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#BS-2018-FORF15-76F22018 Ford F-150Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 2,896 owners and 19 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 2,896 complaints, 105 crashes, 54 fires, and 19 recalls. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.
Top reported problems
shifting hard
18 complaints • Severity 7.4/10
excessive oil consumption rattling noise
9 complaints • Severity 9.6/10
transmission slips
7 complaints • Severity 7.1/10
engine rattle
6 complaints • Severity 6.7/10
4x4 iwe actuator is grinding
6 complaints • Severity 6.3/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
1000 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 39K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (553 reports) • Median: 39K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Drivetrain (1000 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2018 Ford F-150: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 35% of all reports filed for the 2018 Ford F-150, with 1000 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 39,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 39K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 2018 Ford F-150, with 582 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Structure:body Issues
Structure:body complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2018 Ford F-150, with 174 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2018 Ford F-150, with 162 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2018 Ford F-150. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (19 recalls)
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor Super Cab pick-up trucks not equipped with a moonroof. The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3L engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. 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.
ENGINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L engines. The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding Expedition vehicles with a Rotary Gear Shift Dial on the console). 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.
+ 14 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2018 Ford F-150 NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
Frontal crash
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
Side crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Rollover
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.
NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)
All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.
Seatbelt Pretensioner Fire
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
Low-pressure fuel pump failure
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
This is the worst model year for the Ford F-150 according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 2,896 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 19 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Ford F-150 Model Years
2018 Ford F-150: Frequently Asked Questions
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 2,896 owner reports. Know before you buy.