Head-to-head reliability
Tesla Cybertruck vs FORD F 150
How the Tesla Cybertruck 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
Tesla Cybertruck averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Tesla Cybertruck has 196 complaints and 16 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,102 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Tesla Cybertruck | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 196 Better | 11,102 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 25 Better | 319 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 65.3 Better | 1110.2 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 21 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 6 | 1 Better |
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.
Tesla Cybertruck
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM61
- 02STRUCTURE39
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER33
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE25
- 05STEERING20
“On XXX at approximately 5:15 AM, I was driving my 2024 Tesla Cybertruck (VIN [XXX], ~47,300 miles) on an interstate trip to [XXX] with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged. I heard a loud pop from the front of the vehicle, immediately followed by an alert s…”
“All vehicle cameras failed simultaneously on May 12, 2026 at approximately 4:41 PM. Tesla app displayed "Cameras Unavailable — Please try again later." All camera-dependent systems were completely inoperable: Autopilot, FSD, Sentry Mode, dashcam/TeslaCam. Com…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,492
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,052
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,380
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE828
“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…”
“The vehicle experienced intermittent transmission-related drivability issues before the recall remedy was available. The vehicle had delayed/hard shifting, an intermittent wrench warning light, and a reduced power/limp mode condition where the transmission wo…”
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.
Tesla Cybertruck — 16 recalls
The defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles…
The risk: Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Tesla began releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-00-003.
The defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and cause the pedal to become trapped by the interior trim.
The risk: A trapped accelerator pedal can cause the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Tesla service will replace or repair the accelerator pedal assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24…
The defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The trunk bed trim sail applique could have been improperly adhered and can loosen.
The risk: A loose applique can detach from the vehicle, creating a road hazard for following motorists and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Tesla service will apply adhesion promoter and pressure sensitive tape or replace missing applique as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798…
The defect: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. Excessive electrical current can cause the front windshield wiper motor controller to fail.
The risk: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Tesla service will replace the wiper motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 1, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-006.
FORD F 150 — 144 recalls
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 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 and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
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 | Tesla Cybertruck | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 16 |
| 2025 | 22 | 324 |
| 2024 | 168 | 607 |
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 Tesla Cybertruck or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Tesla Cybertruck vs FORD F 150
- Tesla Cybertruck total complaints
- 196
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,102
- Tesla Cybertruck total recalls
- 16
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Tesla Cybertruck avg complaints/year
- 65.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1110.2
- More reliable overall
- Tesla Cybertruck
- Tesla Cybertruck top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN