Ford F-150 Complaints (2018)

2,327 consumer complaints on file.

#11719880February 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My 2018 Ford F-150 has experienced delayed engagement, harsh/erratic gear shifting in low to moderate speeds, extreme hesitation resulting in loss of power in the 10R80 transmission. I took my truck to a Ford dealership for a diagnosis. The service technician immediately stated a new transmission was needed at 71,000 miles. I have maintained regular service and have all service records. The dealer installed a new transmission for $10, 458.67. Truck also has a moldy smell in the cabin after it rains. Service technician said this is a common issue and to spray Lysol and turn the heater on to kill the mold and to evaporate any standing water in the evaporation system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719599February 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
Tried to open door to put my 2 year old in her car seat and it wouldn't open, assume this was due to the extreme cold. So I took our other vehicle, few days later when it warmed up I again went to leave with my daughter and this time the door opened but will no longer latch shut. Tried toggling child lock messing with lock mechanism on top of the door Tried both interior and exterior handles but it will not latch no matter what I do. Now all my lights are staying on and door ajar light and icon are on and won't go off. I currently have the door ratchet strapped inside the vehicle to hold it close and I cannot drive it due to the safety concerns if the strap let's loose and the door flings open... There is a recall for frozen door mechanism my vehicle falls in this range and I was notified previously I qualified for the recall. Now that it actually happened it shows my vehicle isn't listed and the dealership wants to charge me for a safety recall that should be covered.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719499February 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My 2018 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission is experiencing severe slipping, delayed engagemen (1-2, 3-4), and erratic shifting. Upon inspection, I found significant gold glitter-like metal shavings in the transmission fluid/oil pan, indicating internal wear or failure of components. These symptoms create safety concerns including hesitation or loss of power during acceleration, potential sudden surges or jerks, and risk of the vehicle not responding properly in traffic or when merging, which could lead to crashes, injuries, or being stranded. I have not repaired this yet but will be replacing the transmission soon.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719514February 20, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Tailgate opened
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718727February 18, 2026
POWER TRAIN
10 speed transmission started to have hard shifts and dead spots. Some shifting issues happened at low speeds(1 thru 5 speeds) and then others showed at highway speeds; downshifts from 10 to 8 gears. Issue with transmission stated at around 142,000 miles but became very problematic at around 145, 000 miles. At this point I had to get a new transmission; cost was approximately $10000.00. This was a remanufactured transmission with 3 years or 100,000 miles. Note - I really like the truck but the Ford recall plans are terrible; I've already had the cam phaser replaced, front wheel bearing, and internal water pump. This probably cost another $7000.00. A lot of money for a truck that has pretty limited miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718435February 17, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I started the truck including the rear and front window defroster. After about 5 minutes, I heard a loud "pop." I looked around the vehicle and noticed that back window was broken.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718279February 16, 2026
POWER TRAIN
replaced cdf drum, cdf support in transmission, torque converter at 87,143 miles on odometer
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718117February 15, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving in town, less than 35mph, slowing down to stop at a traffic signal, when my engine stopped and a message came up on my dashboard that said something to the effect of "auto stop start, place transmission in park and restart engine". I did so and it cranked and ran fine. Hasn't happened again.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718129February 15, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Front Driver and Passenger side Wheel Bearing Failure 2 Separate incidents on same vehicle described below Hello, We have a 2018 F-150 Ford Limited and at approximately 50k/60k miles our front passenger Wheel Bearings went bad causing a loss of brakes and then proceeded to catch a fire within the brakes as a result. At approximately 80k miles we are now replacing the driver side Wheel Bearings as they are now currently at risk of failing. We have owned many vehicles and have not had to replace Wheel Bearings on any of them regardless of how we used them, the age of the vehicle and the type. We find that it is oddly unusual for this type of failure to occur let alone on both Wheel Bearings. The only indication of the second failure has been a grinding sound that can be easily mistaken for brakes or rotors needing attention. At the time of the first failure while the truck was in motion on the freeway exceeding 65mph, there was no indication of the failure other than loss of brakes and smell from the fire. The problem was seen by a licensed mechanic for the first failure who did confirm the Wheel Bearing failed. We have a scheduled appointment for 2/23/26 to confirm the same issue for the driver side. We did not maintain and keep the first component that failed however we will request to keep the failed parts upon replacement. This failure absolutely put my life at risk, my passengers lives at risk and those that were on the roadways during the time the failure occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717988February 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Vehicle is experiencing hard shifts pretty regularly in various gears. Look up and read several other owners experiencing the same issue regarding the hard shifts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717810February 13, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I own a 2018 Ford F-150, with the Cougar V-8 and a turbocharger. A few years ago, while on the expressway, I had to accelerate to clear a dangerous situation. A message came up on the instrument cluster saying that I was seriously low on oil. I pulled off on the shoulder and shut the engine off. I checked the oil level and it was almost empty. The truck only had about 10,000 miles on it at the time. I had checked the level prior to leaving and it was full. Luckily, I carry extra oil on long trips, a habit I got into back when I used to drive beaters. I had enough oil to fill the engine back up with oil and proceed on my way. I have not had any oil loss since then, although I rarely drive the truck, except to pick up lumber or other large loads, and it currently has about 23,000 miles on it. A few years ago, I read about an F-150 whose driver tried to pass a slow moving vehicle on a mountain road and was hit by an oncoming vehicle. Everyone in the truck was killed. When I read that article, I thought back to what happened to me. Luckily, I had room to pull over. I believe that when I did that hard acceleration (as the driver on the mountain road must have done), a large amount of engine oil must have been sucked out through the turbocharger, emptying the crankcase. If this happened to the driver in the article, he would have been left with no engine power and no way to complete the passing maneuver. This is all speculation on my part, but an emergency hard acceleration should not empty any engine of oil, leaving the vehicle's driver and their passengers defenseless.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717834February 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 10R80 transmission shifts very hard then goes into limp mode when im driving in 4th gear scared its gonna cause me to get in a wreck and injury myself or other drivers this has been an issue with all these transmission and this should be a recall where customers shouldn’t have to pay to get this fixed Ford should get this fixed ASAP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716931February 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN
We were driving on the interstate and suddenly the truck increased RPMs rapidly with no acceleration when pressing the gas. The vehicle began to decelerate quickly on its own. We turned on our flashers to warn drivers around us. The truck suddenly gained back some acceleration, enough for us to move to the right, and lost full power again, and we coasted to the shoulder. If the vehicle had not gained back some acceleration after the initial deceleration, we may have been rear-ended. We had it towed to the nearest Ford Dealership. They confirmed the transmission had a total failure. They quoted around 4500 for a rebuild, or 9500 for a new transmission. The truck has only about 53,000 miles on it. I wanted to report this concern because I’m now aware there are many reported issues with this 10-speed transmission, and the sudden complete loss of power as we were driving was extremely dangerous for us and the people around us. We did sometimes experience slightly rough shifting when the truck was “cold” upon starting, however we noticed this since we bought the truck new, and we thought this was normal for it. The failure itself was sudden and unexpected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716810February 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My 2018 Ford F-150 experiences harsh, erratic, and unpredictable transmission shifting. The truck frequently hesitates during acceleration, followed by sudden and violent gear engagement. It also makes abrupt downshifts while driving, causing unexpected deceleration that can be dangerous in traffic. The truck will shift from 8th, 9th, or 10th gear down to 1st at highway speeds. This causes abrupt deceleration and significant loss of speed on the highway. On multiple occasions, the transmission has delayed engagement when shifting from a stop, creating hesitation when entering intersections or merging, followed by a sudden surge of power. This creates an unsafe driving condition and increases the risk of rear-end collision or loss of control. The shifting behavior is inconsistent and unpredictable, occurring during both in traffic and highway driving. The problem is worsening over time. Given the frequency and severity of these events, I believe this transmission behavior represents a significant safety defect that should be investigated for potential recall or corrective action.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716704February 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
While cruising on the highway at 55 to 60mph, the transmission will suddenly and without warning rapidly downshift resulting in unstable and dangerous conditions. This has occurred multiple times on icy or frosty roads and the vehicle becomes difficult to control. My safety and that of oncoming traffic was compromised. A "wrench" light comes on in the dash following the event. Once the vehicle is power cycled, the wrench disappears.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716722February 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Hard clunks when shifting Hesitation or delay when accelerating RPM flares between gears Jerking when slowing down or taking off Slipping or feeling like the truck goes into neutral Shuddering
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716526February 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN
with only 70000 miles on vehicle, complete failure of the 10speed automatic transmission. Transmission shifts extremely rough and between 2 and 3 gear it loses engagement while driving for several seconds and then reengages. Vehicle has also downshifted from 4th gear to 1st gear unexpectedly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716541February 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My truck would drop from 10th gear down to 2nd or 3rd on the highway. Then it would shift rough and jerk my truck hard. Started losing gears and having lots of transmission issues. Ended up taking it to a shop and had to get a new transmission
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716584February 8, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle intermittently experiences delayed gear engagement and hesitation during acceleration, most noticeably when the transmission is cold. During several incidents, when pulling out from a stop onto a main road and attempting to accelerate into traffic, the vehicle failed to shift or engage power normally. The engine remained running, but the vehicle did not accelerate as expected, creating a temporary loss of forward momentum. After a delay, the transmission would suddenly engage and the vehicle would accelerate normally. This condition creates a safety risk because when entering traffic from a stop sign or side road, other drivers expect normal acceleration. The hesitation or delayed engagement creates a risk of being struck by oncoming traffic. The issue occurs most frequently when the vehicle is first driven after sitting for several hours, especially in colder temperatures. After the vehicle is fully warmed up, the condition is less noticeable or may not occur. The problem has been experienced multiple times over this winter season. The behavior is intermittent but repeatable under similar cold start conditions. The condition appears to be gradually becoming more noticeable and occurring more frequently over time. Occasionally, once the transmission begins operating and partially warms up, the transmission may shift harshly or abruptly during upshifts or downshifts. The vehicle has been discussed with independent service shops familiar with this transmission model. The issue has not yet been repaired, but inspection and repair are being scheduled. No manufacturer inspection has occurred at this time. At the time of incidents, there were no consistent warning lights or messages indicating a transmission failure. No persistent diagnostic warnings have been observed. Symptoms were limited to delayed or harsh shifting and delayed acceleration response. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716385February 7, 2026
POWER TRAIN
At about 70,000 miles, my truck's transmission began to shift extremely hard in the low gears, between first and fourth, and at times of sudden acceleration (from a stop sign or on ramp) the transmission would fail and I would need to put the vehicle in neutral then back into drive. This happened a few times before I had to have my transmission replaced at a cost of about $9,000. I read that there is an investigation into this issue but the investigation does not include 2018 trucks. The investigation should include 2018 to 2021 models as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford F-150