Head-to-head reliability
Toyota BZ vs FORD F 150
How the Toyota BZ 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
Toyota BZ vs FORD F 150: The Toyota BZ has 16 complaints per year and 1 recall, while the Ford F-150 has about 1,131 complaints per year and 145 recalls. The BZ's main issue is 12-volt battery drain; the F-150's is transmission problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota BZ or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota BZ
The Toyota BZ is an electric vehicle that, in its first year of NHTSA data, shows a concentrated problem with the 12-volt auxiliary battery. Owners report the battery draining while parked, leaving the car completely dead and unable to power hazard lights or move. There is also a report of the high-voltage battery control system failing and causing loss of propulsion. With only 16 complaints and 1 recall, the overall complaint volume is low, but the failures described are severe when they occur.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a long history and a very high number of NHTSA complaints—over 11,000 in 10 years. The most common issues involve the transmission, which owners say can shift hard, jerk, or lose power, and the electrical system, including camera and pre-collision assist warnings. There are also many recalls and reports of crashes, injuries, and one death. This suggests that while the F-150 is popular, it has a wide range of reliability problems that can affect safety and drivability.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota BZ | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 16 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 1 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 16.0 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.
Toyota BZ
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE2
- 04VISIBILITY/WIPER1
- 05EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
Owners report the 12-volt auxiliary battery repeatedly drains while the vehicle is parked, sometimes within 46 hours, leaving the car completely inoperative. This can strand you and disable hazard lights, creating a safety risk.
Some complaints describe a failure of the high-voltage battery control system (Battery ECU) that causes loss of propulsion. This is a serious issue because the car may stop moving without warning.
Owners report the automatic braking system engaging unexpectedly, such as when backing into a garage, and the instrument cluster failing to turn on, so speed and charge are not displayed. These glitches can be distracting and potentially dangerous.
One complaint links the same 12-volt battery drain to visibility issues, likely because a dead battery can affect wipers and other safety features. This reinforces that the electrical problem can impact multiple systems.
“Vehicle experienced a catastrophic, terminal 12V auxiliary battery parasitic drain that flatlines the system to 0% while parked, creating a severe safety risk by stripping hazard lights and motive power. This is the 3rd identical electrical collapse within 4…”
“The 12-volt auxiliary battery system repeatedly discharges itself and has twice left the vehicle completely inoperative: 7/24/2026 (5.58 V at the battery, parked unplugged ~46 hours after the last drive) and 7/28/2026 (5.95 V, failure during an attempt to ent…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Owners of Ford F-150s with the 10R80 transmission report hard or delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power while driving. These transmission problems can leave you stranded or cause a crash.
Complaints include loud bangs from the transmission area, rear suspension popping, and warnings like 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available.' These electrical glitches can disable driver-assist features and are often recurring.
Many owners report miscellaneous failures that are hard to categorize, but they often involve multiple systems and can be frustrating to diagnose. This suggests a broad range of potential problems beyond the main components.
There are over 1,100 complaints about exterior lighting, often headlights. Faulty headlights reduce visibility at night and can be a safety hazard, especially if they fail intermittently.
“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.
Toyota BZ — 1 recall
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Toyota BZ, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra battery electric vehicles. The electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the high voltage battery may experience a fault, resulting in a loss of drive power.
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the battery ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LA07 and 26TA11. S…
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
Toyota BZ or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Toyota BZ has far fewer complaints per year (16 per year) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,131 per year). In practice, this means a BZ owner is much less likely to experience a reported problem, but when issues do occur, they tend to be severe electrical failures. The F-150 has a much higher volume of complaints across many systems, so buyers should expect more frequent repairs and a wider variety of potential problems.
Key differences
- The Toyota BZ has only 16 complaints in one year, while the Ford F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years—a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- Toyota BZ complaints center on 12-volt battery drain and high-voltage system failures, while Ford F-150 complaints most often involve transmission shifting problems and electrical glitches.
- The Ford F-150 has 145 recalls and reports of 328 crashes, 287 injuries, and 1 death; the Toyota BZ has 1 recall and no reported crashes, injuries, or deaths.
- Ford F-150 owners frequently report loss of power and hard shifts, whereas Toyota BZ owners report the car dying while parked or losing propulsion due to battery control issues.
- Check the 12-volt auxiliary battery health and look for any history of parasitic drain or repeated dead battery complaints.
- Ask about any high-voltage battery control system repairs or warnings, and test drive to ensure no loss of propulsion or instrument cluster failures occur.
- Test drive the truck extensively, especially at highway speeds, to feel for hard shifts, jerking, or delayed engagement from the 10R80 transmission.
- Check for electrical warnings such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' and verify that all driver-assist features work properly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for any open recalls, especially the electrical system recall on the Toyota BZ and the many recalls on the Ford F-150.
- For the Toyota BZ, have a mechanic test the 12-volt battery and charging system, and scan for any high-voltage battery error codes.
- For the Ford F-150, have a transmission specialist inspect the 10R80 transmission for shifting issues and check for updated software or repairs.
- Test all electrical features, including lights, cameras, infotainment, and driver-assist systems, on both vehicles.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and specifically inquire about any recurring electrical or transmission problems.
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 | Toyota BZ | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 24 |
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 Toyota BZ or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota BZ vs FORD F 150
- Toyota BZ total complaints
- 16
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Toyota BZ total recalls
- 1
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Toyota BZ avg complaints/year
- 16.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Toyota BZ
- Toyota BZ top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN