NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford F-150. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Transmission misses gears, causes truck to rev and then bang into gear. Accelerating onto highways or to pass the vehicle alternately loses power or over revs then the truck jerks around and slams into gear. Accelerating to enter a highway is dangerous because you cant be sure it will continue to accelerate, avoiding other cars is not always possible when the transmission is slipping. We have had it to a shop, we have had the TCM reprogrammed, we have had the transmission valve body replaced, nothing makes it better. There is a light that looks like a wrench that eventually came on after a few weeks of the above. Then the light randomly went off and the transmission acted ok for about 2 weeks, then it came back on and its worse than ever now.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. No further information was available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V672000 (Engine). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Was very cold morning, I pre start truck for 1 cycle then 5min later I start w key & drive off. I got 4 blocks down the road where I was making a right turn onto busy road, as truck came to complete stop it shut off & gave error msg on cluster..
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who reset the emissions light; however, the failure persisted. The failure became more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that there was an emissions failure due to a failed catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for an oil change, the mechanic informed the contact that oil was leaking onto the oil pan. The mechanic determined that the oil pan needed to be replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon attempting to enter the vehicle, he became aware that the driver's side door latch failed to secure the door closed. The door-ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the door actuator. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure only occurred during extremely cold temperatures; however, the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who then diagnosed a failure with the door latch assembly. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 57,000.
The 2018 Ford F150 truck came with a cap less fuel fill. What seals the fuel refill area is the gas cap door. The door is equipped with a seal on the gas cap door for when the door is closed, it keeps the weather elements from entering into the gas fill area that is equipped with a cap less mechanism for the gas tank filling. The hinge spring on the door is of poor quality and design and the swivel pin that holds the gas cap door in place fails by the pin working out of place. This now causes the gas cap door to not fully close allowing weather elements to make their way into the cap less gas fill tube. From internet research, this is a common problem with the 2018 F150, as well as other years with this type of cap less gas door. I had to pay out of pocket expense for the gas cap door replacement. The replacement gas cap door was of the same design as the one that failed and I expect the replacement to fail with time.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 81,790.
My 2018 F150 XLT had the low brake fluid light and message come across my onboard computer as I was driving. When I went to stop my truck to check my brake fluid level, my brake pedal went to the floor and slowly my truck came to a stop. Luckily, I did not collide with anything and was close to a store. I then bought more brake fluid because as it said, it was low, and was. I then proceeded to drive again, and the same thing happened within minutes, and then I checked under the truck for leaking brake fluid. There was none at this point I had no choice but to have my truck trailered to my home by my mechanic where he inspected my brake system, and then he proceeded to tell me that the rear seal on the brake master cylinder most likely blew out and all my brake fluid was leaking into my brake booster. My mechanic did some research and come to find out that this was a problem with Ford f150’s matching my year. There is a recall for this exact problem on 2018 F150’s but I did call the dealership and they proceeded to tell me that there was no recall on my truck. As more research was done come to find out that the recall was only on the F150’s that had a bigger motor than mine. I don’t understand why my truck does not have a recall because the brake master cylinders are the same and I could’ve been in a serious car accident and hurt myself or my family if there was a vehicle in front of me when my brakes failed. This being said, I don’t understand How my truck does not have a recall and that’s why I am writing this complaint today. Please advise thank you.
To whom it may concern, As a proud owner of a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 5.0 V8 and 10-speed transmission, I have recently been facing significant shifting issues with my truck. These issues occur at various times during my ride, making my daily commute a stressful experience. The transmission shifting slams into gear and downshifts from 8 or 9 to first gear, disrupting the smooth operation of my vehicle. Despite consulting multiple mechanics, I’m still unsure whether it's a computer issue or if the transmission needs to be replaced. I checked the NTHSA and learned that this vehicle had a recall for this issue. I trust in Ford's commitment to quality and safety. I need to know how I can get a remedy for this inconvenience. I don’t feel it's my responsibility to spend upwards of $8k for a new transmission when Ford has a recall on this truck. Please advise on the necessary steps as soon as possible. This issue is causing me significant inconvenience. I don't feel safe, and I would appreciate your help in this manner.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he heard an abnormal knocking sound emanating from the engine compartment that dissipated as the engine warmed up. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cam phasers. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Timing change skipped, cam phaser snapped, and transmission skips gears and is jerky while accelerating almost giving whiplash sometimes
2018 Ford F-150. While starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine bay. There is no warning light illuminated on the dash. It mostly occurs while starting the vehicle, and after the vehicle had been turned off for more than an hour. I have been informed through my mechanic that it is cam phaser failure and needed to be replaced. I have been checking regularly for and recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and then jerked into the higher gear. The contact stated that the vehicle was also making an abnormally loud banging sound while shifting into gear. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, the "wrench" symbol and the check engine warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the loud banging sound and the hesitation when the vehicle was changing gears occurred at various speeds. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the catalytic converter and the engine cooling fan needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Cam phaser rattle then had to replace. 2000 miles outside warranty with no offer of extended warrantey
Power train issue with transmission looses power and does not accelerate when it reaches 60mph. Also jerks as I’m accelerating from 0 to 60
I know there has been a lot of reported issues with Ford's 10R80 transmission. At 73,000 miles my wrench light came on due to a powertrain issue. When the wrench light came on it wasn't shifting correct and it was slipping thankfully I was in my neighborhood and not on the highway. I used my mechanical breakdown insurance and my transmission was replaced with a brand new one. At 75,000 miles roughly 2,000 miles on the new transmission that was installed by Mac Haik's Southway Ford in San Antonio Texas the transmission popped while driving on [XXX]. When the popping happened I was unable to accelerate since it didn't want to shift properly. I had to stop at a gas station and the transmission was leaking fluid after the pop. I then got the truck back to Mac Haik's Southway Ford since the transmission is under warranty. When the transmission popped on the highway and not wanting to shift properly was a serious safety concern. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I purchased this vehicle from my grandfather. He bought the truck new and had it evaluated at approximately 15,000 miles due to transmission jolting. Ford topped off fluids and the problem improved. Around 60,000 miles or so, I started noticing intermittent misshifts, jolting, jerking, slipping and engine revving. I put a lot of highway miles on my vehicle. At about 66,000 miles I was attempting to cross an intersection and the truck stuttered, hesitated and bucked when moving into the lane. I narrowly escaped getting into a major accident with oncoming vehicles. I also had issues where the truck would "rev-up" when applying the brakes. Apparently this is a known issue with the 10 speed transmission with several class action lawsuits filed against Ford for these very reasons. I contacted Ford on several occasions and was told that since the vehicle was not in warranty (and despite the previous recorded problem) there was nothing they could or would do for me. Patrick Turner at Mullinax Ford suggested I open a case, which I did. He told me Ford would be helpful, they were not. The agent said she just collected information. Patrick did tell me there were three service advisories on the vehicle which can sometimes fix the problem, but again the truck was not in warranty. Sorry, not sorry attitude. A transmission does not fail at 66,000 miles, unless there is a manufacturing issue. Very disappointing as this vehicle is a threat to drivers, passengers and other cars on the roadway. After nearly getting killed or seriously maimed by this vehicle, I took it to a transmission shop where they confirmed the transmission needed to be replaced and that they have on average two Ford's a week that come in with the same issue, young truck, transmision failure. The certified shop installed the transmission that was purchased from Mullinax Ford and provided the labor. This young man has his life but his savings is depleted thanks to the $6,809.57 cost.
Back-up camera is not clear , I can't clearly make out objects when backing, even after cleaning the lens. This has been like this as long as I have had the truck.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal rattling sound coming from underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the flywheel. The contact was informed that the flywheel was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 36,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the transmission shifted hard, and the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that parts for the repair were on back-order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle started to decelerate independently. The contact stopped and parked the vehicle; however, the contact turned the vehicle off and the engine was still running. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed cam phasers. The contact was informed that the repair could not be covered under the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, he observed that the RPM increased quickly however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle then started jerking. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The adaptive transmission was reset. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the transmission erroneously shifted into neutral, causing the vehicle to suddenly lose motive power. The vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. After stopping the vehicle, the transmission was able to be shifted into drive and the vehicle was driven to a nearby fuel station. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 102,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine and the vehicle intermittently hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated that the check engine warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact was informed that the CDF drum inside the transmission was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle occasionally stalled while idling. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case number was provided; however, the contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission experienced hard shifting. While accelerating on a cold start, it was hard to shift from first to second gear. The driver had to release the accelerator pedal for the gear to release. The transmission continually skipped gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact called the local dealer, who referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal noise coming from the engine compartment. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light disappeared and then became illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed timing chain assembly and that the timing chain assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the failure was like an unknown recall repair; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was making an abnormal rattling sound on a cold start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under an unknown Ford TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon removing the engine cover, the contact noticed that oil was leaking from the valve cover gasket. The used car dealer was notified of the failure. The Ford dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure. The contact was awaiting a diagnostic test and an estimate from the dealer for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
My vehicle began to expereince irregular shifting through all forms of acceleration and different gears. Notable incidents include dropping from 7th gear down to 1st while traveling 60mph on the highway and hearing a loud bang. Other incidents include losing power will in the middle of an intersection or turning onto a perpendicular road. The abrupt shifting of gears would throw myself in the driver seat leading to potential distracted driving directly caused by the vehicle itself. Eventually the vehicle displayed a wrench light and produced 2 codes: P076F and P0732 indicating incorrect gear ratios for gear 2 and 7. I took the vehicle into the dealership where they discovered the CPF Hub/drum had failed and caused damage that resulted in this uncharacteristic behavior. The dealer admitted that this is a known problem amongst these transmission and would say near half of all of them have this same issue. I believe this poses an extreme risk to general public and imposes a significant fincialy burden at a minimum as in my case. This is a known problem and presents itself as a safety issue that needs to be addressed on a national level.
Unexpected gear shift while driving Harsh or erratic shifting Hesitation between gears Unexpected lunging or jerking This is the transmission. Loss of power on roads. Yes, gears skipping gears. Gears skipped are gear 2, gear 4, gear 5 gear 8. Complete loss of gear power or forward movement on gear 4 RPM will rise to 3.5 to 4. RPMS. I have to let RPM come back down and then I will have control over throttle. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer yet. No warning lamps, no messages or other symptoms. Mechanic near me checked of codes and none showed. The truck is not giving any warning lights either. However, problems still continue.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting hard. The contact stated that while driving at highways speeds on a slight incline and upshifting to 10th gear, the transmission slipped. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while driving between third and fourth gears, and between fourth and fifth gears. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
On February 16, 2024, The vehicle (F150 XLT Super Crew) that was being driven was going approximately 40 miles ph when an other vehicle came out of a side street who had a traffic stop sign. There were two school buses blocking their view and my view of anyone coming out of the development. My vehicle hit head-on the other vehicle and I blacked out. No Airbag Driver side deployed, but the seat-belt tension-er fully pulled on me. I awoke with alarms going off and smoke in the cab and in the engine. Fire Department cut all wiring. I was taken out of the vehicle by Paramedics and taken to the hospital with fractured sternum and bruises. Police were on the seen and did a report with the other driver at fault. Insurance company proceeded to have the vehicle towed and inspected and totaled the vehicle. Did not have vehicle inspected by independent company that I know of. Police report stated no air bag deployment. Hospital report showed no air bag deployment. Issues a year earlier with engine replacement by dealership under manufacturer warranty due to engine failure. No other known issues appeared for the failure.
Transmission shifting hard, jerking and causing the engine to lose power causing road safety hazards fr e and others
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power without warning. In addition, the vehicle would not shift into gear properly. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
2nd time my F150 has had a CAM Phaser issue. Repaired once in 2021 now again in 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the transmission failed to shift above third gear and instead downshifted into first gear. After the failure, the vehicle lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 10 MPH. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the cylinder was stuck in the on position. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Transmission (10R80 10 speed) started erratically shifting while driving on free way, including harsh engagement and slipping in and out of gear almost resulting in an accident on [XXX] in Alabama. When stopping off the freeway the vehicle would not downshift below 7th gear. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Late shifting, transmission will get stuck in a gear, and rev at high rpms for long periods. And real jerky shifting in general. Also door locks freeze in winter, and doors wont latch so i need to hold my door while driving
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was started remotely with the key fob and while approaching the trunk of the vehicle 15 minutes later, the contact became aware that the rear windshield had shattered. The contact drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an auto glass repair shop where it was inspected, and the replacement part was ordered. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact they could not assist because the VIN was not included in a safety recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,959.
Pinion bearing failure at 42000 miles. Lucky that I am a former Ford tech and currently a parts manager at a different manufacture, I knew what the noise was and was able to fix it before there was a bad accident. If that bearing had seized it could have locked up the rear wheels or had the driveshaft come loose. This has happen with extremely low miles for this model of differential and I am reporting in the event it is becoming a concern with other individuals.
Door lock freezing recall, still freezes. After performing this recall for my door latches freezing, they still freeze. Once I get them open, the door will not latch shut and I would have to drive while holding the door shut until it unfreezes. Forums verify that I am not the only one with doors still freezing after recall. I am confident the recall was performed correctly, but fords fix is not a proper fix and I am still left with frozen door latches in an unsafe vehicle.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound; the contact was unable to switch the transmission. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The contact did research and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V672000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000
The same problem that is highlighted with the 1.3 million Ford F-150 truck investigation for the 2015 - 2017 models has happened to me. In 2024 my Ford F-150 would switch from 10th to 3rd gear without warning. This has lead to the transmission completely failing. I had to personally replace the transmission myself. I had just went over the warranty mileage. The incident was reported to Ford but nothing was done about it. At the machenic repair shop there were 2 other Ford F-150 that had the same problem.
My windshield wipers will come on in the slow position even though they are "Off". I cannot get them to stop. My wipers will continue to do this for a month or so, and then return to normal where I can control them. This has happened 3 times now. While this is happening, I have problems controlling the speed of the wipers. This only happens when the truck is running.
Taking the truck to a shop to confirm the issue but out of the blue the transmission isn't shifting or jumps into wrong gear and get stuck. Truck only has 79k miles on it and has been well taken care off. Just has to place wheel bearings last Saturday just strange after that now there's another issue.
The transmission down shifts in critical situations unexpectedly nearly causing wrecks.
The hood latch has failed on my ford F-150. My security system alarms when it happens. It has happened while I have driven and during times when there are changes in temperature. When searching for this, I came across a number of others that have had similar issues with their ford F150/ F250s and Expeditions. I am surprised ford has not recalled it due safety hazard of a failing hood latch. Additionally the main horn has failed. Again searching has found that other people with similar models and years from ford have the same issue with the horn. Both are safety concerns.
I have been experiencing random and harsh shifting. Starting from a stop, the truck would struggle to find a gear. Kind of scary when you are pulling out into traffic. Driving on the highway, the truck would randomly come out of gear for a few seconds and then back into gear. It would harshly downshift from 8th gear down to 2nd and back up again. All while driving 70mph. I took the truck to the transmission shop. They found the issues that I was having but no codes were coming up so they did not known where to begin trying to fix it. They recommended a new transmission since there was no other way to fix it. I just picked up my truck from the repair shop on 3/28/24 with a new transmission. I was not aware of all the issues that Ford was having with the 10R80 transmission. Ford needs to take responsibility for a faulty design and fix it instead of issuing countless TSBs which require the truck owner to pay out of pocket to have the TSB completed. Thanks for listening!
A CAM Phaser in the timing chain area is failing. Apparently the oil is not able to stay on that area and drains out. The symptom is a severe rattle on start up. Since it's part of the power train a failure in this part could result in an engine failure. It is a safety issue if this happens and causes a sudden loss of power at freeway speeds. Ford has repaired many of these as part of some program I do not know its name. However Ford has stopped repairing them.