Head-to-head reliability
Toyota C HR vs FORD F 150
How the Toyota C HR 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 C HR vs FORD F 150: The C-HR averages 87.5 complaints per year, with CVT failures causing sudden power loss. The F-150 averages 1131.1 complaints per year, with transmission and electrical issues. The C-HR has 6 recalls, the F-150 has 145. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota C HR or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota C HR
The Toyota C-HR is a small crossover that, in ownership terms, has a clear weak point: its continuously variable transmission (CVT). Owners report sudden loss of power, stalling, and whining noises, often leading to complete transmission replacement. While other areas like seat belts and forward collision avoidance have recalls, the transmission is the dominant complaint, making it a critical consideration for any buyer.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a much higher complaint volume, but that's partly due to its popularity and longer production run. The main issues center on the 10-speed automatic transmission (hard shifts, jerking, and occasional loss of power) and electrical glitches like camera malfunctions. Despite the higher number of complaints, the F-150's issues are more varied and less consistently catastrophic than the C-HR's transmission failures.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota C HR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 525 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 16 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 87.5 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 15 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 C HR
- 01POWER TRAIN328
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER89
- 03ENGINE54
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM51
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE29
The CVT transmission is the biggest problem. Owners report sudden loss of acceleration, stalling in traffic, and whining noises. Many say the transmission needs complete replacement, which is a costly repair.
Engine complaints often tie back to the transmission, such as motor mounts breaking and causing wiring harness damage that leads to shifting issues. This can result in unexpected power loss while driving.
Electrical problems are often linked to the transmission, like check engine lights coming on and the vehicle seizing up. Some owners also report issues with the wiring harness after hitting potholes.
“I have a K114 CVT internal bearing defect. It is available for inspection upon request. Transmission issues are unsafe because it can cause sudden loss of acceleration, unexpected vehicle stalling in traffic, and delayed shifting or gear slippage. These sudde…”
“While taking off in my 2020 Toyota C-HR on the highway, the CVT transmission suddenly failed, resulting in an immediate and significant loss of propulsion power. The vehicle did not fully shut off but lost the ability to maintain normal highway speed, requiri…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints. Owners describe hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and occasional loss of power, especially between certain gears. Some have experienced complete shutdowns.
Electrical issues include warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear on the dash. These can be persistent and may require dealer visits.
Headlight problems are common, with many complaints about poor visibility or headlight failures. This can be a safety concern, especially at night.
“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 C HR — 6 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
The risk: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 C-HR vehicles. The radar sensor may not have been activated during production, making the pre-collision system (PCS) inoperative.
The risk: An inoperative PCS that does not provide a malfunction indicator to the driver, or braking assist as expected, can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and activate the radar sensor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA02.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
The risk: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. The rear axle hub bearing bolts may have been insufficiently tightened, causing the bolts to loosen and damage the rear brake components or cause a rear wheel to detach.
The risk: If the bolts loosen and damage the rear brake components, or cause a rear wheel to detach, it would increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear axle hub bearing bolts. If a bolt is found to be loose or detached, the dealer will replace the rear axle hub bearing assembly and rear axle carrier sub-assembly, free of charge.…
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 C HR or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Toyota C-HR has far fewer complaints per year (87.5) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but its issues are more concentrated on a single, critical component. The F-150's higher volume reflects a broader range of problems, but the C-HR's transmission failures are more likely to leave you stranded.
Key differences
- The C-HR's CVT failures are often sudden and catastrophic, leading to loss of propulsion, while the F-150's transmission issues are more about harsh shifting and occasional power loss.
- The F-150 has a much higher number of electrical complaints, including camera and sensor malfunctions, whereas the C-HR's electrical issues are often secondary to transmission problems.
- The C-HR has fewer recalls (6) than the F-150 (145), but the C-HR's recalls include seat belt buckles and forward collision radar, which are safety-critical.
- The F-150 has a higher rate of crash-related complaints (328) and injuries (287) compared to the C-HR (16 and 15), but that's partly due to its larger sales volume.
- Listen for whining or grinding noises from the transmission, especially during acceleration. This could indicate a failing CVT.
- Check for any warning lights related to the transmission or engine, and test drive at highway speeds to see if there's any hesitation or loss of power.
- Test the transmission for hard shifts, especially between 4th and 5th or 7th and 8th gears. Also, check for any clunking sounds during downshifts.
- Look for persistent warning messages on the dash, such as 'Front Camera Malfunction' or 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available,' and have the electrical system checked.
Before you buy
- For the C-HR: Have a mechanic inspect the CVT transmission, including checking for any service bulletins or known issues.
- For the F-150: Take a thorough test drive that includes stop-and-go traffic and highway speeds to feel for transmission shifts.
- Check the vehicle's recall status for both models and ensure any open recalls have been addressed.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for transmission fluid changes or repairs.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic who is familiar with these specific models.
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 C HR | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 24 |
| 2022 | 2 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 32 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 60 | 33 |
| 2019 | 107 | 36 |
| 2018 | 317 | 56 |
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 C HR or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota C HR vs FORD F 150
- Toyota C HR total complaints
- 525
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Toyota C HR total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Toyota C HR avg complaints/year
- 87.5
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Toyota C HR
- Toyota C HR top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN