turn signal bulb can crack and fail to illuminate.
The risk: Inoperable front turn signals cannot alert on-coming drivers and/or pedestrians that the vehicle will be turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bulbs as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 20, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PM986 and P…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.
The risk: Loss of power steering assist can increase the steering effort required, especially at low speeds, and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code, and replace the column, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.
The risk: Loss of power steering assist can increase the steering effort required, especially at low speeds, and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code and replace the steering column assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's cus…
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…
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 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Nissan Versa has significantly fewer complaints per year (47.9) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but the Versa's issues are more likely to leave you stranded. The F-150's problems are more about drivability and electronic glitches, but its sheer volume suggests a higher chance of encountering an issue. In practice, the Versa may be cheaper to fix but more unreliable, while the F-150 offers more capability but with more frequent annoyances.
Key differences
- The Versa's engine and powertrain issues can cause sudden loss of acceleration, making it a safety concern in traffic.
- The F-150's transmission problems are more about harsh shifting and occasional shutdowns, which are annoying but less likely to cause a crash.
- Electrical failures in the Versa can shut down the entire vehicle, while F-150 electrical issues are mostly warning lights and sensor malfunctions.
- The Versa has far fewer complaints per year, but the F-150's problems are spread across a much larger owner base.
- Test drive at highway speeds to check for any hesitation or loss of power, as engine issues are common.
- Listen for grinding noises when shifting into reverse or during acceleration, which may indicate transmission problems.
- Pay attention to how the transmission shifts, especially between 4th and 6th gears, for any hard jerks or clunks.
- Check if any dashboard warning lights for camera or pre-collision systems are illuminated, as they may indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine and transmission for the Versa, and the transmission and electrical system for the F-150.
- Check for any open recalls on the specific VIN and ensure they have been addressed.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any repeated repairs related to the common issues.
- Take an extended test drive that includes stop-and-go traffic and highway speeds to feel for any abnormalities.
- Ask the seller if they have experienced any of the common problems and how they were resolved.
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 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | 329 |
| 2024 | 95 | 617 |
| 2023 | 37 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 20 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 31 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 64 | 33 |
| 2019 | 24 | 36 |
| 2018 | 55 | 56 |
| 2017 | 62 | 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 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Versa vs FORD F 150
- Nissan Versa total complaints
- 479
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Nissan Versa total recalls
- 13
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Nissan Versa avg complaints/year
- 47.9
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Versa
- Nissan Versa top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN