2018 Ford F-150 Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 19 NHTSA recalls and 1,927 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
F
10/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2018 Ford F-150
The 2018 Ford F-150 shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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19
NHTSA Recalls
19 recalls on record
1,927
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
58
Crash Reports
29 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Ford F-150 (19)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Ford dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Headlights
DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Tailgate: Latch
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.
Remedy: 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….
🔧 Tires
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.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Suspension: Front: Control Arm: Upper Ball Joint
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.
Remedy: DRiV will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the ball joint, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Tenneco Automotive…
🔧 Engine
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.
Remedy: 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….
🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Seats: Front Assembly: Recliner
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.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Engine
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Seat Belts: Pretensioner
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Remedy: 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….
🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission
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…
Remedy: 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…
Showing 10 of 19 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Ford F-150
Based on 1,927 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Ford F-150 — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Ford F-150 VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2013 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2020 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Ford F-150
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Ford F-150 has 19 recall campaigns and 1,927 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford F-150 have?
The 2018 Ford F-150 has 19 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford F-150?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Ford F-150 are: Power Train, Engine, Structure, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 safe to buy?
The 2018 Ford F-150 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 19 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Ford F-150 should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Ford F-150 are: 2020. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2013.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.