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U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Ford EXPEDITION problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

372 owner complaints analyzed

14 distinct recall campaigns

54,736 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 129 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 144 of 372 complaints (38.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting12533.6%
Braking behavior287.5%
Engine operation256.7%
Electrical and battery issues154.0%
Steering behavior61.6%
Fuel system concerns30.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train
144
Engine
97
Unknown Or Other
32
Electrical System
31
Suspension
23
Engine And Engine Cooling
22
Exterior Lighting
22
Service Brakes
14
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train144
Engine97
Unknown Or Other32
Electrical System31
Suspension23
Engine And Engine Cooling22
Exterior Lighting22
Service Brakes14

Power Train: 144; Engine: 97; Unknown Or Other: 32; Electrical System: 31; Suspension: 23; Engine And Engine Cooling: 22; Exterior Lighting: 22; Service Brakes: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
32
25,000 to 49,999
27
50,000 to 74,999
22
75,000 to 99,999
19
100,000 to 149,999
26
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00032
25,000 to 49,99927
50,000 to 74,99922
75,000 to 99,99919
100,000 to 149,99926
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 243 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2018
11
2019
26
2020
16
2021
22
2022
33
2023
65
2024
68
2025
89
2026
42
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
201811
201926
202016
202122
202233
202365
202468
202589
202642

2018: 11; 2019: 26; 2020: 16; 2021: 22; 2022: 33; 2023: 65; 2024: 68; 2025: 89; 2026: 42

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 125 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 25 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11165405 · 2019-01-05 (January 5, 2019)

ELECTRONIC DIAL SHIFTER WILL AUTOMATICALLY SWITCH FROM DRIVE TO PARK IF THE VEHICLE START STOP BUTTON IS DEPRESSED WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. THE PARKING BRAKE ALSO AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES ON AT THE SAME TIME. CONSIDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A 2018 FORD EXPEDITION IS TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC AND THE START STOP BUTTON WERE ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED. THE CAR WOULD SHIFT INTO PARK, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD ENGAGE AND THE DRIVER WOULD DECELERATE RAPIDLY FROM 65 MPH TO A STOP WITH NO NOTICE, LIKELY BEING REAR ENDED BY TRAFFIC IE; A SEMI TRUCK AT HIG…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11165405 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11208111 · 2019-05-16 (May 16, 2019)

VEHICLE AS DELIVERED NEW FROM THE FACTORY HAD A VERY LOUD AND DISTINCT CLUNKING IN THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING. IT CLUNKS REPEATEDLY WITH EACH DOWNSHIFT OF THE 10 SPEED TRANSMISSION AND ONCE VERY HARD UPON ACCELERATION. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL RETAINER BUSHING HAD BEEN LEFT LOOSE AND NOT FULLY INSTALLED, ALLOWING THE WHOLE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO ROTATE WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. THIS RESULTED IN PREMATURE TIRE WEAR AND APPARENT FLUID LOSS IN THE SHOCK ABSORBERS. THE END RESULT IS A VEHICLE THAT HAS A …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,759 miles reported. Look up ODI 11208111 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11118957 · 2018-08-10 (August 10, 2018)

PURCHASED NEW 2018 EXPEDITION FX4 XLT WOTH CLASS IV TOWING PACKAGE AND OTHER OPTIONS RELYING ON FORD, ITS DEALERS, AND FORD'S PR, THAT VEHICLE COULD TOW TRAILERS UP TO CERTAIN WEIGHT. BUT, ONCE WENT TO PURCHASE TRAVEL TRAILER TO TOW, DISCOVER THAT FINE PRINT HARD TO FIND FORD DISCLOSURE HAD FAR LOWER TOWING LIMITS UNLESS PURCHASE ADDITIONAL EXPENSIVE TOWING OPTIONS. ALSO, VEHICLE LACKS TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER THAT IS REQUIRED IN MANY PLACES BY LAW AND NECESSARY TO TOW ALMOST ANYTHING SAFELY. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BUYERS WILL NOT KNOW THE FOREGOI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11118957 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11132898 · 2018-10-02 (October 2, 2018)

TODAY I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BRAKES ON MY 2018 FORD EXPEDITION EL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT BUILD ANY PRESSURE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. TO ANSWER THE SPECIFICS REQUESTED BY NHTSA, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 45MPH OR LESS ON A CITY STREET AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE ONLY WAY TO BUILD BRAKE PRESSURE WAS TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND PUMP THE PEDAL. THIS VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD AND FOR HOW MUCH FORD CHARGES FOR A LIMITED EDITION EXPEDITION …

Owner-reported narrative. 12,780 miles reported. Look up ODI 11132898 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11439062 · 2021-11-02 (November 2, 2021)

The transmission would slip and not go into gear. Causing me to stall in the middle of intersections. This occurred multiple times and if I took my foot off the gas it woudl catch and I could go again. Dealership told me it could be PCM issue and was not able to see me until December of 2021. At the end of October it suddenly became almost undriveable and was limped to dealership. It was determined that the gear ratio for the 3rd gear was incorrect and at 67,318 miles and 4 years old it needs a new transmission.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11439062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11471576 · 2022-06-29 (June 29, 2022)

Driving thru Atlanta traffic stop and go . One time I took off and all of a sudden vehicle jerk and didn’t go . NExt time it lunged forward . I notice the vehicle shutters between 20-30mph Tried to get a appointment with ford nothing available till august . Went to Panama City shopping the other day with my son he could not believe how bad the vehicle lunges sometimes and sometimes it stalls before take off . Makes me very nervous to drive am I gonna get stranded in heavy traffic ? Call ford they said needs PCM reprogrammed she tried to make …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11471576 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11175848 · 2019-02-09 (February 9, 2019)

I BOUGHT THIS NEW EXPEDITION JUNE OF 2018. IT HAS PUT ITSELF INTO DEEP SLEEP MODE 8 TIMES. 06/11/18, 08/09/18, 08/19/18, 08/22/18 TWICE!, 10/13/18, 11/11/18, 02/06/19. EACH TIME IT HAD TO BE JUMPED WITH ANOTHER LARGE VEHICLE TO START IT UP. THE FIRST TIME WAS JUNE 11TH JUST DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. WE TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN AND THEY "CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG" THEY ARE NOW SAYING THEY WILL REPLACE THE BATTERY BUT I FEEL ITS SOMETHING WITH ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGY IN THE CAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11175848 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11180993 · 2019-02-18 (February 18, 2019)

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE - IT STARTED AFTER 30 MIN AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY AND NO ISSUES UNTIL 4 DAYS THEN IT OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PARKED OVERNIGHT AND WOULDN'T START THE NEXT MORNING. THE BATTERY HAD ENOUGH POWER - JUMP STARTING DIDN'T HELP. THE 3 TOW TRUCK WAS FINALLY CALLED INTO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK UP TO THE PURCHA…

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 11180993 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11115787 · 2018-08-05 (August 5, 2018)

RECENTLY I RENTED A FORD EXPEDITION. MUCH OF THE DRIVING WAS IN AN AROUND THE MOUNTAINS SURROUNDING YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. WHILE I FOUND THE VEHICLE EASY TO DRIVE THERE IS ONE GLARING SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNING THE ABILITY TO DOWNSHIFT. ONE MUST TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO LOCATE THE + OR - BUTTONS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE TO CHANGE GEARS. THESE BUTTONS SHOULD BE LOCATED ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NOT ON THE CENTER CONSOLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11115787 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11219485 · 2019-06-12 (June 12, 2019)

FOLLOWING COMPUTER ISSUES THAT CAUSED THE FOLLOWING: BAD STEERING SENSOR (PLAY IN THE STEERING), TRACTION CONTROL WARNING, HILL DECENT WARNING, RUNNING BOARDS NOT WORKING, FORD SYNC FREEZING: RADIO, TEMP, BACK UP CAMERAS, PHONE NOT WORKING. MONITOR TURNS OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. MONITOR WILL NOT TURN OFF WHEN CAR PARKED.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11219485 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11397992 · 2021-02-25 (February 25, 2021)

I UNDERSTAND THE WELDS FOR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP MAY FRACTURE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD REPAIRED, RUNNING ROUGH ON START UP PLUS WHITE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. I BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM OCCURRING, AS BEFORE IN APRIL 2019. IT IS FEBRUARY 2021, AND AND RUNNING AS BEFORE. THEY TORN MY ENGINE DOWN, KEEPING FOR 4-5 DAYS.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11397992 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11543289 · 2023-09-07 (September 7, 2023)

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering and unintendedly decelerated to 20 MPH. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the fuel pump and the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Solenoid were replaced; however, the failure recurred increasingly, and the vehicle lost motive power on sev…

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11543289 at NHTSA ↗