Is the 2018 Ford F-150 reliable?

The 2018 Ford F-150 has 2742 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.6x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2018 Ford F-150?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (928 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (575 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (233 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2018 Ford F-150?

Yes, there are 19 recall(s): EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH, TIRES, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER, ENGINE, SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), ENGINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT, STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM). Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

Is the 2018 Ford F-150 often stolen?

Theft risk tier for the Ford F-150: above-avg. HLDI insurance loss data suggests higher-than-average theft claims for this model.

How much does it cost to insure a 2018 Ford F-150?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2018 Ford F-150 is approximately $1,703/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2018 Ford F-150

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford F-150 has 2742 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.6x the segment average of 1726. The most common issue is transmission problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: not all the time but when engine starts front axle jumps and makes a clunk noise. doesn't happen all the time. also erratic shifting and clunking in driver train again not always. called dealer said there been some reports of these problems but service bulletins yet.. There are 19 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 31 fire reports filed.

31 fire reports 52 crash reports 45 injuries

2742

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

928 complaints

34%

• NOT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN ENGINE STARTS FRONT AXLE JUMPS AND MAKES A CLUNK NOISE. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ALSO ERRATIC SHIFTING AND CLUNKING IN DRIVER TRAIN AGAIN NOT ALWAYS. CALLED DEALER SAID THERE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT SERVICE BULLETINS YET.
• MY TRUCK SINCE DAY ONE 12-08-2017 HAS HAD DRIVETRAIN ISSUES ERRATIC SHIFTING , CLUNKING IN REAR AND FRONT DRIVE TRAINS . THIS MORNING WENT PULL OUT IT FELT LIKE IT POP OUT OF GEAR THEN IN THUMPED BACK INTO GEAR THIS HAPPENED TWICE. BEFORE TODAY THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE FIRMWARE WITH THEE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-150. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, IT REVERSED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT BEING SHIFTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 900. T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 12 crashes

“NOT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN ENGINE STARTS FRONT AXLE JUMPS AND MAKES A CLUNK NOISE. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ALSO ERRATIC SHIFTING AND CLUNKING IN DRIVER TRAIN AGAIN NOT ALWAYS. CALLED DEALER SAID THERE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT SERVICE BULLETINS YET.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2018 Ford F-150

Based on 1,253 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 38K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

553

30-60K

234

60-100K

266

100-150K

169

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 60K mi · 332 reports

0-30K

113

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 10K mi · 113 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 14K mi · 81 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 26K mi · 68 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

STEERING

In line with typicalmedian 16K mi · 56 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

In line with typicalmedian 43K mi · 47 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (19)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS21/02/2020

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."

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

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.

Above-average theft risk

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2018 Ford F-150

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,703

Full coverage / month

$142

Liability only / year

$611

vs US avg

+2%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.06x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1703

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford F-150 Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2018 F-150, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Videos About the 2018 Ford F-150

Videos hosted on YouTube — embedded via official player

2018 Ford F-150 – Review and Road Test

Kelley Blue BookJan 2018

2018 Ford F-150 Lariat 2.7 EcoBoost – Redline: Review

Redline ReviewsMar 2018

Buy or Bust? 2018 Ford F-150 High Coyote 5.0 High Miles Review!

TopLineRacerJan 2026

Three Year Review of a Used 2018 Ford F-150 Ecoboost

GoodCleanFunFeb 2024

2018 Ford F-150 Lariat FX4: Unfiltered Real-World Buddy Review of America's Best Seller!

TFLnowOct 2018

Videos are hosted on YouTube and embedded here via YouTube's official player. BestCarRank does not host or produce these videos. Watch counts and channel information are pulled from YouTube's public Data API.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2742 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: NOT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN ENGINE STARTS FRONT AXLE JUMPS AND MAKES A CLUNK NOISE. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ALSO ERRATIC SHIFTING AND CLUNKING IN DRIVER TRAIN AGAIN NOT ALWAYS. CALLED DEALER SAID THERE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT SERVICE BULLETINS YET.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE LOW OIL AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ARROWAY FORD (519 N BEDFORD RD, BEDFORD HILLS, NY 10507) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: MY 2018 FORD F-150 WITH 7,800 MILES WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY WHILE WORKING IN MY GARAGE AT MY HOME. THE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED DOWN ABOUT 3" TO KEEP THE HEAT FROM BUILDING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS 84 DEGREES OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. WHEN I WAS ROLLING UP MY WINDOWS TO PUT THE TRUCK BACK IN MY GARAGE, T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: IN COLD WEATHER THE DOOR LATCHES FREEZE CAUSING THE DOORS TO REMAIN UNLATCHED. THIS CAUSED MY REAR DOORS TO FLY OPEN WHEN I WENT AROUND A CORNER. THERE WAS A RECALL BUT IT DOESN'T COVER THE 2018 MODEL YEAR. MY TRUCK WAS MADE IN OCT 2017, AND I TOOK DELIVERY IN MID DEC 2017. THE DEALER WILL INSPEC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 19 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)