Model Years

2018 Ford F-150 Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 18 safety recalls and 2,308 owner complaints for the 2018 Ford F-150.

18Safety recalls
2,308Owner complaints
64Complaints citing a crash
33Complaints citing a fire

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.

Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Recalled components: exterior lighting, powertrain, brakes, equipment, and 7 more. Most-reported area: powertrain (1,008 complaints, 44%; median mileage when it happened: 60,000). Excludes the electric F-150 Lightning.

18 safety recalls for the 2018 Ford F-150

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Exterior lighting

Jun 9, 2026

headlights

  • Fails federal standard 108 (lighting)
  • NHTSA 26V-373
  • 91,198 vehicles

When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Risk: Daytime Running Lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: ,Dealers will reprogram the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V097.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 26C28.

Powertrain

Jun 9, 2026

automatic transmission · control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

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.

Risk: Unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, increasing the risk of crash or injury.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V669.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 26S42.

Brakes

Apr 11, 2025

foundation components · master cylinder

The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

Risk: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-150.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Brakes: foundation components, master cylinder; Brakes: power assist. Ford campaign 25S37.

Equipment

Nov 8, 2024

labels

  • Fails federal standard 208 (occupant crash protection)
  • NHTSA 24V-852
  • 27,678 vehicles

The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 24C39.

Brakes

Mar 11, 2022

power assist

5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

Risk: A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Brakes: foundation components, master cylinder; Brakes: power assist. Ford campaign 22S11.

Latches, locks and linkages

Dec 16, 2021

tailgate · latch

The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.

Risk: Unexpected tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will replace the left-hand and right-hand tailgate latches, free of charge. An interim notification letter was mailed January 31, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S53.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles with manual and power release tailgates.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 21S53.

Tires

Mar 10, 2021

On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 21S10.

Exterior lighting

Feb 21, 2020

headlights

  • Fails federal standard 108 (lighting)
  • NHTSA 20V-097
  • 166,196 vehicles

The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."

Risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 20C03.

Seats

Aug 28, 2019

front assembly · recliner

  • Fails federal standard 202 (head restraints)
  • NHTSA 19V-633
  • 639,137 vehicles

Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Seats: front assembly, recliner; Seats: mid/rear assembly. Ford campaign 19C07.

Engine

Apr 8, 2019

During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.

Risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Engine; Equipment: electrical. Ford campaign 19S11.

Engine

Dec 18, 2018

Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.

Risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S45.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 18S45.

Seat belts

Aug 31, 2018

pretensioner

If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.

Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S27.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Seat belts: pretensioner; Body structure: body, roof and pillars. Ford campaign 18S27.

Fuel system

Jun 12, 2018

delivery · fuel pump

5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S17.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 18S17.

Powertrain

Apr 4, 2018

automatic transmission

A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.

Risk: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.

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.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 18S09.

Powertrain

Apr 4, 2018

automatic transmission · gear position indication (prndl)

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.

Risk: If the gear shift cable clip becomes unseated or dislodged, the gear shift lever position may indicate that the transmission is in 'Park' when it may be in a different gear. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the shift cable locking clip and properly seat it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 18S10.

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).

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Powertrain: automatic transmission; Powertrain: automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl). Ford campaign 18S10.

Powertrain

Oct 23, 2017

automatic transmission · lever and linkage · column shift

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.

Risk: Unidentified or unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in a way that was not intended by the driver, increasing the risk of crash or injury.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S35.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Components: Powertrain: automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Powertrain: automatic transmission, lever and linkage, column shift. Ford campaign 17S35.

Engine

Oct 23, 2017

5L engines. The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.

Risk: Without a proper supply of lubrication, the engine will fail, causing a stall and increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford is not aware of any affected vehicles outside of dealer control. Should owner contact subsequently be required, arrangements will be made to transport their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the engine replaced.The recall began October 24, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S37.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 17S37.

Body structure

Sep 25, 2017

body · roof and pillars

The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.

Risk: If the structural integrity is reduced, in the event of a rollover crash, there may be an increased risk of injury .

The fix and full notice

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install the rivets for the roof brace attachments, free of charge. The recall began October 17, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S29.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor Super Cab pick-up trucks not equipped with a moonroof.

NHTSA listing: F-150. Ford campaign 17S29.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA also lists 1 equipment recall for parts sold for this vehicle, not the vehicle itself: Suspension: front, control arm, upper ball joint (Tenneco Automotive, 21E-027).

What owners report

The areas named in the 2,308 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 F-150. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Ford F-150 recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 F-150 drew the most (501).

Owner complaints

2018: 2,308 complaints

Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford F-150
Model yearComplaints
20162,053
20171,437
20182,308
20191,327
2020727
20211,269
2022805
2023501
2024222
2025123
202614

Safety recalls

2018: 18 recalls

Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford F-150
Model yearRecalls
201613
201717
201818
20199
202011
202129
202223
202313
202411
202515
20265

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

Tested versionOverallFrontalSideRollover
Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2
Rollover risk 19.1%
Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x4
Rollover risk 19.1%
Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x2
Rollover risk 19.1%
Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x4
Rollover risk 19.1%
Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x2
Rollover risk 19.1%
Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x4
Rollover risk 19.1%

Questions

What are the most common 2018 F-150 problems?

The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: powertrain (1,008), engine (506), body structure (193). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.

Is the 2018 Ford F-150 safe?

In NHTSA crash tests the 2018 Ford F-150 earns 4 to 5 stars overall, depending on the version. The table above lists each tested version.

How do I check if my F-150 has an open recall?

Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.

Sources and method

  • NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
  • NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
  • NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
  • NHTSA model names covered: F-150.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.