Head-to-head reliability
Volvo V90 vs FORD F 150
How the Volvo V90 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
Volvo V90 vs FORD F 150: The V90 averages 3.4 complaints per year with no crash-related incidents, while the F-150 averages 1,131.1 complaints per year and has 328 crash-related complaints. The V90's main issues are taillight moisture and electrical glitches, whereas the F-150 suffers from transmission harshness and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volvo V90 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volvo V90
The Volvo V90 is a low-volume, premium wagon that, in ownership terms, means fewer examples on the road and a smaller pool of shared owner reports. Over five years, owners have filed about 3.4 complaints per year, a relatively low rate, but the issues that do surface tend to cluster around exterior lighting, electrical gremlins, and occasional speed-control or visibility annoyances. Living with a V90 may involve dealing with moisture-prone taillights and software-related electrical quirks, but the absence of crash, injury, or death reports suggests these are not typically catastrophic failures.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume, mass-market pickup with a much larger owner base, reflected in over 1,100 complaints per year over a decade. The dominant problems are powertrain-related, especially harsh shifting and transmission failures, alongside a wide range of electrical issues. With 328 crash-related complaints and 287 injuries, some of these failures have had safety consequences, making the F-150's reliability record more concerning for a buyer.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volvo V90 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 17 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 9 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 3.4 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.
Volvo V90
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING7
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
- 03VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
- 04VISIBILITY/WIPER3
- 05AIR BAGS2
Owners report rear taillight failures caused by moisture getting inside the housing. The light can fail without any dashboard warning, and replacement is often at the owner's expense, which can be a safety and cost issue.
Some owners report complete hybrid battery failure, with a 'Hybrid System Failure' message, requiring full battery replacement. This is a major expense and leaves the car undriveable until fixed.
Wheel sensors can fail, triggering a chain reaction that disables ABS, ESC, and tire pressure monitoring. Also, some report unintended surging when accelerating from a stop, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous.
Excessive windshield glare from the dashboard and heads-up display has been reported, causing distraction and even vertigo while driving. This is a comfort and safety concern.
“Rear taillight failure due to moisture incursion. No message appeared, but light failure was observed less than a month ago. Car is in for regular service now and item is being replaced at great personal expense, since it will not pass required safety inspect…”
“Rear taillight failure due to moisture incursion. No message appeared, but light failure was observed less than a month ago. Car is in for regular service now and item is being replaced at great personal expense, since it will not pass required safety inspect…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most common issue is harsh and delayed shifting, especially in the 10-speed automatic, with reports of jerks, clunks, and even loss of power and vehicle shutdown. This can be a safety hazard in traffic.
Owners report various electrical gremlins, including warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which appear every time the truck is started. These can disable safety features.
Headlight issues are common enough to be a top complaint area, though specific symptoms are not detailed in the sample. Given the high number of complaints, it's a frequent annoyance.
Engine-related complaints are also frequent, but the sample text doesn't specify exact problems. Given the volume, it's a significant area of concern.
“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.
Volvo V90 — 9 recalls
The defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improper…
The risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
The fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
The defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improper…
The risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
The fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
The defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improper…
The risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
The fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
The defect: Volvo Cars USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 Volvo V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. The Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) control unit may not have been properly attached to the car body and may detach during a crash.
The risk: A detached SRS control unit can decrease the performance of occupant protection systems such as air bags, seat belts, and high voltage battery disconnect, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the SRS control unit mounting screws, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Vo…
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
Volvo V90 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Volvo V90 has far fewer complaints per year (3.4 vs. 1,131.1) and no reported crashes, injuries, or deaths, while the F-150 has a much higher rate and safety incidents. In practice, the V90 is likely to be more reliable in terms of frequency and severity, but the F-150's issues are more widespread and potentially more dangerous.
Key differences
- The V90's complaints are dominated by exterior lighting (7) and electrical (4), while the F-150's are dominated by powertrain (3,553) and electrical (2,071).
- The V90 has zero crash-related complaints, while the F-150 has 328, indicating a higher safety impact from failures.
- The V90's sample issues include taillight moisture and hybrid battery failure, whereas the F-150's sample issues include harsh shifting and loss of power.
- The V90's recall subjects focus on software and airbags, while the F-150's recalls cover headlights, battery cables, engine, and seats.
- Inspect the rear taillights for any signs of moisture or condensation, as this is a known failure point.
- Check for any warning messages related to the hybrid system or wheel sensors, and ask for service records on these components.
- Test drive the truck and pay close attention to transmission shifts, especially between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, for any harshness or clunking.
- Look for any dashboard warning lights, such as front camera malfunction or pre-collision assist not available, which may indicate electrical issues.
Before you buy
- For the Volvo V90, ask the seller for proof that any taillight replacements were done with sealed units, and check for moisture.
- For the Volvo V90, verify that all software recalls have been performed, and ask about any hybrid battery health reports.
- For the Ford F-150, request a transmission fluid change history and any records of transmission repairs or software updates.
- For the Ford F-150, have a mechanic inspect the electrical system, including cameras and sensors, for any fault codes.
- For both, obtain a vehicle history report to check for any open recalls and prior accident damage.
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 | Volvo V90 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 3 | 33 |
| 2019 | 4 | 36 |
| 2018 | 5 | 56 |
| 2017 | 3 | 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 Volvo V90 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volvo V90 vs FORD F 150
- Volvo V90 total complaints
- 17
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Volvo V90 total recalls
- 9
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Volvo V90 avg complaints/year
- 3.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Volvo V90
- Volvo V90 top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN