Full-size pickups · 7 model years, 2016 to 2026
Ford F-150 vs Toyota Tundra: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Tundra looks better on 5 and the F-150 on 1, with 1 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2016 to 2026 | F-150 | Tundra |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 3.2% | 1.6% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.3% | 0.7% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.0% | 1.2% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 44,000 | 20,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 10.1 | 5.1 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 6 | 1 |
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 Tundra it is engine. Complaints citing transmission and drivetrain make up 35% of all F-150 complaints, against 21% on the Tundra. The Tundra leans the other way on engine: 42% of its complaints, against 18% for the F-150.
Ford F-150Toyota Tundra
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 Tundra it is stalling (16% of its complaints), against 9.2% on the F-150.
| Problem | F-150 | Tundra |
|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 9.2% 520most in 2018 · 50k mi | 16% 242most in 2023 · 34k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 12% 692most in 2018 · 65k mi | 8.6% 134most in 2022 · 10k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 9.6% 542most in 2016 · 35k mi | 9.7% 151most in 2016 · 10k mi |
| Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing | 2.2% 124most in 2018 · 56k mi | 10% 163most in 2023 · 35k mi |
| Delay or no response when I press the gas | 0.4% 2116k mi | 12% 187most in 2022 |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 5.3% 301most in 2016 · 38k mi | 4.9% 7719k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 4.3% 244most in 2018 · 66k mi | 3.1% 4835k mi |
| Doors, latches or locks fail | 5.8% 328most in 2018 · 15k mi | 0 |
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
Tundra owners report problems earlier. Half the Tundra complaints that give a mileage come before 20,000 miles; for the F-150 the halfway point is 44,000. 54% of F-150 reports and 83% of Tundra 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-150Toyota Tundra
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 2,796 for the F-150 and 425 for the Tundra.
Worst and best years
The 2018 F-150 draws 1.8 times the complaints of a typical F-150 year for its age. The 2024 Tundra draws 12.2 times the complaints of a typical Tundra year for its age.
Ford F-150Toyota Tundra
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: 10.1 campaigns per model year against 5.1 for the Tundra. 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
71 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (13), engine (8) and exterior lighting (7).
- 26V-104 (electrical) covers 5 model years
- 24V-852 (equipment) covers 4 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)
Toyota Tundra
36 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (10), electrical (4) and exterior lighting (3).
- 25V-322 (exterior lighting) covers 4 model years
- 25V-657 (backup camera) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- EA19001: Electrical overstress (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of F-150 complaints report a crash: 3.2%, against 1.6% for the Tundra. Fire reports: 76 for the F-150 and 11 for the Tundra. Complaints on file report 3 deaths in the F-150 and 0 in the Tundra for these model years.
Ford F-150Toyota Tundra
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 Toyota Tundra more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Tundra looks better on 5 and the F-150 on 1, with 1 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the F-150 has 5,675 complaints and the Tundra 1,559 for the 7 model years from 2016 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the F-150 or the Tundra?
The F-150 has 71 recall campaigns and the Tundra 36 across the 7 model years from 2016 to 2026 that both have on file. The F-150 draws more recalls: 10.1 campaigns per model year against 5.1 for the Tundra.
What are the most common problems on the F-150 and the Tundra?
The most reported problem on the F-150 is transmission shudder (12% of its complaints). On the Tundra it is stalling (16% of its complaints), against 9.2% on the F-150.
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