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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,772 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Ford F-150 engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Ford F-150 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #45

Jun 262024

F-150

  • 140,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the transmission was shifted hard. While driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle shifted from tenth gear to first and then back to tenth. The vehicle revved up. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed to be in neutral. The vehicle was suddenly accelerated. The powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case and referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

- Cadet, MO, USA

problem #44

May 012024

F-150

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated at excessive speeds. The contact aggressively depressed the brake pedal and shifted into neutral to decelerate and slow the vehicle to a stop. The failure was intermittent and occurred at various speeds. The contact-??s son inspected the vehicle and determined that a fuse related to the cruise control might be defective. The contact-??s son had replaced the fuses. While driving approximately 10 MPH and coming to a stop sign, the contact decided to come closer to the stop sign however, the vehicle accelerated past the stop sign. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal several times however, the vehicle failed to stop until approximately a block away from the stop sign. There was a certified mechanic nearby who inspected the vehicle but found no cause for the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the cruise control fuse had failed. The dealer replaced the fuse. The contact was uncomfortable with the fuse being in the vehicle, so the dealer removed the fuse to deactivate the cruise control. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a complaint was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Sweetwater, TN, USA

problem #43

May 012024

F-150

  • miles
2018 Ford F150 2.7 with 133,000 miles. Not shifting properly and jerking into gears. Shifted down into first from 10th while traveling down the interstate. Stalled in the middle of the road while making a turn from a stop sign and then jerked I to gear and started driving again. Went to the dealership back in May where I bought it from and they advised me that it-??s the transmission and this is a known problem with all 2018 F150 transmissions. Advised me the only fix was to replace it. Now in November it has gotten worse and when I try to get above 70 mph quickly (passing a vehicle on the interstate), it starts jerking hard repeatedly. Also, it automatically will kick my cruise control off while going down the highway. Controls in the steering wheel stop working properly.

- Clanton, AL, USA

problem #42

Nov 222024

F-150

  • 118,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light with her foot depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact was able to stop the vehicle before it crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front. The contact stated that the vehicle was also slipping out of gear into a lower gear at various speeds, almost causing a crash. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle seized in first gear after coming to a full stop and failed to shift into the higher gears while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the yellow triangle with an exclamation mark (ESP Fault) and "See Owner's Manual" messages were illuminated. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

- Longview, TX, USA

problem #41

Aug 052024

F-150

  • 127,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and shifted out of gear independently. The contact also stated that the vehicle was independently accelerating. The vehicle was driven to the independent mechanic for diagnosis. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

- Winnetka, CA, USA

problem #40

Aug 172024

F-150

  • miles
I on a trip [XXX] round trip is about 332 miles. I had approximately 42 miles to go and the truck speed was reduced and it started to jerk. This is the second trip over two hundred miles and the same thing happened. have extended warranty insurance but I can-??t get any one to accept it here in Cleveland, Mississippi. I really think this truck is a lemon. I purchased it last year in November and it-??s been giving me problems ever since then. I don-??t have money to just give away on something that is not worth it. I even went to the dealer where I bought the truck and asked him if I could swap out for another truck and he told me he couldn-??t do it. When I checked on car fax it just shows that this truck had 126,000miles on it. But at the dealership it showed 149,000miles.So it only showed history for 126,000 and less. I don-??t know the history of the 23,000 miles that-??s not accounted for. I want my money back or a reliable truck that has no problems with it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Cleveland, MS, USA

problem #39

May 182024

F-150

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Three times in the last year while driving north on interstate 91 coming down a long steep hill entering the town of Springfield, Vermont while my f-150 was in cruise control traveling at 70 mph the transmission has down shifted all by itself to fifth gear without me touching anything. I have not taken it to my local dealer as they want to charge me $135 dollars per hour just to look at it. Also my doors freeze anytime it gets below 32 degrees! Can not latch doors shut once they freeze.

- Claremont, NH, USA

problem #38

Mar 152024

F-150

  • miles
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.

- Cordova, TN, USA

problem #37

Sep 012023

F-150

  • miles
Been having this issue for months. Go to hit the gas to go from a stop truck shutters and hastates to move. No check engine light has come on. Thought it was the fuel we put in it but no matter what fuel it still does it. Almost have been hit a dozen times with my children in the truck with me due to truck will not Accelerate and shutters when you go to take off from a stop. Even when putting the vehicle into sports mode and hit the gas, the truck hesitates and shutters as well. Been to repair shops and they stated they can't find anything wrong with it due to no check engine light being on.

- Eagle , WI, USA

problem #36

Mar 282024

F-150

  • 41,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rumbling sound detected. The vehicle was slow to accelerate, then lunged forward. While accelerating, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be overhauled. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact to upgrade the fuel. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #35

Feb 152024

F-150

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission shifting hard, jerking and causing the engine to lose power causing road safety hazards fr e and others

- Dover, NH, USA

problem #34

Oct 012023

F-150

  • 106,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the cruise control was engaged, the vehicle accelerated to 100 MPH. The vehicle skipped gear while accelerating from a stop. The vehicle stalled and restarted. The brake pedal independently depressed without driver input. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

- Marquette, MI, USA

problem #33

Jan 092020

F-150

  • miles
Transmission. It slips and jumps gears, lags, doesn't engage from a stop for a few seconds, downshifts itself while driving down the highway, at parking lot speeds the engine will rev up and lurch forward. It has been inspected by a local dealership and confirmed that there is an internal problem and recommended new transmission for $7500. They have been in contact with Ford Co, as have I, making a formal complaint which Ford is not owning the problem completely. The truck has 53,000 miles on it with perfect maintenance records. Safety issue is that the truck downshifts at highway speed. Rev's and jumps in parking lots which could cause an accident or worse...strike a pedestrian. The truck lags from a stop which could be dangerous when pulling into traffic. This is a documented issue with Ford vehicles, mostly in the 3.5 eco-boost 10 speed trucks but I believe in possibly some of their others. From day 1 of ownership I noticed something odd which I made it known to the dealership when it went in for service on several occasions. The dealer could never duplicate the issue. In November 2023 the issue got very bad with all that was mentioned in the opening sentence. The dealership had confirmed that there are issues with this truck/transmission and they have a service bulletin on the issues. There are multiple Ford forums online with people who all have the same issue with this truck/transmission. There haven't been any warning lamps to indicate but as mentioned this has been a problem since the purchase and now although it's marginally drivable, the issue has become significant and dangerous. The date below was from the time I have an email documenting the issue to the dealership. As mentioned, it was an ongoing issue to lesser degree but the larger failure started in Mid November 2023. That puts me about 4-5 months outside of my 5 year warranty but inside my 60K. Regarding Documentation below: Anything of value has been on the phone.

- Middletown, RI, USA

problem #32

Dec 202023

F-150

  • miles
Transmission, on 5 year F150 truck slips, and sometimes wont go in revers, huge safety issue. This issue almost caused an accident a few time in one week. We took truck to dealership. They did concur it is not drivable IF NOT FIXED This is a huge safety issue for all 2018 f150 trucks. we never received any recall info on truck if there were any. imagine a vehicle you cant go in reverse, or transmission stops as you pull into an intersection. luckily for us our family was not involved in an accident. a 5 year old vehicle's transmission should not fail on any manufacture.. According to several 2018 f150 owners this is an issue. someone will die in a accident if this is not addressed.

- Boston, NY, USA

problem #31

Dec 072023

F-150

  • miles
Vehicle transmission is shifting hard and often time slipping. Causing us to lose power until it finally gets into gear. It's nearly caused us accidents due to the sudden loss of power. It is available for inspection. We live in an area with high traffic tourist volume and has caused us multiple near accidents. It has been checked by a mechanic. The code thrown every time was P0732. The code was thrown the first time it did it 2 weeks ago.

- Powersite, MO, USA

problem #30

Aug 032022

F-150

  • miles
The vehicle as of 12/9/2023 at 3:00pm CST is at a mileage of 79,503. We are consistently experiencing the slipping of gears when the truck is switched from park to drive. The first couple gears seem to slip as it accelerates. The speedometer will be showing at under 10mph, and the truck will jerk forward. The engine/transmission gets loud as if the car is still in a lower gear as it-??s accelerating. While it-??s jerking and making the loud noise, the speedometer will not go over 10mph. We are concerned that it is a problem with the powertrain control module. It seems to happen when the shift lever is moved from Park to Drive, possibly it causes 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 the Drive function. We have a column shifter.

- St Paul, MN, USA

problem #29

Sep 152023

F-150

  • miles
When I first start driving the transmission does not seem to know what gear it should be in. It will start in first, jump to four and even at a stop with remain in fourth. As I start to move it will drop back to first and then jump to eighth. It will bounce between gears like this for the first half a mile or so then seems to settle back down. When it is jumping around gears the shifting is extremely hard and causes the truck to lunge, shaking the passengers and driver. I have started to notice over the last couple weeks it is getting worse and lasting longer into the day.

- Maricopa, AZ, USA

problem #28

Sep 072023

F-150

  • miles
Power train light came on a busy highway, Transmission disengage from engine, vehicle stops In the middle of traffic. Towed truck to the dealership on the on the 08/21/23. Reset PCM and TCM module.On the 09/07/23 same problem vehicle stop in traffic.Truck would not move in drive or reverse when engine running, towed to the dealership today.

- Bowie, MD, USA

problem #27

Mar 272023

F-150

  • miles
How is there not a recall yet? I'm still making payments on my 2018 Ford F-150 which I purchased in 2020. The first problem I experienced happened when accelerating to pass a slower moving vehicle (into oncoming traffic). Instead, my truck slowed substantially (70 mph down to 40 mph) preventing me and all the other drivers behind me from passing. Fortunately, there wasn't a vehicle traveling in the opposite lane...although, I'm not sure a head on collision would've resulted in a recall! I was told that the EcoBoost was the reason...that term is deceiving to say the least. This may/ may not have led to the bigger problem, my transmission. It's obvious Ford's 10 speed automatic transmission is far less than good. However, there is a safety risk when the gears change on their own, while driving, with children! Aside from the bang or jolt from the gears switching while in motion, it's frightening when the gear changes from 7th to 2nd on the freeway and the rpms rev very high, or when the gear starts in 7th from a stop sign...it takes a while to accelerate nonetheless! Shame on you Ford for not issuing a recall sooner! Very fortunate that this hasn't resulted in a major collision with fatalities...or perhaps there has been and there weren't any survivors to report it! I am not happy and will continue to update my complaint as I work my tail off to make money for a new transmission. Goodbye...until my next break.

- Port Aransas , TX, USA

problem #26

Mar 272023

F-150

  • miles
Wrench indicator warning light led to diagnosis that transmission replacement is needed. Verified (twice) by Ford Service Department and Reputable Ford Mechanic. Defective 10 speed automatic transmission: shift solenoids cause gears to shift up and down erratically, occasionally shifting with a jolt or bang.

- Port Aransas , TX, USA

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