Head-to-head reliability
Suzuki Vitara vs FORD F 150
How the Suzuki Vitara 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
Suzuki Vitara vs FORD F 150: The Vitara averages 14.6 complaints per year over 5 years, while the F-150 averages 1,131.1 per year over 10 years. The Vitara's top issues include engine and suspension failures, whereas the F-150's top issues are transmission and electrical problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Suzuki Vitara or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Suzuki Vitara
The Suzuki Vitara, as reflected in NHTSA data, is a compact SUV that owners report having a range of mechanical issues, from engine and cooling problems to suspension and brake troubles. With an average of 14.6 complaints per year over five years, it's not a high-volume complaint vehicle, but the nature of the complaints suggests that owners may face recurring repairs and unexpected breakdowns. The sample complaints highlight issues like oil leaks, timing chain failures, and suspension crossmember failures, which could be costly and potentially dangerous. Overall, the Vitara appears to be a vehicle that requires attentive maintenance and may not be the most reliable choice for a first-time buyer.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, shows a much higher complaint volume, averaging 1,131.1 complaints per year over ten years, with a significant number related to the powertrain and electrical system. Owners frequently report transmission problems, such as hard shifting and loss of power, as well as electrical glitches like camera malfunctions. These issues can affect drivability and safety, and the high number of recalls (145) indicates that Ford has had to address widespread problems. While the F-150 is a popular and capable truck, the data suggests that buyers should be prepared for potential transmission and electrical issues that may require dealer visits.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Suzuki Vitara | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 73 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 9 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 14.6 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 6 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.
Suzuki Vitara
- 01ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING19
- 02SUSPENSION12
- 03SERVICE BRAKES9
- 04HYDRAULIC9
- 05POWER TRAIN9
Owners report oil leaks and timing chain/belt failures that can cause the engine to stall or cut off while driving, as seen in the complaint about a popping sound and the car shutting off. This is a serious safety concern and can lead to expensive repairs.
The suspension crossmember can fail, causing severe shaking and loss of control, as described in the complaint about the crossmember failing while braking on an off-ramp. This is a critical safety issue that could lead to accidents.
Brakes are reported to wear out quickly, with owners needing replacements multiple times within a few years, and they often squeak or grind. This suggests a possible defect in the braking system that could compromise stopping ability.
“MY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE A 200 SUZUKI VITARA, AND WITHIN THE FIRST MONTHS I NOTICED IT WASN'T SHIFTING JUST RIGHT. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL. RIGHT AWAY ALSO I NOTICED IT WAS LEAKING OIL AN…”
“I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 3/18/08 AND AS I LEFT THE GAS STATION I HEARD THIS POP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR CUT OFF. LATER AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BELT POPPED. I WAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENC…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is transmission problems, particularly hard and delayed shifts, jerking, and even loss of power, as reported in the 10R80 transmission. This can be dangerous in traffic and may require costly transmission repairs or replacements.
Owners report various electrical glitches, such as false warnings for the front camera and pre-collision assist, which can be annoying and may indicate underlying issues with sensors or wiring. These problems can affect safety features.
With 1,164 complaints, headlight issues are common, though the sample text doesn't detail specifics. However, faulty headlights can reduce visibility and increase the risk of nighttime accidents.
“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.
Suzuki Vitara — 3 recalls
The defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, UNDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW -25 DEGREES CELSIUS, MOISTURE CAN FREEZE IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. AS A RESULT, FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE MAY INCREASE AT THE TIME OF ENGINE START UP, CAUSING FUEL LOSS AT THE FUEL PIPE/FUEL HOSE CONNECTION.
The risk: FUEL LOSS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, THE FUEL DELIVER HOSE AND REPLACE THE HOSE CLAMP WITH AN IMPROVED CLAMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
The defect: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES…
The risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
The defect: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES…
The risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
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
Suzuki Vitara or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
Based on the data, the Suzuki Vitara has far fewer complaints per year (14.6) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), suggesting that the Vitara may have fewer reported issues on average. However, the Vitara's complaints include serious safety-related failures like suspension and engine problems, while the F-150's issues are more numerous but often relate to transmission and electrical annoyances. In practice, the Vitara might be less troublesome in terms of frequency, but the F-150's problems could be more predictable and covered by recalls.
Key differences
- The Vitara has significantly fewer complaints per year (14.6) than the F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues.
- The Vitara's top problems are engine, suspension, and brakes, which can be safety-critical, while the F-150's top issues are powertrain (transmission) and electrical, which affect drivability and convenience.
- The F-150 has many more recalls (145) than the Vitara (3), suggesting that Ford has had to address widespread defects, but also that fixes may be available.
- The Vitara's sample complaints include a suspension crossmember failure that caused shaking, while the F-150's include transmission hard shifts and loss of power, both serious but different in nature.
- Inspect the engine for oil leaks and check the timing chain/belt condition, as failures can cause stalling.
- Check the suspension crossmember for rust or damage, and have a mechanic evaluate the brakes for premature wear.
- Test drive the F-150 to feel for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears, and check for any transmission warning lights.
- Verify that all electrical systems, including cameras and sensors, work properly and that there are no persistent warning messages.
Before you buy
- For the Vitara: have a pre-purchase inspection focus on engine oil leaks, timing chain condition, suspension components, and brake pads/rotors.
- For the F-150: check the transmission fluid condition and service history, and test all gears for smooth shifting.
- For the F-150: scan for any stored diagnostic trouble codes related to the transmission or electrical system.
- For both: review the recall history and ensure any open recalls have been addressed.
- For both: get a vehicle history report to see if the vehicle has been in accidents or had major repairs.
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 Suzuki Vitara or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Suzuki Vitara vs FORD F 150
- Suzuki Vitara total complaints
- 73
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Suzuki Vitara total recalls
- 3
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Suzuki Vitara avg complaints/year
- 14.6
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Suzuki Vitara
- Suzuki Vitara top complaint area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN