Head-to-head reliability
Volvo VHD vs FORD F 150
How the Volvo VHD 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 VHD vs FORD F 150: The Volvo VHD has 0 owner complaints and 46 recalls over 10 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 complaints and 151 recalls. The F-150 also has 330 crash-related complaints and 297 injuries. This suggests the Volvo VHD has far fewer reported problems, but both need recall checks. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volvo VHD or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volvo VHD
The Volvo VHD is a heavy-duty commercial truck, not a typical passenger vehicle, so its ownership experience is different from a pickup. Over ten years, it has zero owner complaints on file, which means there is no pattern of reported failures from drivers. However, it does have 46 recalls covering areas like exterior lighting, suspension hubs, wheel studs, and steering linkages. For a buyer, this suggests that while owners haven't reported problems, the truck has had many safety-related recall campaigns that should be checked.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a huge number of owner complaints—over 11,000 in ten years—and 151 recalls. The most common trouble spots are the power train, electrical system, and exterior lighting. Owners describe serious issues like transmissions stuck in limp mode, lead frame failures, and even rear windows shattering. With 330 crash-related complaints, 297 injuries, and one death, the data shows a vehicle that can have significant safety-related problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volvo VHD | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 46 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 297 |
| 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 VHD
No component data available.
Recalls exist for exterior lighting, but no owner complaints describe specific symptoms. A buyer should verify that any open lighting recalls have been fixed, as lighting failures can affect visibility.
There is a recall for the front hub, which could lead to wheel separation if not addressed. No owner complaints detail the failure, but this is a critical safety item to inspect.
A recall covers wheel studs, which might cause wheels to loosen or detach. Without complaint text, the exact failure pattern is unknown, but buyers should confirm the recall was performed.
A steering linkage recall suggests possible loss of steering control. No owner reports describe it, but this is a serious safety concern that should be checked before purchase.
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Owners report transmissions going into limp mode, getting stuck in 5th gear, and lead frame failures that can cause sudden loss of power. One owner said a lead frame issue 'nearly ended my life.' These problems can happen daily and affect drivability and safety.
Complaints include the same lead frame issue causing electrical faults, and a rear window defroster short that caused the back window to shatter. These electrical gremlins can be unpredictable and expensive to fix.
This category includes the rear window shattering incident, which owners say happened without impact. Such failures are alarming and can lead to injury from flying glass.
While no specific complaint text is given for lighting, it is a top component with 1,224 complaints. Lighting failures can reduce visibility and increase crash risk, so buyers should test all lights.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
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 VHD — 46 recalls
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2026 VAH, 2026-2027 VN, VHD, VNL (4), and 2027 VNR (4) vehicles. The wheel lug nuts may loosen and allow the wheel to detach.
The risk: Wheel detachment can cause a loss of vehicle control or create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect the wheel and hub mating surfaces, remove any masking material, and replace any worn components if necessary, free of charge. Owner no…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2026 VOLVO VAH, VN, VHD, 2026-2027 VNL (4) and VNR (4) vehicles. The steering knuckles may have been manufactured with insufficiently tightened steering arms.
The risk: A loose steering arm can result in a loss of vehicle steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the fasteners between the steering arm and steering knuckle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks' customer service at 800-528-…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2018-2020 VAH, VHD, VNL, and VNR vehicles. The fuse in the transmission circuit may blow, preventing the transmission from shifting.
The risk: If the fuse blows the transmission may not shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volvo Trucks will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuse, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo Truck's number for thi…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain 2004-2019 Volvo VHD trucks equipped with snow plow lamp preparation kits. The snow plow headlights can be turned on without other exterior lights, and high beam indicator will not work when the snow plow high beams are on. As such, these vehic…
The risk: The driver may operate the vehicle with the snow plow headlights on but the marker and tail lamps off, reducing the vehicle's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the software related to the plow lights, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number for this recall is R…
FORD F 150 — 151 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…
Buyer analysis
Volvo VHD or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Volvo VHD has far fewer issues per year—zero complaints versus over 1,100 per year for the Ford F-150. In practice, this means the Volvo VHD has no owner-reported failure pattern, while the F-150 has thousands of reports of serious problems like transmission limp mode and electrical faults. However, the Volvo VHD still has many recalls, so both vehicles require careful recall checks.
Key differences
- The Volvo VHD has 0 owner complaints, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621, indicating a massive difference in reported problems.
- Ford F-150 owners describe specific dangerous failures like transmission limp mode and lead frame issues; Volvo VHD has no complaint text to describe any failure pattern.
- The Ford F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints and 297 injuries, while the Volvo VHD has none reported.
- Both have many recalls (46 for Volvo, 151 for Ford), but the Ford's recalls include air bags and seat belts, while the Volvo's include steering and suspension components.
- Check for open recalls on the front hub and wheel studs—these could cause wheel loss if not fixed.
- Inspect steering linkage components (knuckle, spindle, arm) for wear or damage, as a recall exists for these parts.
- Test drive and scan for transmission codes, especially for limp mode or stuck gears, as owners report frequent power train failures.
- Inspect the rear window and defroster for cracks or signs of shattering, and check if the lead frame has been replaced.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific vehicle and confirm they have been repaired.
- For the Ford F-150, ask for transmission service records and have a mechanic check for lead frame and output speed sensor issues.
- For the Volvo VHD, verify that all 46 recalls, especially those for steering and suspension, have been completed.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds to check for transmission slipping or limp mode in the Ford F-150.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who knows the model, focusing on the areas mentioned in complaints and recalls.
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 VHD | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 35 |
| 2025 | 0 | 345 |
| 2024 | 0 | 638 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1527 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 0 | 44 |
| 2019 | 0 | 52 |
| 2018 | 0 | 79 |
| 2017 | 0 | 59 |
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 VHD or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volvo VHD vs FORD F 150
- Volvo VHD total complaints
- 0
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Volvo VHD total recalls
- 46
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Volvo VHD avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Volvo VHD
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN