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
The 10 speed transmission on my pickup is failing. Dropping out of gear, losing power, failing when climbing a slight hill, Loud clanking and jerking in and out of gear. Black transmission fluid. Ford dealers cannot deal with it and my dealer that does the regular service cannot schedule me for diagnostics for over a month. I finally have an appointment with an out of town dealer two week out. In the meantime, my work pickup is nearly useless.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission seized. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,809.
My drivers windshield wiper arm broke 4 weeks ago in the rain because the little key popped off. The wiper hit the driver behind me and I almost got into an accident. Today my passenger windshield wiper arm broke for the same reason. The little metal key popped off. This wipers are very flawed. That little key should be welded to the wiper. It was snowing and a very little snow caused my wiper arm key to break. Now I have to buy a whole new one. This is my second arm in 2 weeks. I have now replaced both wiper arms. This could have killed me, my family and others. Corners should not be but while making wiper arms. They can cause a visual hazard and result in death. Not smart! Please do a recall on these.
Transmission would jerk in and out of 9th gear and then go from 9th gear to 1st while driving on the highway. Transmission shop reported it as a drum issue. Also said they had 3 other Ford trucks with the same transmission having the same exact issues.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal clicking noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed by the mechanic that the vehicle had experiencing the failure listed in an unknown recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the dealer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 27,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to shift properly. Additionally, the contact stated that while the transmission was shifting gear, there was a clunking sound coming from the gear shifter. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact used a handheld scanner and retrieved DTC: P07F6-00 (Gear 9 Incorrect Ratio Detected by PCM). The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where DTC: P07F6-00; was retrieved again, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 96,000.
The sync3 screen is flashing intermittently. It blacks out for 1 second and comes back on for one second. It continuously does this, and is very distracting while driving down the road. Especially at night. Also I cannot see the rearview camera while backing up the vehicle. I have done research on the problem, and there are numerous other problems just like I'm experiencing.
Transmission slips, changes gears. Auto start slams into forward gear. Ten speed transmission not safe to drive. Taking truck to dealership for two years with no resolution. Phaser start up rattle. Taking it to dealership for two years with no resolution.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that prior to the crash he had driven into some mud and the ABS and engine lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving in snow at approximately 40 mph, the accelerator pedal became stuck. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver made a sharp U-turn into a patch of grass and crashed into a fence, hydroplaned, and crashed into a dumpster. The contact sustained injuries to his back and neck that required medical attention. The passenger sustained unknown injuries and received medical attention. A police report was filed. There were no reported fires. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The insurance company evaluated the vehicle and towed it to another repair shop. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who referred him to the dealer for diagnostic testing, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 83,465.
Upon completion of oil change and tire rotation at Wayne County Ford in Honesdale PA, we were called and told our lug nuts were swollen, all 20, and needed to be replaced at a cost of $150. We told them not to replace them and during a conversation with the service manager, he said Ford puts a cap over them, water gets under the cap, and swells the lug nut. Sounded ridiculous. We wrote to the Owner of the dealership and at this time we are riding with swollen lug nuts till we can find some affordable ones, putting us at risk. There are TORQ wrench marks on my lug nuts which were not there before. Overtightening seems to have taken place.
275/55R20 Goodyear Wrangler literally exploded while driving on I-40 East Bound in New Mexico on 2/21/23 at approximately 9 AM. Roadway was dry and clear of any debris. Shredded tire caused extensive damage to underside of truck bed, wheel and side of bed. Original Equipment tire with 45,824 miles and 8/32 remaining tread,- dealer had in demo service prior to my purchase. I am the original retail owner Tire was inflated to 40 PSI at time of failure. Tires have been rotated on regular basis by local Ford dealer and show no unusual signs of wear. Tire and wheel are still in my possession and available for inspection. Goodyear was notified of this failure 3/8/23 via email and photos provided - no response to date. I was able to steer the vehicle to the shoulder and install the spare tire.
Any time that temps fall below freezing one or multiple doors may fail to re latch shut after opening. I am worried that if that is the case then if they do latch shut could they fail and the door re open mid drive anyways? Seems to me this is a very common ford issue starting back in 2015 but a recall has not been issued, only a customer service thing where they "fix" the issue with more people then not stating that the "fix" does not fix it at all
I was pulling out into 4 lanes of traffic and the truck shut off. Dash had message "Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engine". I am stuck blocking 4 lanes of traffic on a busy street with cars coming fast. I put in park and restarted the engine. It died and gave the same message 4 more times. Finally revved the engine way up and was able to move the truck. It died twice while approaching the next stop sign even though Auto Start/Stop was disabled. Revved engine and was able to make it to the Ford dealer who had no one available to assess the problem. Several people suggested replacing the battery. I put in a new battery and reset the battery monitoring system. The problem still persists. Slamming a dead pickup into park in the middle of 4 lanes of oncoming traffic is most definitely a safety issue. I see that many Ford owners have experienced the same problem in a variety of Ford products. I don't think it is a battery issue since the engine should be able to run off the alternator and it still occurs after replacing the battery. I don't think it is an Auto Start/Stop issue since it occurred with AS/S activated or deactivated. In almost all cases the engine is warmed up and in the one instance I had driven the truck 22 miles before the failure occurred. In almost every case, I am gently accelerating from a stop or slowing down for a stop. It has failed in both Drive and Reverse. I get no other warning lights or messages.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that he noticed that the driver's side rear door failed to open as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear latch cable and assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
I noticed the truck began rattling in the mornings or when the engine was cold. I was driving on the freeway when it started losing power and the check engine light was flashing. It had been misfiring and progressively got worse. I managed to get off the freeway in time to shut the vehicle off. The vehicle has gone through diagnostic testing at a Ford dealership. The service tech informed me that the cam phasers needed to be replaced because they were sticking and the computer needed to be reprogrammed. The computer was then reprogrammed and I drove the vehicle home, 5 miles away, and it would not start again. After some research, I was made aware that the CAM PHASERS are a KNOWN ISSUE on the Ford F 150 Raptor through the Customer Satisfaction Program no. 21N03-initiated by NHTSA. This replacement covers the 2017-2020 F150 Raptor if manufactured at the Dearborn plant between March 2016-Nov 2019. I have confirmed the vehicle was built at that location in the time period mentioned. I brought this up to the tech, service manager at the Ford Dealership as well as Ford Customer Relationship Center and I was told numerous times that the VIN no. does not qualify. This is a safety issue, recognized by Ford, and should be covered. I was told to contact the NHTSA to seek qualification of my vehicle.
Engine light came on. Brough to dealership who reported the issue is an Engine Coolant Temp Sensor. It is listed under a bulletin and is a known issue that can result in overheating and engine failure. Vehicle has >30,000 and Ford refuses to cover the cost of repairs.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at high speeds, the transmission experienced rough and erratic shifting while switching gears. Additionally, the transmission was slipping while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Exiting a major freeway. Truck lost all power and dash lights illuminated. With a message. Place and park and restart engine. Resulting in me narrowly avoiding a major accident, due to lack of power and braking. After running off the side of the highway and stopping. Vehicle could be restarted with no check engine or faults. However, this is extremely dangerous. After getting home and researching to see if this is a problem to other Ford F150 owners. Others have reported similar problems. Will not be driving vehicle because its unsafe.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle he heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the knocking sound was heard while driving the vehicle at various speeds. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the cam phasers were replaced over a year ago. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact related the failure to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03 (Engine). The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The breaks have to be pushed too far down in order for truck to stop. I have had the breaks professionally bled and still… in order to come to a complete stop I have to put quite a bit of pressure for my truck to remain stopped at a red light. I hit a bicyclist crossing the road because my truck moved forward. There have been a few times I almost rolled into an intersection to oncoming traffic because I let my foot off the break just a hair but still applying a lot of pressure. This is VERY dangerous and can cause death. This needs to be looked at because I see a lot of people are having this problem or there have been recalls on other ford f150’s but my f150 didn’t have a recall for it. Please look into this for the sake of my life and my children’s and others.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the engine made a rattling sound. The contact stated while driving the vehicle and or while the engine was idling, the engine was idling rough and seemed to experience a misfire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and received a repair under an unknown Customer Satisfaction Program related to the cam phasers. The dealer re-flashed the computer; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 58,000.
When closing the driver's side door, the door will not latch close. I had to drive the vehicle with the door unlatched or with me holding the door closed and driving with one hand.Three days ago, 3 out of the 4 doors would not open after unlocking the vehicle. This is the same issue and recall on 2017 Ford F-150 and I don't like the fact of my door flying open at random. This is unsafe and needs to be addressed!
The day running lights don’t work at all and researching online there are hundreds if not thousands of people with similar issues. F150’s 2015-2020 having the same problem. This is not caused by misuse or neglect but factory defective components. These headlight are almost $1400
Ford is temporarily fixing frozen door latches on certain F150s under their customer satisfaction program #19N06. In cold weather, the door latches freeze and render the doors incapable of latching closed. It's not very safe to try to drive with doors that aren't latched closed. I call their fix "temporary" because I had this performed on my truck in January 2021. In January 2023 the same exact problem came back. Obviously their voluntary "fix" didn't work. I had to pay the Ford dealer $800.00 to have this "repair" done again. Who knows if it will last? My point is, they are avoiding what could turn into a serious safety issue by pretending to correct something, and then charging the customer when the "fix" fails. I suspect their are many other F150 owners dealing with this same issue. A door is supposed to close. That's a basic concept with vehicles.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he smelled an abnormal odor. Additionally, the contact noticed an excessive amount of fluid underneath the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V392000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) but the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
All doors have this issue during cold weather. The doors fail to latch or the doors fail to open. When the doors fail to latch I close the door thinking it is safely closed; however, the door latch fails to engage allowing the door to open while driving. This happened while a child was in the back seat and caused a very distressing hazard. I had to tie the door shut with a bungee cord. Other time the door latch will fail to disengage when operating the door handle both interior and exterior door handles. This is also very dangerous because it effectively lock a person in the vehicle preventing escape for any peril. I have learned that NHTSA already recalled this issue for 2015 to 2017 models and it appears that Ford has stuck their middle finger at NHTSA because they continue to use the faulty equipment. Much of what I have read about the fix for the 2015-2017 recall is that the fix prescribed by Ford failed to correct the problem. This is a major safety hazard that deserves your immediate attention before people die from this manufacturer defect. Please do the right thing and force this manufacturer to do the right thing and create a fix that actually corrects the problem.
3 out of 4 doors locks do not work. If you search recalls for 2015 - 2017 Ford F150's, it is doing the same thing.
The truck was sitting overnight outside in the cold. In the morning we remote started from the house. When we went outside the rear window of the truck had shattered. the top seal had also completely come apart.
Driver door swung open while driving and then would not stay latched. Door frequently will not latch.
My 2018 Ford 150 with the 5.0 engine is burning up oil. Looking on line I see that there are other owners of this type having the same problem.
Windshield wipers will not completely shut off. Wipers come on approximately every 12 seconds after being turned to the off setting. Besides being irritating, it eventually will wear down the wiper blades and scratch the windshield which becomes a safety concern. Searching the internet this seems to have been a chronic problem with the combination wiper/turn singal switch on Ford F-150 dating back several years.
Took truck in to have oil changed, filter changed, includes tire rotation. Informed tires could not be rotated due to swollen lug nuts. Told safe thing to do is buy new lug nuts. Apparently this is an ongoing issue with Ford OEM lug nuts that have a chrome finish.
2018 f150 4x4 lariat the issue is 4x4 is engaging while your driving I’m on the highway speed 65 to 70 mph 4x4 trying to engage. Doing research Ford sent united state wide message to mechanic if customers bring vehicle in under this issue which is TSB technical service bulletin 22-2219 , think this is a safety issue if 4x4 engage is going to veer your vehicle in a different direction, the fix is to bypass the check valve so now your vehicle front axle is always engaged,didn’t purchase this vehicle to be all wheel drive
The IWE was faulty. I got in my truck and put it in drive, then when I started to accelerate, a horrible grinding sound started (sounded like my tire had been taken off and the metal from the rims were dragging kind of metal sound) . I immediately had to try and pull over, and checked to make sure nothing was falling off. I put it in drive again and it did not do it until I went to leave work. Then I put it in drive and it did it again, so I put it in park and then drive and it still continued to make the noise. I parked and started to look at forums on 2018 f150s and grinding noises and seen one that said if it is the IWE, then put it in 4wd and then switch back to 2wd and it should stop. I did that and that is the only way I could get it to not make the horrid grinding sound. I could tell that there still was something going on with the vacuum because of how it drove, but I could actually drive without it sounding like it was going to fall apart. There were no warning lights that had come on when I was having the issues, and I ended up replacing the part at home. I should still have the original IWE at my house, but apparently this is a very common problems with these trucks.
i WAS DRIVING AND SLID OFF THE ROAD AT A CORNER, WHEN I IMPACTED A TREE, THE AIRBAG DIDNT DEPLOY, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. CURERNTLY THE VEHICLE IS AT A CHEVY DEALER WAITING FOR INSURANCE TO FINALIZE PAPERWORK FOR A TOTAL LOSS. IT CAN BE INSPECTED IF REQUESTED. i CANNOT FIND SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE FAILURE WITHOUT COST TO MYSELF. I FEEL THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BUMPER WAS SHOVED INTO THE ENGINE , AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT. THE INSURANCE LOOKED AT VEHICLE, AND DID NOT FEEL THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS WORTHY OF INVESTIGATING. THE POLICE DID NOT INSPECT ANYTHING. NO WARNING LAMPS OR SERVICE INDICATORS WERE LIT PRIOR TO IMPACT. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY STATED ID HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE INSURANCE REFUSED TO SEND THE VEHICLE TO FORD. i HAVE NECK STRAIN AND PAIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND FEEL THAT HAD IT DEPLOYED, I WOULD BE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE. IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IS SET TOO HIGH FOR IMPACTS, THEN THEY ARE USELESS TO PREVENT INJURY.
Tailgate drops unexpectedly while driving. This has happened several times, I make sure to thoroughly close the tailgate and check it frequently but it still happens while driving.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he heard a loud rattle sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while cold starting the vehicle, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment that went away after driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cam phasers, but the vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03, Supplement #1 (Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Drivers side door will not latch closed AND OPEN WHILE DRIVING
excessive oil consumption > abnormal engine sounds > poor engine performance > stalling engine > engine shaking excessively > reoccurring p0022 codes > abnormal/hard shifting in transmission during acceleration or cruising > even failed acceleration engine shutting down while passing vehicles at highway speeds on interstate travel putting myself & other vehicles around me at risk; recognized excessive oil consumption before 50K miles but didn't realize ongoing problem because regularly changed oil 3-5K miles but it has worsened over time burning up to 3-4Q every 3K miles (currently 155K miles on truck). Dealership confirmed excessive oil consumption: changed dipstick & reprogrammed computer (PCM); didn't help, seems worse now. Check Engine Light chronically appears, even the "wrench" light has appeared twice in past 10K miles but will turn off after adding 2Q oil. I now change oil every 3K and add 1Q every 750-1000 miles until oil change is due to keep oil level appropriate per dipstick. All complaints I read online of similar symptoms/characteristics point toward excessive oil consumption in 2018+ 5.0 Coyote F150. Bad engineering? Class action lawsuit? I'm worried engine will fail (as has the potential) during wrong time.... night, bad weather, congested interstate/hwy, etc. Ford must solve this problem! Built Ford Tough?
truck rear glass shattered . I went inside the truck and when I closed the door I heard some shattering behind me , I turned back and saw little glass part falling down
While getting tires rotated at Costco, it was recommended I replace all lug nuts as they were all swollen. Was advised this is a safety issue. Also advised this appears to be a common problem and complaint with Ford trucks although no known recall to date. Replaced all lug nuts totaling $35.44. Invoice available if needed.
In freezing weather, the door latches freeze and the door cannot be closed. There is a recall for this issue, #19N06 however it does not work. I had the recall performed then a week later when the weather changed, I am unable to close my door. This is a major safety issue because the driver has to hold the door or strap the door shut while driving and there is also the risk of it not being truly latched and swinging open while moving. Ford provides the one time recall however, in my case this seems to do nothing. I have had the vehicle in to Ford and they claim this is all the recall does to fix it and the rest of the time/labor they spend will be out of my pocket. There are no indicator lights prior to failure, it is strictly due to below freezing weather.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated he received a notice of Ford Campaign Number: 21M06 for enhanced unintended tailgate opening remedy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the repair was completed. The dealer then informed the contact that he would need to press the power release button twice in order to open the vehicle; however, upon testing the vehicle, the tailgate failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the tailgate would only open while the vehicle was turned off. The dealer informed the contact that another software update needed to be performed on the vehicle to repair the issue. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V983000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine made an abnormal rattling sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03 (Cam Phaser Replacement); however, the VIN was not included The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The 10 Speed transmission has adaptive learning software. The transmission miss gears and lurches forward as if to be struck from behind. When the truck is in the higher gears the transmission disengages and acts as if in natural. There are times when the transmission shifts from 8 to 1 causing the vehicle to "buck". This is a serious safety issue that Ford has no plan to correct.
Vehicle shifts extremely hard, appears to shift into neutral, loses power and slows way down while driving. This has caused numerous safety issues that could cause a wreck that results in injury or death. Multiple times while on the interstate or passing a vehicle the truck has slowed down 10-20 MPH. This causes vehicle backups on the interstate and could result in death while passing a vehicle in a passing zone. The TB published did not fix the issue and the class action lawsuit filed in IL has been going on for four years. There have been multiple complaints of this issue and should result in a recall. Additionally, the dealership charged me 8.5 hours to overhaul the main control valve body when the TB states a maximum of 5.5 hours.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine while starting the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the cam phasers where defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle made abnormal sounds as if the engine was revving, or the transmission was attempting to shift into another gear while the brake pedal was being depressed to slow down the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact stated that after the initial start-up, the transmission was slightly hesitating before shifting into gear. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic but was not diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
While driving my truck making turn into our driveway passenger door opened with out being touched. Daughter was thrown side ways towards opening but was restrained by her seat belt. Since this time doors have opened Numerous times and at time will not Latch at all. This only happens on cold days. So the problem is in door and or door latches. Now to drive we have to ratchet strap doors shut. I have videos of the doors not latching. Dealer ships act as if they have never heard of this problem. Has never been inspected by police or shop or others. Internet indicates this is a problem others are facing. Ford seems not to care that my child almost fell out of a moving car. In acceptable. Seems like they would recall such an extreme hazard condition. No warning no remedy that is a for sure fix. Just misdirection and avoidance.