Head-to-head reliability
Toyota Tundra vs FORD F 150
How the Toyota Tundra 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 Tundra vs FORD F 150: The Tundra averages 162 complaints per year over 10 years, while the F-150 averages 1,131. Tundra owners report engine stalling, while F-150 owners face transmission issues. Both have recalls, but the Tundra has fewer. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota Tundra or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra, over the past decade, has been a relatively low-volume complaint vehicle, averaging about 162 complaints per year. The dominant issue is engine trouble, with owners reporting sudden stalls and loss of power, sometimes without warning lights. There are also notable complaints about the air conditioning compressor seizing and transmission hesitation. While the overall numbers are lower than the F-150, the engine stall reports are serious safety concerns.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year, reflecting its popularity. The most frequent issues are in the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners describe as hard shifting, jerking, and occasionally losing power. Electrical system problems, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions, are also common. These issues can be annoying and, in some cases, raise safety questions.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota Tundra | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,622 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 74 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 34 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 162.2 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 37 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 Tundra
- 01ENGINE540
- 02POWER TRAIN321
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM263
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER198
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM186
Owners report the engine suddenly stalling while driving, sometimes without any warning lights, leading to a loss of power and coasting to a stop. This is a critical safety issue as it can occur at highway speeds.
The transmission can hesitate and jolt, with the warning light illuminating, causing the driver to pull over. This suggests potential transmission control module or mechanical issues.
Stalling and loss of power at speed, with messages like 'Not ready to drive,' indicate possible fuel pump or fuel delivery problems. Multiple episodes have been reported, indicating a recurring issue.
“Were were driving, my 2021 Toyota Tundra, just stopped running. No check engine lights had come on until the engine stalled as we coasted to a stop on the side of the road. We had it towed to the Central Maine Motor in Waterville, Maine 04901. Central Maine M…”
“Air conditioning compressor partially seizes if air conditioning is turned on while driving and when air conditioning knob is on at time engine is started. Makes very loud noise. When driving, and it occurs, truck will slow suddenly as if the brakes were appl…”
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, with hard and delayed shifts, jerking, and clunking between gears. Some owners have experienced a total loss of power and shutdown, which is alarming.
Many owners see warnings for 'Front Camera Malfunction' and 'Pre Collision Assist Not Available' on startup, indicating issues with the camera or sensor systems. These malfunctions can disable safety features.
Headlight-related complaints are common, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. This could range from condensation to failure, affecting visibility 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 Tundra — 74 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Tundra vehicles. The headlight electrical circuits may power the high and low beams simultaneously, which could overheat the electrical connector.
The risk: An overheated electrical connector can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will modify the engine wire harness assembly and replace any damaged bulb, bulb connector, and/or headlight assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota cus…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
The risk: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorr…
The risk: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 17, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall i…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2…
The risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models wil…
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 Tundra or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Toyota Tundra has significantly fewer complaints per year (162 vs 1,131) and fewer recalls (74 vs 145). While both have serious issues, the Tundra's lower volume suggests a lower likelihood of encountering problems, but the engine stall reports are a major concern. In practice, the F-150's higher complaint rate means a buyer is more likely to face transmission or electrical issues.
Key differences
- The Tundra has far fewer complaints per year (162 vs 1,131) and fewer recalls (74 vs 145).
- Tundra's main issue is engine stalling, while F-150's is transmission harshness and failure.
- F-150 has more electrical system complaints, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions.
- Both have headlight recalls, but F-150 has more exterior lighting complaints overall.
- Check for any history of engine stalling or loss of power, and ask if the fuel pump has been replaced.
- Listen for unusual noises from the air conditioning compressor, as it can seize and cause sudden deceleration.
- Test drive and feel for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears.
- Check if the camera and pre-collision warnings appear on startup, indicating electrical issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine and transmission.
- For the Tundra, ask about any stalling incidents and verify the fuel pump recall status.
- For the F-150, test drive at various speeds and listen for transmission clunks or hesitations.
- Check all electrical features, including cameras and sensors, for proper operation.
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 Tundra | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 27 | 24 |
| 2025 | 130 | 329 |
| 2024 | 326 | 617 |
| 2023 | 396 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 425 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 24 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 45 | 33 |
| 2019 | 72 | 36 |
| 2018 | 99 | 56 |
| 2017 | 78 | 43 |
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 Tundra or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota Tundra vs FORD F 150
- Toyota Tundra total complaints
- 1,622
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Toyota Tundra total recalls
- 74
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Toyota Tundra avg complaints/year
- 162.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Toyota Tundra
- Toyota Tundra top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN