The 15 highest recall counts on half-ton and midsize pickups in our database, ranked by total active NHTSA campaigns. Data current as of the latest sync.
| # | Year | Make | Model | Recalls | Complaints | Known failure mode |
|---|
| 1 | 2021 | Ford | F-150 | 12 | 0 | PowerBoost hybrid battery thermal events, hood latch, multiple wiper motor campaigns |
| 2 | 2022 | Ford | F-150 | 10 | 0 | Carryover wiper motor and brake hydraulic campaigns from 2021 chassis |
| 3 | 2017 | Ford | F-150 | 8 | 1,066 | 10R80 10-speed transmission valve body, 1-2 shift flare, downshift surge |
| 4 | 2015 | Chevrolet | Silverado | 7 | 1,159 | 5.3L EcoTec3 (L83) AFM lifter collapse, cam lobe damage |
| 5 | 2023 | Toyota | Tundra | 7 | 347 | V35A-FTS engine debris contamination (NHTSA 24V-465) |
| 6 | 2018 | Ford | F-150 | 7 | 0 | 10R80 carryover, 3.0L Power Stroke EGR cooler failures |
| 7 | 2015 | Chevrolet | Colorado | 6 | 476 | Takata airbag inflator, parking brake auto-engage |
| 8 | 2025 | Ford | F-150 | 6 | 0 | Multiple early-production stop-sale orders |
| 9 | 2014 | Ford | F-150 | 5 | 1,362 | 3.5L EcoBoost intercooler condensation, 6R80 transmission |
| 10 | 2023 | Ford | F-150 | 5 | 0 | Driveshaft, brake hydraulic, ABS module |
| 11 | 2014 | Chevrolet | Silverado | 4 | 1,548 | 5.3L EcoTec3 AFM lifter, transfer case actuator |
| 12 | 2015 | Ford | F-150 | 4 | 1,427 | Aluminum-body launch year, transmission, master cylinder |
| 13 | 2020 | Ford | F-150 | 4 | 506 | 10R80 valve body, brake hydraulic |
| 14 | 2022 | Toyota | Tundra | 4 | 399 | V35A-FTS engine debris (24V-465 carryover) |
| 15 | 2024 | Toyota | Tundra | 4 | 262 | V35A-FTS debris (build dates before May 2024), rear axle hub, seatbelt anchor |
Reading the table
Recall count alone does not equal unreliable. Ford F-150 dominates the list partly because Ford ships more F-150s than anyone ships anything else. High-volume vehicles attract more campaigns because more units in service produce more reported defects.
What recall count does signal: how many separate problems escaped factory QA on a given build. Twelve campaigns on a single model year (2021 F-150) means twelve distinct engineering or manufacturing failures the company couldn’t catch internally.
Two trucks worth flagging on this page specifically:
The 2024 Toyota Tundra you are researching now sits at #15 with 4 active campaigns. The dominant one is NHTSA 24V-465, the V35A-FTS engine debris contamination. Toyota updated the production process partway through the 2024 model year. Trucks built before May 2024 are higher-risk. Build date can be checked from the door jamb sticker.
The 2023 Toyota Tundra (#5, 7 recalls) shares the same V35A-FTS engine and was hit harder by the debris campaign. If you are cross-shopping a 2023 against a 2024, the 2024 has the lower recall count primarily because Toyota corrected the engine machining issue partway through 2024 production.
Data source and methodology
Recall counts pulled from the NHTSA recallsByVehicle API. Complaint counts pulled from the NHTSA complaintsByVehicle API. Both endpoints are public-record federal databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Filter: vehicles in the half-ton and midsize pickup segment with model year 2014 through 2025. Sort: total active recall campaigns descending, then owner complaint count descending as tiebreaker. The “0 complaints” entries on later model years reflect the lag between recall issuance and owner complaint accumulation, not the absence of problems.
Run any specific VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup before purchase. Open recalls on a used vehicle remain the manufacturer’s responsibility to repair at no cost, regardless of ownership transfer.
