Owner complaint record
2018 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2018 Ford F-150 owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 2,273 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, the check engine codes owners named, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20262,273 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
+61% vs 2017
970 complaints, 43% of the total
half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before this
38 mention an injury, 33 a fire
The powertrain leads the 2018 Ford F-150 record at 43%, with engine next at 22%. Of the powertrain reports that give a mileage, half came before 59,500 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the door latch, $65 to $122 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
More than four in ten complaints name the powertrain, most of them rough or harsh shifts from the transmission. Ford recalled 2018 trucks for transmission parts that can lose the Park function or show a different gear than the one engaged.
2018 Ford F-150 overview
The 2018 F-150 came with a 3.3-liter V6, 2.7- and 3.5-liter turbo V6s, a 3.0-liter turbo diesel and a 5.0-liter V8, with a ten-speed automatic on all but the 3.3, which kept a six-speed, in rear-wheel or part-time four-wheel drive.
Owners filed 61% more complaints about the 2018 than the 2017 (1,414), and the powertrain leads both years. The 2019 drew 1,309, with powertrain named most.
- Power
- 395 hp
- Torque
- 400 lb-ft
- Gearbox
- 10-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 375 hp
- Torque
- 470 lb-ft
- Gearbox
- 10-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 290 hp
- Torque
- 265 lb-ft
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 250 hp
- Torque
- 440 lb-ft
- Gearbox
- 10-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 325 hp
- Torque
- 400 lb-ft
- Gearbox
- 10-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Maker spec sheets and releases (Wayback copies), read 3 Oct 2026.
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 reliable?
Owners filed more complaints about the 2018 Ford F-150 than about any other F-150 year except 2013, and the powertrain draws the largest share. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 2ndCompared with other F-150 years2,273 complaints, the 2nd most of 16 model years (2013 has 2,975).By model year
- 43%The system named mostPowertrain, in 970 complaints. Half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before 59,500 miles.Problems by system
- 19Recalls19 recall campaigns cover the 2018 Ford F-150.Recalls
- 64Crashes, injuries, fires64 complaints mention a crash, 38 an injury and 33 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2018 Ford F-150 problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 2,273 complaints about the 2018 Ford F-150 that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Powertrain43%970 complaintsHarsh shifts, jerks, slipping
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What owners describe
10 speed automatic transmission. Transmission makes noise, shifts hard when cold, bucks and surges at lower speeds, downshifts are harsh. Dealer states this is all normal behavior for this transmission. Worst automatic I have ever owned.
Intermittently when accelerating, the transmission hard shifts coming out of 3 and 6th gear, causing the vehicle to suddenly slow down before up shifting. The stumble can be hard enough to cause the seat belt retractor to lock. Repeated visits to the dealer did not resolve the problem. They said that is normal operation.
SCCAAZGARead 4 more owner reports+4
2018 Ford f-150 transmission gear shifting is erratic both when accelerating and braking on the highway. Some shifts take a long time, some shifts skip a gear, some shifts are very hard, shaking the truck. Happening more often while on long trips.
10 speed transmission hazards: when braking the transmission lunges into to lower gears and surges forward erratically requiring varying brake pressure to stop. Acceleration is also erratic, sometimes delayed, sometimes immediate. The Ford dealership does not have a solution and Ford will not responds to calls. The erratic behavior of the transmission makes the vehicle dangereous.
2018 Ford f150 raptor, ordered and received april 1 2018. Only 7000 miles. Has been into Ford dealer twice for slipping transmission issues, loud banging noise and transmission rattling and slipping. Have pull out into traffic several times and the transmission slips and vehicle just revs up. Also caused several accidents. In motion on a highway and also city street
The 10-speed automatic transmission on my truck shifts hard and inexplicably when upshifting and downshifting, especially in low speed stop and go city traffic. The jolts are hard and cause an dramatic 'braking' action that has almost resulted in a few accidents. The transmission was rebuilt by Ford at approximately 9,000 miles and current has just over 16,000 miles.
When it starts
Usually starts around 59,500 miles. Half of owners reported it between 15,106 and 95,000.
What to do
Drive through every gear, gently and hard, and feel for a jolt or a slip.
Our guideBad Transmission Symptoms: Seven Causes Ranked from $6.19 to $7,100Engine22%498 complaintsEngine noise, warning lights
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What owners describe
Engine makes a very loud clicking and ratcheting sound after every throttle lift for the first 15min of engine operation. I did not hear it until the Ford dealership worked on the intake system for the stumbling and hesitation issues. It can be hear over 300 feet away. My neighbors and friends all ask what is wrong with my new truck. I suspect the engine vibration issue is related to this very loud intake noise.
Leaks oil dealer cant stop the problem. Constant leak. 2018 should not have this type problem going to cause engine failure. Not safe this is an ongoing issue.
TXWIILOHRead 4 more owner reports+4
When starting engine it will hit very hard sound like the transmission but in fact is chain tensioner. Took to dealer and they said that there seeing a lot of these issues with the 5.0 this needs addressed as I'm luck enough that it was still under warranty.
Have problems with transmission and making clucking noise when move it from park to drive and at low speeds sometimes and also when it shifts it is very jerky and not smooth. And it jumps gear like 1 to 4 and 5 to 8.
I have the 2.7 ecoboost with 19,000 miles on it and oil pan is leaking and being replaced. Not good for a vehicle with such low miles also the transmission downshift s real hard in multiple gears mainly 5th and 3rd
During some starts engine will produce a smell. Looking underneath vehicle, I've noticed 2 leaks coming from the exhaust system.
When it starts
Usually starts around 59,500 miles. Half of owners reported it between 19,140 and 84,835.
What to do
Start the engine cold and listen for a rattle in the first seconds.
Body8%173 complaintsDoors and tailgate latches
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What owners describe
The left rear door does not always latch properly and sometimes will not unlock. Occasionally the rear door must be secured by tying it to something from the inside so that it does not fly open. It has been to the dealer twice, to have the mechanism replaced and to have Ford's door sealing recall completed. The other 3 doors work fine.
My truck was sitting in my driveway in below freezing temperatures . The next mourning after I unlocked and opened my 2 driver side doors the doors would not latch back closed. This has happened 3 different times. After I finally did get them to close I'm not confident that they will stay close while I'm driving.
MECTNJINRead 4 more owner reports+4
The door latches freeze making the doors difficult to open but more importantly you can't get them to latch once they're opened. This is a serious safety issue. Ford appears to be aware of this and has issued fixes for previous model years. These fixes do not work and the problem is now with trucks built in 2018.
Temperature dropped to 20 degrees f this morning and the front passenger door will not latch shut. Have tried locking/unlocking and moving latch with screwdriver but door will not remain closed.
Rear door latch of crew cab pickup truck froze in open position. Door can not close or be locked. Door flies open while driving vehicle making vehicle unsafe and not driveable. Discovered problem while driving on highway an door sprang open 40 mph.
In weather below 32 degrees f door locks freeze. Power lock will not unlock. Interior door handle may work with effort. Key may work with effort. Once open, door will not stay closed.
When it starts
Usually starts around 10,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 4,050 and 20,870.
What to do
Open and close every door and the tailgate, and check that each one latches.
Electrical system7%160 complaintsScreens, warning lights
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What owners describe
Purchased this vehicle with 36k miles (2018) and have owned for less than one month. When trying to open the sunroof for the first time there was a loud popping sound. The sunroof fails to open, and now rain leaks in through the roof. This should not happen on a $72k vehicle that is two years old. Since the vehicle is over 36k miles, the dealership (Ford dealer) refuses to fix.
In cold weather the door latches freeze causing the doors to remain unlatched. This caused my rear doors to fly open when I went around a corner. There was a recall but it doesn't cover the 2018 model year. My truck was made in oct 2017, and I took delivery in mid dec 2017. The dealer will inspect, but as yet Ford doesn't appear to have a fix for the issue.
PATXRead 2 more owner reports+2
All 4 doors have malfunctioned. They do not latch, or stay closed. This has happened while in motion and stationary. Turning, the door has opened and the back doors have frozen and not latched. I have video but they are too large to attach. This truck has been at the dealership 5 times for the same repair, and to date they've had it for 23 day. Feb 18 2019 dec 11 2019 dec 19 2019 jan 7 2020 jan 17 2020
The apim is defective the gps signial on the navigation is messed up it will show that I'm in the middle of a lake or field when I'm on the road, the navigation is also very slow and the backup sensors don't work as expected when backing up the 360 camera is also extremely lagy and takes 15 seconds to activate. Ford says this part is 1800 but it is an internal part of the navigation system and shouldn't just fail
When it starts
Usually starts around 26,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 13,000 and 58,951.
What to do
Try the touchscreen, the camera and every warning light check at start-up.
Steering4%83 complaintsSteering warnings, heavy steering
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What owners describe
The steering on this vehicle will lock in place when making a left turn. You have to physically force the steering wheel to release to keep from either crossing the center line or running off the road. This happens at speed around 50 mph and up. Have not wrecked it yet but have come close.we have had it in the Ford dealer 4 times with not success yet.
The key in the ignition alarm was constatntly sounding after the truck was shut off, after the key was removed. The dealer said it was a short in the ignition switch. This is a new 2018 truck what the heck is going on with Ford?
KSFLRead 2 more owner reports+2
Truck has 24,000 miles going down the interstate truck will jerk right or left and steering gets hard have to keep very alert while driving not know when it will jerk right or left very dngerous
My truck had a total powering steering failure today(4-12-2020). No advanced warning. The truck was being driven when the failure occurred. Thank god no accident!
When it starts
Usually starts around 16,074 miles. Half of owners reported it between 4,500 and 37,625.
What to do
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running and watch for a steering warning.
What repairs cost on the 2018 Ford F-150
Part prices for the problems 2018 F-150 owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
Motorcraft only, Ford's own brand; the price depends on the door.
Check door latchesPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 3, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
Check engine codes owners report
4 owners name P0420 (catalyst efficiency below threshold) in their complaints, the code named most for this car.
Complaints whose text names the code, one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
When problems show up on the odometer
Body complaints start earliest, typically around 10,000 miles. Powertrain complaints start latest, around 59,500 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford F-150 complaints by model year
2018 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 14 other F-150 years.
Show chartHide chart
2018 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 14 other F-150 years.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2018 Ford F-150 have kept arriving since 2017, with peaks in 2024 and 2025. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2018 Ford F-150 recalls
19 recall campaigns cover the 2018 Ford F-150. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2018 Ford F-150 crash tests and investigations
NHTSA crash tests rate the 2018 Ford F-150 4 to 5 stars overall, depending on the version: four stars for the 4x4 version, four stars for the 4x2 version, five stars for the 4x4 version, five stars for the 4x2 version, four stars for the 4x4 version, four stars for the 4x2 version. Its defect office has opened two investigations that cover this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Frontal stars compare cars of about the same weight; side stars compare every vehicle. Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2018 Ford F-150’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 19%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Optional means some trims have it and some don’t. Check the car you are looking at.
Federal investigations
Before you buy a used 2018 Ford F-150
These checks follow what 2018 F-150 owners reported most: harsh or rough shifts, then engine noise and door latches. Run the VIN before you pay, because this truck has transmission recalls.
- 1Drive through every gear, gently and hard
Rough shifts are the top complaint by a wide margin.
- 2Run the VIN for transmission recalls
Ford recalled the Park function and the gear shown on the dash; only the VIN shows the fix.
- 3Check that the truck holds in Park on a slope
A transmission recall covers a loss of the Park function.
- 4Listen to a cold start
Engine complaints describe noise.
- 5Open and close every door and the tailgate
Latch complaints lead the body complaints.
Oil and service for the 2018 Ford F-150
This is what Ford's manual says the 2018 F-150 needs: which oil to use and how much, the fluids for the transmission and the cooling system, and when each job is due. The truck tracks oil wear itself and shows an oil change message on the dashboard, but Ford says never to go past a year or 10,000 miles.
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity, with filter
- 8.8 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON ULV or MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity, with filter
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON ULV or MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity, with filter
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON ULV or MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30 diesel oil
- Oil capacity, with filter
- 6.5 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON ULV or MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity, with filter
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON ULV or MERCON LV
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
Service schedule
From the Ford 2018 F-150 Owner's Manual, read Oct 3, 2026. Normal schedule.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford F-150?
Owners name the powertrain most (970 complaints), then engine (498) and body (173).
Is 2018 a good year for the Ford F-150?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the powertrain complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford F-150?
Yes. NHTSA lists 19 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford F-150: exterior lighting (2), latches/locks/linkages, tires, suspension, engine (3), fuel pump, seats, seat belts, power train (4), structure, brakes (2), equipment. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford F-150 problems start?
Body complaints start earliest, around 10,000 miles. Powertrain complaints come later, around 59,500 miles.
Which F-150 years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2013 and 2018 model years have the most in the file, and the 2025 and 2024 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 6 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.