Diagsheet

Full-size pickups · model years 2014 to 2026

Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the F-150 and the 1500 split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call).

Ford F-150

Ford F-150

13,419 complaints · 110 recalls

Ram 1500

Ram 1500

10,373 complaints · 91 recalls

Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2026F-1501500
Complaints that report a crash2.7%5.3%
Complaints that report a fire1.1%1.7%
Complaints that report an injury1.8%2.8%
Median miles when problems are reported52,00050,000
Recall campaigns per model year8.57.0
Do-not-drive recalls21
NHTSA investigations106

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system F-150 owners complain about most is transmission and drivetrain; for the 1500 it is engine. Complaints citing transmission and drivetrain make up 36% of all F-150 complaints, against 13% on the 1500. The 1500 leans the other way on steering: 19% of its complaints, against 4.1% for the F-150.

Ford F-150Ram 1500

Transmission and drivetrain36%13%
Engine18%24%
Electrical11%20%
Steering4.1%19%
Brakes11%11%
Fuel and propulsion3.3%9.9%
Structure6.0%3.6%
Speed control4.6%4.8%
Windshield and wipers4.1%2.2%
Airbags1.6%4.6%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the F-150 is transmission shudder (12% of its complaints). On the 1500 it is power steering loss (14% of its complaints), against 2.0% on the F-150.

ProblemF-1501500
Engine stalls or loses power while driving9.2% 1,230most in 2018 · 56k mi13% 1,367most in 2022 · 53k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early11% 1,417most in 2014 · 44k mi11% 1,173most in 2016 · 50k mi
Power steering cuts out or goes heavy2.0% 267most in 2014 · 60k mi14% 1,410most in 2014 · 67k mi
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard12% 1,657most in 2018 · 68k mi1.4% 149most in 2019 · 39k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails5.1% 689most in 2019 · 40k mi7.0% 730most in 2018 · 30k mi
Check engine light or misfire4.5% 610most in 2018 · 73k mi6.6% 689most in 2014 · 65k mi
Airbag warning light or recall1.5% 201most in 2018 · 44k mi4.5% 465most in 2014 · 39k mi
Engine rattles or ticks3.7% 501most in 2018 · 66k mi1.7% 173most in 2015 · 64k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the F-150 complaints that give a mileage come before 52,000 miles, and half the 1500 complaints before 50,000. 47% of F-150 reports and 50% of 1500 reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Ford F-150Ram 1500

Under 25k25%28%
25k to 50k22%22%
50k to 75k21%20%
75k to 100k14%13%
100k to 150k13%13%
Over 150k4.8%4.6%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 6,876 for the F-150 and 4,573 for the 1500.

Worst and best years

The 2018 F-150 draws 1.8 times the complaints of a typical F-150 year for its age. The 2019 1500 draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical 1500 year for its age.

Ford F-150

Every F-150 model year

Ram 1500

Every 1500 model year

Ford F-150Ram 1500

Each model year against its own model's median. F-150: 2014 0.8, 2015 1.0, 2016 1.3, 2017 1.0, 2018 1.8, 2019 1.2, 2020 0.7, 2021 1.2, 2022 0.8, 2023 0.7, 2024 0.4. 1500: 2014 1.2, 2015 1.1, 2016 1.2, 2017 0.8, 2018 0.6, 2019 1.6, 2020 0.8, 2021 1.0, 2022 1.1, 2023 0.4, 2024 0.2.2014 F-150: 0.8 times its median2014 1500: 1.2 times its median'142015 F-150: 1.0 times its median2015 1500: 1.1 times its median'152016 F-150: 1.3 times its median2016 1500: 1.2 times its median'162017 F-150: 1.0 times its median2017 1500: 0.8 times its median'172018 F-150: 1.8 times its median2018 1500: 0.6 times its median'182019 F-150: 1.2 times its median2019 1500: 1.6 times its median'192020 F-150: 0.7 times its median2020 1500: 0.8 times its median'202021 F-150: 1.2 times its median2021 1500: 1.0 times its median'212022 F-150: 0.8 times its median2022 1500: 1.1 times its median'222023 F-150: 0.7 times its median2023 1500: 0.4 times its median'232024 F-150: 0.4 times its median2024 1500: 0.2 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The F-150 draws more recalls: 8.5 campaigns per model year against 7.0 for the 1500. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Ford F-150

110 recall campaigns and 10 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (22), exterior lighting (9) and electrical (9).

  • Do not drive 14V-316 (steering), model years 2014
  • Do not drive 21V-407 (steering), model years 2021
  • 24V-852 (equipment) covers 7 model years
  • 26V-104 (electrical) covers 6 model years

Investigations

  • EA26001: Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up (open, led to a recall)
  • PE25002: Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up (closed)
  • PE24019: Low-pressure fuel pump failure (closed, led to a recall)

Ram 1500

91 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (14), backup camera (13) and transmission and drivetrain (12).

  • Do not drive 21V-037 (brakes), model years 2021
  • 26V-495 (seat belts) covers 8 model years
  • 18V-332 (electrical) covers 6 model years

Investigations

  • RQ25003: Post recall remedy brake transmission shift interlock (btsi) failure (open)
  • PE24018: Engine stall with intermittent restart (open)
  • RQ23003: Intermittent/comp loss of power steering (open)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

A larger share of 1500 complaints report a crash: 5.3%, against 2.7% for the F-150. Fire reports: 141 for the F-150 and 175 for the 1500. Complaints on file report 7 deaths in the F-150 and 14 in the 1500 for these model years.

Ford F-150Ram 1500

Report a crash2.7%5.3%
Report a fire1.1%1.7%
Report someone hurt1.8%2.8%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Ford F-150 or the Ram 1500 more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the F-150 and the 1500 split evenly (3 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the F-150 has 13,419 complaints and the 1500 10,373 for model years 2014 to 2026, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the F-150 or the 1500?

The F-150 has 110 recall campaigns and the 1500 91 across model years 2014 to 2026. The F-150 draws more recalls: 8.5 campaigns per model year against 7.0 for the 1500.

What are the most common problems on the F-150 and the 1500?

The most reported problem on the F-150 is transmission shudder (12% of its complaints). On the 1500 it is power steering loss (14% of its complaints), against 2.0% on the F-150.

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