Is the 2018 Ford F-150 a bad year?
2,331 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 1,019, 18× a quiet F-150 year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 18× the complaints of a quiet F-150 year, spread over 16k–96k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 F-150 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 60,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 1,019 (44%) | 16k–96k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Latches and locksSTANDS OUT | 57 (2%) | 26k–64k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 583 (25%) | 28k–86k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 173 (7%) | 13k–61k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 92 (4%) | 15k–95k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Fuel system | 64 (3%) | 8k–67k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 38 (2%) | 5k–66k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 25 (1%) | 50k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 16 (1%) | 10k–60k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exhaust | 9 (0%) | 67k–118k miles · ahead | Exhaust leak repair $200–$1,500 · Catalytic converter replacement $500–$4,000 |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 193 (8%) | 4k–21k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 85 (4%) | 10k–55k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 83 (4%) | 7k–38k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 73 (3%) | 7k–43k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 60,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 2,331 complaints: 64 mention a crash · 33 mention a fire · 38 report an injury · 81 say the car was towed.
380 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Transmission shifts rough and clunks. Most noticeable going from GEARS1-3 and from 4-5. Will randomly shift and almost cause whiplash when running on the highway with cruise control on.
Started vehicle as usual, shifted the shifter from park to drive. The vehicle appeared to be in drive but the transmission was in reverse.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 60,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2018 Ford F-150: 19
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. Unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, increasing the risk of crash or injury.
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. Daytime Running Lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster. A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. 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.
The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster. 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.
The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving. 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.
The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint. An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash.
On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production. 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.
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." DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. 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.
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged. A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage. 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.
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. A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
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. 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.
A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function. 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…
The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals. Without a proper supply of lubrication, the engine will fail, causing a stall and increasing the risk of a crash.
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. 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.
The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity. If the structural integrity is reduced, in the event of a rollover crash, there may be an increased risk of injury .
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 396
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 Ford F-150. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022…
Detected with the CDF clutch cylinder following this article, technicians should carefully inspect and replace other transmission components and flush…
Some vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0630 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM)
Some vehicles may exhibit a whine noise at idle and/or while driving
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Low-pressure fuel pump failure
Seatbelt Pretensioner Fire
Neighbouring years
2017 F-150: 1,465 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2019 F-150: 1,347 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Ford F-150 year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All F-150 years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 a bad year?
2,331 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 1,019, 18× a quiet F-150 year. At 60,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 18× the complaints of a quiet F-150 year, spread over 16k–96k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford F-150?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (1,019), latches and locks (57), engine (583), electrical system (173), brakes (92). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 16k–96k miles.
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford F-150 have?
19 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 26V-375), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 26V-373), Brakes (NHTSA 25V-236), Equipment (NHTSA 24V-852) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.