GarageIntel

2018 Ford F-150: problems, recalls and what it’s worth

18 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer.

Before you buy Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.

Looking at a 2018 Ford F-150 for sale?

No VIN? Paste the ad for a fair-price check.

The full report adds this car’s market value and what to offer.

Known problems on the 2018 Ford F-150

No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.

2018 Ford F-150 recalls

NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford F-150. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.

Show all 18
  • Brakes

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

    Details 25V236000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

    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.

  • Equipment

    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.

    Details 24V852000

    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. 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."

    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.

  • Brakes

    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.

    Details 22V150000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

    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.

  • Tires & wheels

    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.

    Details 21V155000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

    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.

  • Doors & latches

    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.

    Details 21V983000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles with manual and power release tailgates. The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.

    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.

  • Lights

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

    Details 20V097000

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

    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.

  • Seats

    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.

    Details 19V633000

    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. 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."

    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.

  • Transmission & drivetrain

    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…

    Details 18V213000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.

    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.

  • Transmission & drivetrain

    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.

    Details 18V214000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding Expedition vehicles with a Rotary Gear Shift Dial on the console). The gear shift cable clip may not be properly seated, allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.

    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.

  • Body structure

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

    Details 17V598000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor Super Cab pick-up trucks not equipped with a moonroof. The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.

    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.

  • Transmission & drivetrain

    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.

    Details 17V669000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3L engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral before the vehicle achieves Drive function.

    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.

  • Engine & cooling

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

    Details 17V672000

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L engines. The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.

    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.

1 aftermarket-part notice (parts sold for this model, not the car)
  • An incorrectly installed ball joint may cause the ball joint stud to break, which can compromise front wheel control, increasing the risk of a crash. 21E027000

2018 Ford F-150 safety investigations and free repairs

No open safety investigations.

Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):

A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.

Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.

2018 Ford F-150 safety and fuel

17–24 mpgEPA combined, depending on engine and drive
$2,950–$4,300 a yearEPA fuel-cost estimate (15,000 miles a year)

From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.

What owners complain about

70 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, about average.

Transmission & drivetrain74%
Engine & cooling16%
Brakes7%
Electrical6%
Body structure3%

Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.

What a 2018 Ford F-150 is worth

Rough trade-in values — roughly what a dealer would pay — by mileage, from published trade-in guides. Private sales and dealer prices run higher. For the exact car, add its VIN.

MileageTrade-in (rough)
40,000 mi$18,283
80,000 mi$13,500
$0$10k$20k$30k40k mi80k mi40,000 miles: $18,28380,000 miles: $13,500$18,283$13,500
Trade-in value by mileage

From new to now

What each Ford F-150 model year trades in for today at typical mileage.

$0$5k$10k$15k$20kNew2 yr4 yr6 yr8 yr10 yr12 yrAge (years old)2014 model, 12 yr old, ~144,000 mi: about $11,2482016 model, 10 yr old, ~120,000 mi: about $16,8172019 model, 7 yr old, ~84,000 mi: about $14,221
This 2018Other model years today

Typical mileage = 12,000 miles a year; values between two published mileages are estimated in a straight line.

Other Ford F-150 years

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Looking at a 2018 Ford F-150 for sale?

No VIN? Paste the ad for a fair-price check.

The full report adds this car’s market value and what to offer.