2018 Ford F-350

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford F-350 has 304 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (33% of all complaints), specifically: driver experiences wobbling or shaking in the vehicle at highway speeds (>45 mph). it stops at lower speeds. the symptoms are consistent with ford's tsb 18-2268.. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 2 crash reports 7 injuries

304

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

100 complaints

33%

• DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.
• STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATES ABOVE 50MPH CAUSING A STEERING TO BE COME LOOSE AND UNPREDICTABLE. HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW, HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORE WITH ACCUMULATED MILEAGE.
• WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, AT SPEEDS OF 55-70MPH I'VE HIT A SMALL BUMP OR ROUGH PATCH ON THE RODE. THIS SENDS THE STEERING WHEEL/FRONT END INTO A VIOLENT, UNCONTROLLABLE, OSCILLATING WOBBLE WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS VEHICLE IS UN MOD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

77 complaints

25%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRAILER DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING FROM THE PINS AND ALUMINIUM CONNECTION. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE TOWING CAPACITY EXCEEDED THE G
• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~65MPH I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT CAUSED THE STEERING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SLOW TRUCK DOWN TO ~25MPH. THE SHAKING ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND SLOWING DOWN ALMOST HAD VEHICLES HIT M
• DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRAILER DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING FROM THE PINS AND ALUMINIUM CONNECTION. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE TOWING CAPACITY EXCEEDED THE G”

— NHTSA complaint filing

WHEELS

25 complaints

• ALUMINUM WHEEL VALVE STEM LEAKING - TIRE LOOSING APPROXIMATELY 10 PSI PER DAY. TPMS ALARM NOTIFIED ME OF A PROBLEM ON HIGHWAY WHEN PRESSURE REACHED 50 PSIG (SPEC =65) BUT IDENTIFIED THE WRONG TIRE BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE INCORRECTLY MAPPED. APPARENTLY A THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 2017 AND
• RECURRING VALVE STEM LEAKS CAUSING LOW AIR PRESSURE WHILE VEHICLE STATIONARY AND MOVING. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A FIX.
• DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ALUMINUM WHEEL VALVE STEM LEAKING - TIRE LOOSING APPROXIMATELY 10 PSI PER DAY. TPMS ALARM NOTIFIED ME OF A PROBLEM ON HIGHWAY WHEN PRESSURE REACHED 50 PSIG (SPEC =65) BUT IDENTIFIED THE WRONG TIRE BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE INCORRECTLY MAPPED. APPARENTLY A THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 2017 AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

24 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRAILER DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING FROM THE PINS AND ALUMINIUM CONNECTION. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE TOWING CAPACITY EXCEEDED THE G
• WHILE PULLING FROM A FUEL PUMP I BEGAN TURNING WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE TAILGATE HAD INADVERTENTLY OPENED AND PIERCED THROUGH THE FRONT OF A 5TH WHEEL CAMPER I WAS PULLING. THIS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CAMPER AS WELL AS THE TO THE TOP OF THE TAILGATE. THIS 1ST INCIDENT HAPPENED ~ 370
• THE REMOTE TAILGATE DEPLOYED (OPENED) AT 60MPH ON I-40 EAST OF NASHVILLE, TN. WHILE TOWING OUR FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. WE HEARD A LOAD BOOM, AND DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNTIL WE STOPPED AND THE TAILGATE WAS DOWN. THERE WERE NO EXTERNAL INPUTS CAUSING DEPLOYMENT OF THE TAILGATE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

20 complaints

• DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH WON'T HOLD. THE DOOR WON'T STAY CLOSED
• WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I26 INTO ASHEVILLE AND THE TAILGATE OPENED WE HEARD A NOISE WENT TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THE POISE WAS WORSE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY GOT OUR TAILGATE HAD COME OPEN AND WAS SHREDDED BY THE HORSE TRAILER. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED WHILE PULLING THE TRAILER BUT IT HA
• FORD 2018 F-350 SUPER DUTY UNCOMMANDED TAILGATE OPENING WITH 3577 MILES. VEHICLE CAN BE PARKED , STATIONARY, TURNING OR IN MOTION AND TAILGATE WILL OPEN ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO FORD DEALER ON 3-SEPERATE OCCASION'S AND STILL UNABLE TO DUPLICATE TAILGATE ISSUE. DEALER DID STATE I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH WON'T HOLD. THE DOOR WON'T STAY CLOSED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

WHEELS(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 304 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SUSPENSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRAILER DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING FROM THE PINS AND ALUMINIUM CONNECTION. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE TOWING CAPACITY EXCEEDED THE G
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
WHEELS: ALUMINUM WHEEL VALVE STEM LEAKING - TIRE LOOSING APPROXIMATELY 10 PSI PER DAY. TPMS ALARM NOTIFIED ME OF A PROBLEM ON HIGHWAY WHEN PRESSURE REACHED 50 PSIG (SPEC =65) BUT IDENTIFIED THE WRONG TIRE BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE INCORRECTLY MAPPED. APPARENTLY A THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 2017 AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE HAULING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRAILER DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING FROM THE PINS AND ALUMINIUM CONNECTION. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL HAD NOT INDICATED THAT THE TOWING CAPACITY EXCEEDED THE G
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)