Head-to-head reliability
Subaru Solterra vs FORD F 150
How the Subaru Solterra 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
Subaru Solterra vs FORD F 150: The Solterra averages 15 complaints per year over 4 years, while the F-150 averages 1,131 per year over 10 years. Solterra issues include power loss and camera glitches; F-150 problems focus on transmission hard shifting. Recalls: 9 vs 145. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Subaru Solterra or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Subaru Solterra
The Subaru Solterra is a relatively new electric SUV with a modest complaint history, averaging 15 complaints per year over four years. Owners report issues concentrated in the electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and speed control, often tied to software or sensor glitches. The sample complaints describe power loss in cold weather, false or delayed collision warnings, and even a wheel well liner coming loose in heavy rain. While the numbers are low, the nature of the failures—especially sudden power loss—can be unsettling for a first-time EV buyer.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a long-running, high-volume pickup with a much larger complaint base, averaging over 1,100 complaints per year over a decade. The dominant issue is the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as hard shifting, jerking, and occasionally losing power. Electrical system complaints are also frequent, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions. With 145 recalls and a history of crash-related incidents, the F-150 shows a pattern of recurring mechanical and electronic problems that buyers should investigate thoroughly.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Subaru Solterra | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 60 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 9 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 6 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 15.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
Subaru Solterra
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE15
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER15
- 04VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9
- 05SERVICE BRAKES5
Owners report progressive loss of power while driving, especially in low temperatures, and various warning lights. This can be dangerous if it happens on a highway, as one owner described.
The system may give false alerts or fail to detect obstacles, as seen in a case where a deer was hit and the recall for camera reprogramming was not applied. This affects safety and driver trust.
Sudden loss of power or unintended acceleration-like events have been reported, such as the vehicle moving on its own when backing up. This is a critical safety concern.
Some complaints are vague but include issues like wheel well liners coming loose in rain, which can cause undercarriage damage. This suggests build quality concerns.
“Subject: Safety Concerns with Subaru Solterra - Urgent Attention Required I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding the safety issues I am experiencing with my newly purchased Subaru Solterra 2023 Touring. Despi…”
“On December 15, 2025, driving on a highway in low temperatures, my 2024 Subaru Solterra (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a progressive loss of power. At 9:20 a.m., I departed NYC for Amenia, NY (91 miles). The range showed ~130 miles (no AC). For the first ~70 miles…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 automatic transmission is a major sore point, with owners reporting hard shifts, clunks, jerks, and occasional loss of power. This can lead to unsafe driving conditions, especially in traffic.
Frequent warnings 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 common, which can reduce visibility at night and increase accident risk.
Engine-related complaints include stalling or performance issues, though specifics vary. These can be costly to repair and affect reliability.
“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.
Subaru Solterra — 9 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2025 bZ4X, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra vehicles. During certain HVAC system faults, such as electrical compressor failure, the defroster and defogger system may become inoperative.
The risk: An inoperative defroster and defogger system can decrease the driver's visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the HVAC control ECU software, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect the electrical compressor, and replace it, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2025. Owners may conta…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2025 bZ4X, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra vehicles. During certain HVAC system faults, such as electrical compressor failure, the defroster and defogger system may become inoperative.
The risk: An inoperative defroster and defogger system can decrease the driver's visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the HVAC control ECU software, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect the electrical compressor, and replace it, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2025. Owners may conta…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
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
Subaru Solterra or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Subaru Solterra has far fewer complaints per year (15 vs. 1,131) and fewer recalls (9 vs. 145), indicating a lower frequency of reported issues. However, the Solterra's problems, such as power loss, are serious and could be deal-breakers for safety-conscious buyers. In practice, the F-150's higher volume reflects its popularity but also a higher likelihood of encountering transmission or electrical problems.
Key differences
- The Solterra has a fraction of the complaints per year (15 vs 1,131) and far fewer recalls (9 vs 145).
- Solterra issues center on electrical and driver-assistance systems, while F-150 issues are dominated by transmission problems.
- Solterra owners report power loss in cold weather, a unique EV concern, whereas F-150 owners report hard shifting and jerking.
- F-150 has a longer history with more crash-related complaints (328 vs 6), but that's partly due to higher sales volume.
- Check for open recalls, especially the forward recognition camera reprogramming (WRG23-1) and any HVAC/defroster recalls.
- Test drive in cold conditions if possible to see if power loss occurs, and inspect wheel well liners for secure fit.
- Listen for hard shifts or clunks during a test drive, especially between 4th-5th and 7th-8th gears.
- Check if the dashboard shows any camera or pre-collision assist warnings, and ask for service records related to transmission or electrical fixes.
Before you buy
- Check NHTSA recall status for both vehicles and ensure all recalls are performed.
- For the Solterra, ask about any software updates for the forward collision and speed control systems.
- For the F-150, request a transmission fluid change or inspection if over 60,000 miles.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the Solterra's undercarriage for loose liners and the F-150's wiring harness for corrosion.
- Take both on a highway test drive to feel for power loss or shifting issues.
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 | Subaru Solterra | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 17 | 24 |
| 2025 | 4 | 329 |
| 2024 | 14 | 617 |
| 2023 | 25 | 1507 |
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 Subaru Solterra or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Subaru Solterra vs FORD F 150
- Subaru Solterra total complaints
- 60
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Subaru Solterra total recalls
- 9
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Subaru Solterra avg complaints/year
- 15.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Subaru Solterra
- Subaru Solterra top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN