Head-to-head reliability
Rolls Royce Ghost vs FORD F 150
How the Rolls Royce Ghost 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 Ghost vs FORD F 150: The Ghost has 0 complaints and 6 recalls over 10 years, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints and 145 recalls. F-150 owners report transmission jerking and electrical warnings; the Ghost has no complaint text. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Rolls Royce Ghost or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Rolls Royce Ghost
The Rolls Royce Ghost is a low-volume luxury car that, over the past decade, has generated zero owner complaints to NHTSA. That silence doesn't mean nothing ever goes wrong; it means problems are rarely reported to this public database. Six recalls exist, covering seat belts, air bags, and instrument cluster electronics, so a buyer should verify those fixes were completed. In ownership terms, it's a niche vehicle where reliability information is thin and repairs can be costly.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with 11,311 complaints over ten years, averaging about 1,131 per year. The most common complaint areas are the power train, electrical system, exterior lighting, and engine. Owners describe hard or delayed transmission shifts, sudden loss of power, and warning messages like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' With 145 recalls and 328 crash-related reports, this is a vehicle where specific checks matter.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Rolls Royce Ghost | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 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 Ghost
No component data available.
Recalls cover front seat belt retractors and seat belt assemblies. A buyer should confirm the recall work was done, because a faulty retractor may not secure the belt properly in a crash.
Recalls involve the instrument cluster/panel. If the cluster fails, a driver could lose speed, fuel, or warning information, which matters for everyday safety.
An air bag recall is listed. Unrepaired, the air bag may not deploy as designed in a collision, so checking recall status is essential.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners report hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially with the 10-speed automatic. Some describe a loud bang, loss of power, and the truck shutting off while driving, which is a serious safety concern.
Complaints include warning messages such as 'Front Camera Malfunction Service Required' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' These can disable driver-assist features and may recur even after dealer visits.
Headlight issues are a top complaint category and also appear in recalls. Poor or failing headlights reduce night visibility and can be a safety risk.
Engine problems are commonly reported and there are engine-related recalls. Symptoms aren't detailed in the sample, but engine faults can lead to stalling or costly repairs.
“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 Ghost — 6 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles. The head air bags in these vehicles may have been damaged during vehicle assembly, possibly causing the head air bags to not fully inflate upon deployment.
The risk: If the head air bag does not inflate properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: None of the affected vehicles have been delivered to customers, therefore, owner notification letters will not be sent. Rolls-Royce dealers will inspect and replace the head air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Rolls-…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles. The single-layer tempered glass protecting the instrument cluster may break in a crash.
The risk: Broken glass can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will apply a protective coating on the instrument cluster's single-layer tempered glass, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2023. Owners may contact Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735.
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…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles. The single-layer tempered glass protecting the instrument cluster may break in a crash.
The risk: Broken glass can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will apply a protective coating on the instrument cluster's single-layer tempered glass, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2023. Owners may contact Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877-3735.
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 Ghost or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Rolls Royce Ghost has far fewer reported issues per year—zero complaints versus about 1,131 per year for the Ford F-150. In practice, that means the F-150 has a much larger public record of owner-reported problems, especially with the transmission and electrical system. The Ghost's record is quiet, but that may reflect low volume and underreporting rather than proven durability.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years; the Rolls Royce Ghost has 0, so the F-150 has a much larger public record of owner-reported problems.
- F-150 owners specifically describe transmission jerking, hard shifts, and sudden power loss, while the Ghost has no complaint text on record.
- The F-150 has 145 recalls and 328 crash-related reports; the Ghost has 6 recalls and 0 crash-related reports.
- Ghost recalls focus on seat belts, air bags, and instrument cluster; F-150 recalls include headlights, battery cables, engine, and seat recliners.
- Check for open recalls on the seat belt retractor, seat belt assembly, air bag, and instrument cluster, and confirm they were repaired.
- Look for any signs of instrument cluster malfunction, such as flickering or dead gauges, since that system was recalled.
- Test drive at various speeds and watch for hard, delayed, or jerky shifts, especially between 4-5, 5-6, and 7-8 gears, and listen for loud bangs.
- Check for recurring dashboard warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' and verify headlight operation.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific vehicle and confirm they were fixed.
- For the F-150, take a long test drive that includes highway merging and stop-and-go traffic to feel for transmission problems.
- For the Ghost, ask for service records and have a specialist inspect the seat belts, air bags, and instrument cluster.
- On the F-150, test every electrical feature: camera, pre-collision assist, lights, and infotainment.
- Ask the seller for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the model, focusing on the complaint areas above.
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 Ghost | 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 |
| 2018 | 0 | 56 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Rolls Royce Ghost or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Rolls Royce Ghost vs FORD F 150
- Rolls Royce Ghost total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Rolls Royce Ghost total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Rolls Royce Ghost avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Rolls Royce Ghost
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN