When doing online research before buying a new car, you’ll often find mixed reviews for any particular model. While gathering all the information you can is good, you’ll have to sort out the bigger picture. Take full-size truck complaints, for example, where one model gets the most complaints but sells 30 times more trucks than the model with the fewest complaints. 

The 2023 Ford F-150 has the most complaints

Finding vehicle recalls and complaints is simple. The “Vehicle” tab at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) allows searches by vehicle year, make, and model. Entering “2023 Ford F-150” returned a list of F-150s that, as a group, had 63 consumer complaints. The NHTSA lumps all F-150 configurations together regardless of cab style, bed length, or driveline type. Of the 63 registered consumer complaints, 30 involved the F-150’s electrical system. 

The unlikely truck with the least amount of complaints

Performing this search for other full-size trucks provided the following results:

• 2023 Nissan Titan – 2 complaints
• 2023 Ram 1500 – 15 complaints
• 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 – 23 complaints
• 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – 24 complaints
• 2023 Toyota Tundra – 41 complaints

Like the 2023 Ford F-150 example, all the brands’ truck configurations get lumped together for consumer complaints. The NHTSA does put light-duty and heavy-duty pickups in separate categories. The 2023 Nissan Titan has the fewest complaints of any full-size pickup, especially compared to the 2023 F-150’s 63 entries. 

Of the two Titan complaints, one is for intermittent transmission issues. The other complaint is for the integrated 5th-wheel hitch attachment point. 

The most common complaint for the 2023 Ram 1500 relates to its engine stalling or transmission unexpectedly shifting to Park while driving. 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickups received the most complaints for electrical system issues. Finally, of Tundra’s 41 complaints, 25 percent related to fuel system issues. 

Why the results might be a little skewed

On the surface, it appears the 2023 Nissan Titan is the better full-size truck since it has the fewest complaints. However, fewer people drive the 2023 Nissan Titan than the 2023 Ford F-150. 

GoodCarBadCar reports Nissan Titan sales over the last five years ranged from about 15,000 to 31,500 trucks. For comparison, CNBC says Ford sold between 700,000 and 900,000 F-150s annually over the same period. With 30 to 40 times as many Ford F-150s on the road, 30 times the number of complaints seems average. 

With all sorts of vehicle data at your fingertips, it’s critical to view it objectively. While one review may praise the towing capacity of one pickup truck, another model may suit your family better.

The same applies to consumer complaints. For every person who complains about an issue, there are tens of thousands of happy owners with no issues. 

Ultimately, the most essential part of buying a new vehicle lies in finding the one you’re happy to drive. Getting a great deal on a car you hate is no better than going over budget on a great car. As far as consumer complaints, consider them a guide for issues to watch for as you narrow your search for your perfect truck.