Head-to-head reliability
Rolls Royce Cullinan vs FORD F 150
How the Rolls Royce Cullinan 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
Rolls Royce Cullinan vs FORD F 150: The Cullinan has 0 complaints and 10 recalls over 8 years, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls over 10 years. F-150 owners report transmission and electrical failures; Cullinan owners report none. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Rolls Royce Cullinan or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Rolls Royce Cullinan
The Rolls Royce Cullinan is a low-volume luxury SUV with no owner complaints filed over 8 years, but 10 recalls—mostly for seat belt critical fasteners. In ownership terms, that means very few reported day-to-day problems, but a notable number of safety-related recall campaigns. Buyers should expect to verify that all recall work has been completed, since the complaint record is silent on long-term reliability.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with 11,311 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 1,131 per year. The most common trouble spots are the power train (3,553 complaints), electrical system (2,071), and exterior lighting (1,164). Owners frequently describe hard or delayed transmission shifts, sudden loss of power, and electrical glitches like camera or collision warning failures. With 145 recalls and 328 crash-related complaints, this truck demands careful pre-purchase inspection.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Rolls Royce Cullinan | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Rolls Royce Cullinan
No component data available.
The Cullinan has 10 recalls, many for seat belt critical fasteners. Owners have not filed complaints, but the recalls suggest a potential risk of seat belt components not being properly secured, which could affect restraint performance in a crash.
There are zero complaints on record for the Cullinan, so there is no reported pattern of parts failing in everyday use. This makes it hard to know what might break, but it also means owners have not reported recurring problems.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard or delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and sudden loss of power, often linked to the 10-speed automatic transmission. One owner said the truck shut off and drifted on a crowded road, then jerked when restarted.
Complaints include loud bangs from the transmission, popping sounds from the rear suspension, and warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' appearing at every start. These electrical glitches can distract the driver and may affect safety features.
With 1,164 complaints and recalls for headlights, owners may experience lighting failures that reduce visibility. This matters because headlights are critical for seeing and being seen, especially at night or in bad weather.
Engine-related complaints total 847, and there are recalls for engine issues. While the exact symptoms vary, engine problems can lead to stalls, power loss, or costly repairs, making it a key area to check.
“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.
Rolls Royce Cullinan — 10 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (Rolls-Royce) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Rolls-Royce Cullinan vehicles. The fixing bolts may not have been properly tightened. The bolts may loosen and damage the left or right rear seat belt webbing or allow the backrest to move under pressure from items in the luggag…
The risk: A damaged seat belt or unsecured seat back may not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of 135/2,000 Safety Risk: Crash Fire Death Injury Consumer Advisories: Do Not Drive Park Outside Remedy Description:injury during…
The fix: Owners are advised not to use the rear seats or luggage compartment until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will inspect, tighten, or replace the fixing bolts as necessary, free of charge. In addition, the left and right rear seat bel…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan vehicles. The brake lights may not be bright enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Eq…
The risk: Without a sufficient level of brightness from the brake lights, the vehicle may have reduced visibility to other drivers when braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will notify owners, and Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers will update the brake light software, free of charge. The recall began October 22, 2019. Owners may contact Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Customer Relations and Services…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Co…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may c…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (…
The risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-8…
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
Rolls Royce Cullinan or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Rolls Royce Cullinan has far fewer issues per year (0 complaints/year vs. about 1,131 for the Ford F-150). In practice, that means the Cullinan owner reports almost no recurring problems, while the F-150 owner faces a much higher chance of transmission, electrical, and lighting trouble. However, the Cullinan's 10 recalls still require attention.
Key differences
- The Cullinan has 0 complaints and 10 recalls, mostly for seat belt fasteners; the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls across many systems.
- F-150 owners report real-world transmission problems like hard shifts and sudden power loss; Cullinan owners report no such complaints.
- The F-150 has 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, while the Cullinan has 0 crash-related complaints and 0 injuries.
- Electrical gremlins and lighting failures are common F-150 complaints, but absent from the Cullinan's record.
- Check for open seat belt recalls—ask for proof that the critical fastener recall was completed.
- Since there are no complaints, focus on a thorough mechanical inspection and verify all 10 recalls are closed.
- Test drive at various speeds to feel for hard or delayed shifts, jerking, or clunking from the transmission.
- Check for electrical warnings like camera or pre-collision assist messages on startup, and inspect headlight function.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls are repaired.
- For the F-150, have a mechanic scan for transmission codes and test drive in stop-and-go and highway conditions.
- For the Cullinan, verify seat belt recall completion and inspect seat belt operation.
- Check for electrical issues: test all lights, cameras, and driver-assist features.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially transmission fluid changes on the F-150.
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 | Rolls Royce Cullinan | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| 2025 | 0 | 329 |
| 2024 | 0 | 617 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 33 |
| 2019 | 0 | 36 |
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 Rolls Royce Cullinan or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Rolls Royce Cullinan vs FORD F 150
- Rolls Royce Cullinan total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Rolls Royce Cullinan total recalls
- 10
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Rolls Royce Cullinan avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Rolls Royce Cullinan
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN