U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Ford F-150 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2,293 owner complaints analyzed

18 distinct recall campaigns

40,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 1,033 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 982 of 2,293 complaints (42.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	895	39.0%
Braking behavior	204	8.9%
Engine operation	152	6.6%
Steering behavior	108	4.7%
Electrical and battery issues	50	2.2%
Fuel system concerns	20	0.9%

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

982

Engine

503

Unknown Or Other

233

Structure:Body

173

Electrical System

160

Steering

Engine And Engine Cooling

Vehicle Speed Control

Power Train: 982; Engine: 503; Unknown Or Other: 233; Structure:Body: 173; Electrical System: 160; Steering: 83; Engine And Engine Cooling: 72; Vehicle Speed Control: 71

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

398

25,000 to 49,999

180

50,000 to 74,999

163

75,000 to 99,999

125

100,000 to 149,999

139

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 398; 25,000 to 49,999: 180; 50,000 to 74,999: 163; 75,000 to 99,999: 125; 100,000 to 149,999: 139; 150,000 and above: 28

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (398). 1,260 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.

2017

2018

106

2019

230

2020

164

2021

129

2022

187

2023

274

2024

387

2025

525

2026

290

2017: 1; 2018: 106; 2019: 230; 2020: 164; 2021: 129; 2022: 187; 2023: 274; 2024: 387; 2025: 525; 2026: 290

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 895 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 204 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 152 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 11063837 · 2018-01-19 (January 19, 2018)

NOT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN ENGINE STARTS FRONT AXLE JUMPS AND MAKES A CLUNK NOISE. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ALSO ERRATIC SHIFTING AND CLUNKING IN DRIVER TRAIN AGAIN NOT ALWAYS. CALLED DEALER SAID THERE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT SERVICE BULLETINS YET.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11063837 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11072824 · 2018-02-14 (February 14, 2018)

MY TRUCK SINCE DAY ONE 12-08-2017 HAS HAD DRIVETRAIN ISSUES ERRATIC SHIFTING , CLUNKING IN REAR AND FRONT DRIVE TRAINS . THIS MORNING WENT PULL OUT IT FELT LIKE IT POP OUT OF GEAR THEN IN THUMPED BACK INTO GEAR THIS HAPPENED TWICE. BEFORE TODAY THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE FIRMWARE WITH THEE 2 TSB TSB 17-2262. TSB 17-2272. IIT HELPED SOME BUT NOT GETTING BETTER IT IS VERY ERRATIC AND I AM CONCERNED THAT IT IS GOING TO BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE

Owner-reported narrative. 7,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11072824 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11089179 · 2018-04-20 (April 20, 2018)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11089179 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11093910 · 2018-05-15 (May 15, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRAILER BRAKES HAD LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY AND WOULD NOT STOP THE TRAILER PROPERLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. MEEGAN FORD (117 MEEGAN FORD RD, MT PLEASANT, PA 15666) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER WAS MISSING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND FORD HAD YET TO SEND THEM THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED; HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NOT RELEASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11093910 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11129702 · 2018-09-15 (September 15, 2018)

I WAS HEADED HOME FROM WORK AND MY TRUCK WAS STATIONARY STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, AND THE AUTOMATIC ENGINE STOP WAS ACTIVE, WITH SYNC NETWORKED. A VEHICLE FROM BEHIND RAN INTO MY 3 WEEK OLD VEHICLE. THE ENGINE AUTOMATIC START-STOP SYNC STARTED, AND THE ENGINE RACED TO VERY HIGH RPMS. THROWING MY HEAD BACK INTO THE HEADREST AGAIN. I HAD TO PRESS REALLY HARD UPON THE BRAKES TO PREVENT MY VEHICLE FROM SLAMMING INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT MY MIND THOUGHT OF THE TOYOTA CAMRY ACCELERATION PROBLEM YEARS AGO, AND UPON THE VEHICLE RETUR…

Owner-reported narrative. 820 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129702 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11143639 · 2018-10-29 (October 29, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AWAITING AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHATTERED AND DID NOT MOVE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE SHATTERED ONE MORE TIME AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER CHAMPION FORD/LINCOLN (140 SOUTHTOWN BLVD, OWNSBORO, KY 42303) THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11143639 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11076738 · 2018-03-07 (March 7, 2018)

I HAD A FRONT COLLISION WITH A BRIDGE CONCRETE SUPPORT...I WAS DRIVING APPROX 30-35MPH AT IMPACT. THE SMELL OF GUN POWDER WAS EVIDENT AFTER CRASH. THE HORN WAS BEEPING, THE FLASHERS WERE FLASHING AND THE PLASTIC AROUND THE TOP INTERIOR STEERING COLUMN WAS UP. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AT DASH...NO BAG DEPLOYED. $4000 DAMAGE TO TRUCK...I HAVE A SEPARATED RIB AND NERVE ISSUES IN MY BACK. THIS HAPPENED ON 2-28-2018. THE TRUCK HAD 2900 MILES ON IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11076738 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11084235 · 2018-04-09 (April 9, 2018)

THE 2018 F-150 TRUCK WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 800 MILES THE TRUCK'S STEERING STARTED TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT. THE DIRECTION OF STEERING PULL SEEMS TO SWITCH DEPENDING ON THE LAST TURN MADE OR THE DIRECTION OF THE TRUCKS BODY ROLL, BUT ALSO CHANGES DIRECTION RANDOMLY. THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDS CONSTANT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER IN ORDER TO DRIVE STRAIGHT OR ELSE THE TRUCK WILL BE IN THE OTHER LANE OR OFF THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH AND ALSO ON LOCAL ROADS AT SP…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084235 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11113160 · 2018-07-23 (July 23, 2018)

ON MAY 27, 2018, I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT THE INTERSECTION OF 19TH AVE SE AND 121ST ST SE IN EVERETT, WA WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE TRAVELING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THERE WAS A COLLISION DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE RIGHT BEDSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSED BY THE VEHICLE DUE TO VEHICLE IMPACT. IN ADDITION, ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND A FIRE STARTED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. FARMERS INSURANCE HIRED A 3RD PARTY INVESTIGATION COMPANY AND CONCLUDED THAT THE DAMAGES ARE MAINLY DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH AIRBAG AND ELECTRICAL SYSTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113160 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11114065 · 2018-07-27 (July 27, 2018)

JUNE 21, 2018 WE WERE DRIVING DOWN HWY 1 BYPASS IN FORREST CITY, AR AND WERE HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, PASSENGER DOOR AND GAS TANK AREA. THE TRUCK TOOK THE IMPACT WELL AND WE SPUN 180 DEGREES TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT WERE UNHARMED, INCLUDING THE ONE WHOSE DOOR TOOK MOST OF THE IMPACT. MY HIP WAS INJURED FROM THE AIR BAG THAT DEPLOYED FROM THE BACK OF MY SEAT. AS I WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT CALLING 911, THE SEAT BEGAN SMOKI…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11114065 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11113546 · 2018-07-25 (July 25, 2018)

WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE & APPROX. 1,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, THE FRONT END OF THE FUEL TANK DROPPED OUT OF TRUCK WHILE IN MOTION AT APPROX. 20 MPH ON MULTI-LANE SUBURBAN STREET. VEHICLE HAD BEEN FILLED WITH FUEL A FEW MINUTES PRIOR. DRIVER STOPPED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE IN RIGHT LANE SHORTLY AFTER HEARING DRAGGING NOISE. HOLES IN TANK CAUSED FUEL TO POUR OUT AND COLLECT ON ROAD. FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE RESPONDED TO NEUTRALIZE FUEL SPILL. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED FUEL TANK STRAP BROKE, REPLACED FUEL TANK, STRAP AND SEAL UNDE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113546 at NHTSA ↗