KnownCarProblems2018 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 2,320 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford F-150, most often about the transmission (44% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about F-150 model year since 2000 and has 18 recalls.
Most common 2018 Ford F-150 problems
Transmission
1,015 complaints · 44%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, transfer case (4-wheel drive), driveline, axle assembly.
10-speed transmission hesitates/randomly shifts constantly during driving. When stopping at traffic lights, after being completely stopped, the vehicle lurches and an audible clunk can be heard from the transmission. It has always been sluggish when accelerating, today that has gotten far worse and the transmission…
I was sitting in my driveway with the vehicle in park. I opened my door and began to get out of my vehicle and it began to roll forward. My daughter's kids that she nanny's was getting out of her vehicle and had her door open. Before I could reach the brake pedal my truck ran into her open door creasing it and almost…
Engine
588 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 61,500 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine, cooling system.
On initial take off, when the truck shifts through 1st and 6th gears it seems like the engine slows to the point that I have no power and then shifts. It also feels like the transmission slips. Have been told this is normal, but it is certainly a safety concern for merging into traffic because I can't get up to speed…
After a period of towing a 5200# trailer the 2.7l ecoboost engine would stall when not throttling. Meaning, anytime slowing down or stopping the engine would cut off unexpectedly, forcing a manual restart. The truck did restart if the throttle was held in pushing gas and then throwing the truck into drive gear to…
Other or unspecified
235 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 11,500 miles.
Pulled into parking spot. Put truck in park. Left vehicle and went into store. Truck rolled backward and crashed into another vehicle. When we looked in the truck, it was still in park. Took to Ford and they inspected it and said everything was fine and that the pin was working. A friend had same thing happen. I…
Two complaints: 1- door locks still freezing after being at the dealer for a recall to fix them. Fix did not work. 2- poor design on both side door mirrors. The small wide angle inset mirrors are set in too deep and angled improperly, that when adjusting the larger mirrors the view of the insets negates their purpose…
Body and structure
193 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 10,000 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into her vehicle, causing it to fishtail. The rear driver's side tire went into an embankment. There was a stump in the embankment that punctured a hole in the rear driver's side tire. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The driver's…
Door latch was frozen. I was unable to close my drivers door. Extremely unsafe to operate with a door that won't latch close. Happened twice this weekend 12/7/18 and 12/9/18.
Electrical
172 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 26,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument panel, integrated trailer brake control, wiring, horn.
Tailgate randomly opens while driving and or after driving when parked. Will also happen again repeatedly after closing. While tailgate is open after falling in open position you can hear relay clicking noises in passenger side dashboard area. Sounds like relays are constantly triggering to open tailgate. Initially…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. While driving 40-60 MPH the lift gate open without warning, additionally, while the vehicle was parked in driveway the lift gate and windows failed to open. The vehicle was taken to sheehy Ford lincoln of gaithersburg 901 n frederick ave, gaithersburg, md 20879 ([phone] where…
Brakes
91 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 43,000 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components, antilock.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle continued through the light but eventually came to a stop. The brake fluid low message was displayed approximately seven…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was confirmed that brake fluid was…
Visibility and wipers
84 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 37,000 miles. Parts named most often: glass, side/rear, sun/moon roof assembly, defroster/defogger/hvac system, windshield.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise and became aware that the sunroof had started to detach from the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over while a bystander provided tape to secure the sunroof.…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a rattling sound coming from the moon roof. On another occasion, while driving approximately 55 MPH, a metal piece of the track dislodged and landed in the driver's lap. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
Steering
83 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 16,000 miles.
I purchased a used 2018 F-150 with approximately 16,000 miles on 10/17/2018. When in motion, steering intermittently wanders, often drifts or pulls left and right, and requires a more than reasonable effort to keep in lane. On first trip to the dealer for this problem (west herr Ford in hamburg, ny), was told that…
I purchased the used 2018 Ford f150 platinum at lithia Ford, boise id with 15k miles on it. Since the day I bought it the front end has been hard to keep on the road. I have taken this unit to the dealer twice now and they have had the unit 40 plus days trying to repair the steering issue. The truck will pull into a…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Ford F-150 recalls
Lights: headlights
Risk: Daytime running lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: ,dealers will reprogram the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed july 17, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26c28. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on july 6, 2026.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 f-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20v097. When the headlight switch is turned from "autolamps" to "headlamps on," the daytime running lamps (drls) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 108, "lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment."
Transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk: Unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, increasing the risk of crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed july 9, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26s42. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on july 6, 2026.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17v669. Quickly moving the shift lever from park to drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as reverse or neutral.
Brakes: master cylinder
Risk: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed september 25, 2025. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25s37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22v-150.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 f-150, expedition, and lincoln navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Equipment: labels
Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed december 19, 2024. Owners may call ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24c39.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 explorer, lincoln aviator, 2020-2024 escape, lincoln corsair, 2018-2024 f-150, expedition and lincoln navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement federal motor vehicle safety standard number 208, "occupant crash protection."
Brakes: master cylinder
Risk: A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on april 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed april 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20v-332. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22s11.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 ford expedition, lincoln navigator, and 2016-2018 f-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5l ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: Unexpected tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left-hand and right-hand tailgate latches, free of charge. An interim notification letter was mailed january 31, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on may 31, 2022. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21s53.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-150 vehicles with manual and power release tailgates. The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.
Wheels and tires: tires
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on march 27, 2021. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21s10.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-150, 2018-2020 f-250, f-350, and 2019 escape vehicles equipped with continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Lights: headlights
Risk: Drl that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began march 10, 2020. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20c03.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 f-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with autolamp (on/off) functionality. The daytime running lamps (drl) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the master lighting switch (mls) is manually rotated from the "autolamps" switch position to "headlamps on." as such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 108, "lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment."
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and ford and lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began october 21, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19c07.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 f-150 and 2019-2020 f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 super duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 ford explorer, 2019-2020 expedition, and 2020 escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 ford explorer and lincoln aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) numbers 202, "head restraints" and 207, "seating systems."
Engine
Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
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 recall began may 31, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19s11.
Full defect summary
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 heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Engine
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.
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 customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s45.
Full defect summary
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 causing corrosion and damage.
Seat belts: pretensioner
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s27.
Full defect summary
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.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began july 17, 2018. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s17.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 ford expedition, f-150, and lincoln navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5l gtdi v6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
Transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
Risk: If the gear shift cable clip becomes unseated or dislodged, the gear shift lever position may indicate that the transmission is in 'park' when it may be in a different gear. Additionally, despite selecting 'park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the shift cable locking clip and properly seat it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on april 13, 2018. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 18s10.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-650 and f-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 ford f-150 and expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding expedition vehicles with a rotary gear shift dial on the console). The gear shift cable clip may not be properly seated, allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.
Transmission: automatic transmission
Risk: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on april 13, 2018. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18s09.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 ford f-150 and 2018 ford expedition and mustang and lincoln navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "park" function.
Transmission: column shift
Risk: Unidentified or unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in a way that was not intended by the driver, increasing the risk of crash or injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17s35.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3l engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. Quickly moving the shift lever from park to drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as reverse or neutral before the vehicle achieves drive function.
Engine
Risk: Without a proper supply of lubrication, the engine will fail, causing a stall and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford is not aware of any affected vehicles outside of dealer control. Should owner contact subsequently be required, arrangements will be made to transport their vehicle to a ford or lincoln dealer to have the engine replaced.the recall began october 24, 2017. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17s37.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 f-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5l engines. The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
Body and structure: roof and pillars
Risk: If the structural integrity is reduced, in the event of a rollover crash, there may be an increased risk of injury .
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install the rivets for the roof brace attachments, free of charge. The recall began october 17, 2017. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17s29.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018 ford f-150 raptor super cab pick-up trucks not equipped with a moonroof. The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Low-pressure fuel pump failure
Summary
On july 29, 2024, the oï¬ce of defects investigation (odi) opened pe24019 to investigate complaints of low-pressure fuel pump failures in my 2021 ford bronco vehicles. Some consumers reported that the failure occurred without warning while driving, resulting in a complete loss of motive power with no ability to restart the engine. Ford determined that several other vehicle models contain low-pressure fuel pumps substantially similar to the 2021 ford bronco, including the 2022-2023 ford bronco, 2018-2023 ford f-150, 2022-2023 ford expedition, 2019-2023 lincoln navigator, 2020-2023 ford f-250-f-550, 2024 ford super duty chassis cab, 2024-2025 ford ranger, 2020-2023 ford explorer, 2020-2023 li
Seatbelt pretensioner fire
Summary
On june 18, 2018, the office of defects investigations (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe18-008) to investigate complaints alleging post-crash fires at the b pillar in the area of the seat belt pretensioners on my 2014-2018 ford f-150 regular cab, and super crew cab vehicles. On august 24, 2018, ford motor company recalled (fsa 18s27 - NHTSA #18v568) the affected population. Ford's investigation found that some front seat belt pretensioners may generate sparks during deployment in excess of ford's specification. Sparks in the pretensioner exhaust gases inside the lower portion of the b-pillar may subsequently ignite combustible components contained in the b-pillar, such as insulation
Questions about the 2018 Ford F-150
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford F-150?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (1,015 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles); engine (588 complaints, typically around 61,500 miles); other or unspecified (235 complaints, typically around 11,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Ford F-150 have?
- 18 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 9, 2026 (lights). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Ford F-150?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about F-150 model year since 2000, with 2,320 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.