2018 Ford F-150 complaints

Powertrain control module software is faulty, causing improper diagnosis of catalytic converters efficiency. Prompting a check engine light and P0430/P0420 code. I could not pass emissions testing with this code. The Ford dealer made me pay out of pocket to replace catalytic converters ~6 months ago, total cost of $2975.12. The have now addressed that it is unlikely the catalytic converters were faulty, and are offering no reimbursement.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting hard while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact used a code reader to attempt to determine the cause of the failure but was unable to retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the failure was related to the cam phasers. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

My coolant/water housing had an issue and caused a leak by the thermostat and it caused my engine to overheat while I was driving. I had my 10yr old son in the vehicle with me and had I not had the opportunity to pull over into a Walmart parking lot almost immediately in order to get some coolant into my truck, it would have been disastrous. The warning for high engine temperature was the only warning I had as I was unaware that I had any type of coolant leak. This could and may have caused some more damage than just the mandatory repairs that I had to do because this is my mode of transportation to/from work for the Federal Government.

Transmission frequently doesn't shift correctly. Leaving the house in the morning has trouble shifting to 2 on a neighborhood Street. Rpm climbs very high and finally jerks into second gear. Very dangerous. Pulling out on major highway. The transmission has trouble finding 2nd ,3rd or 4th gear. Same thing. Will go catch a couple of gears and not engage gear. This is very dangerous as if someone is coming up behind me and my truck randomly stuck in neutral and don't have forward momentum I have almost had some close collisions with some one running into the back of me. There is no recall with ford at this time this needs to be recalled as this is very dangerous for this to randomly happen in traffic.

Hard uneven shifting of the 10 speed transmission. One incident occurred on the highway at 72mph when the truck suddenly jerked but then recovered. I was holding the accelerator steady at the time of the incident. This is a major safety concern at this speed with kids in the vehicle. Truck has also experienced uneven shifting throughout its life (currently around 100k miles) but this was the first eye opening incident.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in an undisclosed recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the contact heard a ticking sound coming from under the hood and noticed an abnormal white smoke coming from the rear exhaust. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further inspection, the VIN was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03; however, the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the gear shifter engaged independently. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The first time the failure had occurred the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the PCM software needed to be updated and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while cold starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then received a letter from the manufacturer that the cam phasers were defective and would be replaced under warranty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the part was replaced. Recently, the contact stated that the failure returned. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for an unrelated issue and the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. A diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the cam phasers were defective; however, the repair was no longer covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the initial cam phasers placed in the vehicle were refurbished parts needed to be replaced. The contact was never notified of this and was informed that the vehicle no longer qualified for the repair under warranty. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 91,157.

Experienced a rapid, dangerous downshift on the highway that took me from 70 mph to 50 mph. After that, the truck shifts roughly into gears 1-7 then hesitates into gears 8-10. Additionally, trucks downshifts cause passengers to lunge forward at random times as it skips and slips in and out of all gears. I took the vehicle to my local Ford dealer immediately and was told i need to spend $10,000 on a new transmission. After researching, this is a KNOWN issue with this year and model of truck. It is grounds for a recall and I see there are a few already in process along with a class action lawsuit. Please help! I am without a working vehicle and have young children.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for regular service, the contact was made aware of a failure with the variable camshaft timing. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 87,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while his son was driving 70 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed; however, transmission fluid was added. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance in covering the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the sound was normal and was coming from the turbo. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Ashland Motors, where DTC: P0011 was retrieved. The mechanic diagnosed that the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21B10. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,500.

The transmission is regularly having issues. It is though it cannot find the right gear and when shifting it will sometimes be lagging or shifts extremely hard. I have had the transmission serviced three times in the 112,000 miles driven and it still seems to have issues.

The doors do not properly latch in cold weather. Yes available for inspection. The door came open while we driving down the road. The dash light came on indicating door was ajar. Door was not able to be closed after repeated attempts of closing. Passenger has to hold the door closed. Same occurrence happened to the driver side door and it would not latch so the vehicle couldn’t be used that day otherwise driver would have to hold door closed.

(A known defective Product/Part ) My name is [XXX] , and I am a retired military veteran and former police officer. I proudly served my country and community, including a deployment to Africa from 2021–2022. Unfortunately, during my service, I developed a chronic medical condition that ultimately led to my inability to continue working as a police officer and a soldier. Due to my physical limitations, I was honorably released from law enforcement, a career I deeply valued. In 2019, I purchased a 2018 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 Crew Cab with 14,000 miles on the odometer which has always been a goal of mine. In an effort protect my investment, I purchased an extended warranty, which I believed would cover me until I reached 100,000 miles. The truck currently has 77,000 miles, and I recently experienced a serious mechanical issue. While returning home from dropping my son off at college, my truck began harshly shifting, hesitating between gears, and jerking forward. The wrench light appeared, and I experienced a significant decrease in power. I immediately took it to Landers Ford in Covington, TN, where I was informed that the CDF drum is malfunctioning—a known issue with this type of transmission. The estimated repair cost is $9,335.14, but I was informed that my extended warranty had expired in 2024. I have meticulously taken care of my truck since I purchased it. I have only recently started driving it on a regular basis. As a [XXX] living on a fixed income, I simply do not have the

Ford F-150 equipped with 5.0L with 68,000 miles has a significant amount of engine oil loss between recommended intervals from the manufacturer. Took vehicle to dealership it was bought from brand new, they confirmed the level. Added oil, then the service department manager said, “we’ll have to do the oil consumption test. This is the test Ford recommends on the Service Board and they know about the problem.” They will send data to Ford, and Ford will recommend to “more than likely put a new motor in.” Since I’m just out of warranty, I have to pay over $15,000 out of pocket for a problem Ford knows about.

The transmission failed. Yes available on request. The vehicle was diagnosed by Gary Smith Ford in Ft Walton Beach Florida. The vehicle jumps out of gear when driving down the road rendering it undriveable. A slight “clunk” and delay to go into 1st gear when cold began at 30,000 miles. Just thought it needed a software update. At 70,000 miles, the engine light came on and I took it to Gary Smith Ford. The miles on it are light miles. No towing or city driving.

My son brought his vehicle in for service because his coolant had been leaking and the fan was constantly running very loud. The guy in the service department told him that it was a recall. After four days, they finally diagnosed it as an excessive coolant leak. I spoke with the service manager, Josh Bass and he sent a quote for $995.61 and didn't even specify what work was going to be done to the truck on the quote. Josh verbally told me over the phone that the water pump needs to be replaced to fix the problem. The truck has less than 60,000 miles on it and should be on recall. The coolant leak could lead to major engine problems. This issue is very concerning and should be reported immediately!

In 2019, I purchased a 2018 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 Crew Cab, VIN # [XXX] 00 miles on the odometer which has always been a goal of mine. In an effort protect my investment, I purchased an extended warranty, which I believed would cover me until I reached 100,000 miles. The truck currently has 69,000 miles, and I recently experienced a serious mechanical issue. While returning home from dropping my son off at college, my truck began harshly shifting, hesitating between gears, and jerking forward. The wrench light appeared, and I experienced a significant decrease in power. I immediately took it to Landers Ford in Covington, TN, where I was informed that the CDF drum is malfunctioning—a known issue with this type of transmission. The estimated repair cost is $9,335.14, but I was informed that my extended warranty had expired in 2024. I have meticulously taken care of my truck since I purchased it. I have only recently started driving it on a regular basis. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

10R80 transmission jerking, harsh shifting, lunging, clunking, hesitation, and sudden loss of power, slipping,

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for service, the contact was informed that the dealer observed an abnormal oil leak at the oil pan but provided no specific diagnostic results. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.

My 2018 Ford F150 with the 2.7L V6 Ecoboost and 10R80 10 speed automatic transmission was purchased used with around 50k miles on it. At approximately 100K miles the transmission started acting funny. After taking off from a stop with the transmission in 1st gear, as it went to shift up to the 2nd gear, the truck would rev as if it was in neutral with no power, then eventually slam violently into gear to the point where the tires would squeal. This is obviously dangerous as it is unpredictable and could cause the vehicle to lurch and hit another object uncontrollable. Especially in low speed areas such as parking lots. The truck had several CEL lights on including P0761. My research found several TSB's for the transmission usually indicated the CDF drum was the failure. I made an appointment with a local ford dealer and explained the circumstances to recreate the issue as it mostly occurred when the vehicle was cold. After $150 fee they told me they could not recreate it and no issue was obvious to them. I eventually went to a transmission specialist who confirmed the CDF drum was slipping and ended up paying $7,000 out of pocket to get it fixed.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam phasers and timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired the first time the failure occurred. The vehicle was not repaired currently. The contact was relating the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03 (Cam Phaser Replacement); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case and notified the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was inspected; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. However, the contact was informed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil, and the engine needed to be dissembled for a comprehensive diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal sound was coming from the transmission while upshifting from the 5th gear to the 8th gear. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance since the vehicle was not under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.

Transmission failure. When going into second gear the truck would start to stall for a brief minute before shifting into next gear. This was causing harsh, and delayed shifting. Never got into an accident, but majority of the time the shifting delays would happen when turning or getting up to 35 MPH. When this occurred the truck would stall which would cause cars following stopping fast and could have caused a fender bender. Truck was taken into a ford dealer. They updated PCM trans software update- that did not fix it. They then recommend total body value replacement which was done. That did not fix it. Now they are recommending total transmission replacement with cost at $10K. The wrench light would come on every time a bad shift would occur. Dealer admitted that they have been doing total value body replacements left and right with known transmission issues with 2018 F150.

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE, MISSED GEARS, RPM FLARING, AND TRANSMISSION SEEMING TO BE IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN IN TRAFFIC. NO ENGINE CODES PRODUCED. ISSUES WITH SHIFT INDICATOR BOUNCING FROM 10TH TO 1ST GEAR WHILE IT SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION IS IN NUETRAL. HARD TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. OVER REVING SHIFT POINTS OR NO SHIFT CONDITIONS. CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE IS. WHETHER IT'S MECHANICAL OR COMPUTER ISSUE. PROBLEM IS RANDOM AND HARD TO DUPLICATE WHILE DRIVING. DANGERS INCLUDE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHILE IN TRAFFIC TO GETTING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES. ISSUES AT TIMES WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL AND A NEUTRAL SITUATION OCCURS LOSING SPEED AND HAVING TO COMPLETELY STOP AS SPEED CAN NOT BE MAINTAINED.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while attempting to drive the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the transmission was skipping gear, and shifted improperly, with the RPM revving abnormally. The contact stated that after depressing the accelerator pedal to the floorboard the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that unknown technology needed to be upgraded. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Transmission started dropping into 1st gear from higher speeds of around 20 to 30 miles an hour before it started missing gears and I had to have it rebuilt.

Cold start engine rattle

My 2018 Ford F-150 XLT truck has a 10R80 10 speed transmission with 83,500 miles and the transmission is not shifting correctly. I can’t pull out into traffic most of the time because it does not go into the next gear correctly, which is 2nd thru 7th gear. It seems to work better once it’s driven for a while every time I drive it.

The Cam phasers on this vehicle are defective. This will be my third cam phasers in less than 3 years. The Cam Phasers cause the emissions to fail and can also cause unsafe driving such as the first time they failed while driving on the highway. I have brought this to the attention of the dealership numerous times and they say they can't duplicate it, even though it makes the noise when turning on the car or idling every time. They finally admitted this past visit to the Mall of Georgia Ford that it is an issue and a known recurring issue with this vehicle. I see the issue reported online, Ford Facebook pages, blogs, etc with thousands of people experiencing the same unsafe issue with both emissions and driving safety. Please advise.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the driver’s side door latch froze and failed to latch securely. The contact stated that the failure occurred in colder climates for several hours. The contact stated that after the vehicle had warmed up for 15 minutes, the door latch operated as designed and the door closed properly. The contact was concerned about the safety of the vehicle with the door not locking as needed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed, and the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear driver's and passenger's side doors latches independently unlocked and the driver's and passenger's rear doors swung open. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become persistent. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the vehicle was taken through the car wash. The contact, who is an independent mechanic, diagnosed the cause of the failure as moisture inside the door wells. The contact used bungy cords to prevent the doors from swinging open. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Cam phasers, turbos, exhaust manifolds. Cam phasers failed in the truck and started to make are really bad rattling noise on the cold start. After it warmed up it had the sound of a diesel engine. Mechanics said this an issue with this vehicle and only has a TSB put out for it. Mechanic stated if it wasn’t repaired could cause further damage to the engine due to metal pieces from cam phasers. Exhaust manifolds are warped and created a leak. Could smell exhaust from the leak and needed to be replaced. Turbos where leaking oil as well, truck doesn’t tow any type of trailer or heavy weight. Mechanic stated this is also a common issue with these trucks. All repairs where done within a month of each other. Mechanic also stated that the transmissions in these trucks have issues. Slipping gears, hard shifting etc. my vehicle is showing some signs of these issues. But doesn’t seem to be as concerning at this time. Could be a issue in the future

Doors will not latch in temps below 30degrees F.

The transmission was up-shifting from 1st gear to 3rd, then from 6th gear to 8th, then from 8th gear to 10th gear without any increased gas pedal pressure. While at a stop sign and having my foot applied to the brake pedal, the transmission was jumping and jerking the truck forward to move! I had to put my foot harder on the brake pedal to keep the truck from moving into the intersection! I called the dealership and they advised me not to drive our truck, due to possible more damage to the transmission. The dealership told us that it might just be a programming/software issue, that a possible re-flashing of the transmission might be the issue. That the vehicle starts to learn how you drive? We were first charged a service fee to diagnose this transmission about $250.00. I was worried that I would rear end someone, due to this transmission trying to force me forward at every stop! While driving, it was doing a jerking motion that was very forceful. This should be a nationwide recall due to this transmission not responding correctly and possibly causing a serious vehicle accident, not by an operator error! Our mileage was at 48,203 miles when we took it to the dealership. The powertrain is for 5 years or 60,000 miles. We paid $3,520.00 + the $250.00 to diagnose. Ford paid $2,880.00 due to the low mileage and it just ran out of warranty. If you notice any unexplained jerking motion while driving get it checked out ASAP! Ask about Fords Customer Loyalty Score/Financial Assistance

When it gets close to negative temps the door locks won’t work to close the door and the door won’t actually close. I can’t drive with me door open. I have had the recall and door were fixed 2021 and it is a occurred event

Rear doors get frozen and will not latch to stay shut. My daughter almost flew out of the vehicle when we went around a corner. I literally had to turn the heat on high hood the door closed for 30 minutes to get it warm enough to latch and stay shut. This is usually following a car wash within a 7 day span. I am not sure how there cannot be a recall for this. Everyone that I know with an F150 has had the same issues.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the cam phasers were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 130,000.

When accelarating the truck jerks or hesitatess as if it is struggling to get to the next gear.

At cold temperatures driver side door will not latch.

Door latch wont latch in cold condition. Once warmed up it works fine.

I recently purchased a 2018 F150 from Taylor Ford in Taylor, Michigan. The vehicle had 61,000 mi. The other day I was driving from Chicago to my hometown of Michigan. While driving at 70mph on the expressway the transmission dropped down into first gear, my yellow wrench light came on saying check manual. I drove a few more miles and pulled over at a gas station and as I was pulling in, it dropped into first gear and I heard horrific noises/ clunking /grinding and my vehicle would not go forward. It would not engage any gear past first gear and would not move forward. I was able to put it in reverse and come to a stop. This was a very dangerous situation and if I wasn't able to pull over at that time, it could've ended in tragedy. I was also inconvenienced because it happened 110 mi from my home and I ended up stranded.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear passenger’s door failed to latch and close securely. The contact stated that after the vehicle had warmed up the door closed as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Driver door cable sticking open when low temps occur. Driver door does not latch until vehicle is locked or key is inserted into door and manually positioned or key fob is used to lock the vehicle.

Rear Window/Glass spontaneously shattered. Loud Noise as it shattered entirely. No apparent cause while driving in parking lot with no bystanders.