The Lemon Index2018 Ford F-150.
The 2018 Ford F-150 is worse than average by owner complaints: 1,067 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 116, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 27 recalls, and it gets 18 to 24 mpg combined. The best Ford F-150 year is 2007.
Covers the whole F-Series (F-150 plus the F-250/F-350 Super Duty): Ford reports their sales together.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 95 YouTube videos about the 2015–2020 F-150, 22.7M views. The 2018 is the same truck.
- Transmission & shifter1.3M views
2015-2017 F150: Transmission Fluid and Filter (6R80)MasterJacks · 492K views · 6 videos - Intake, EGR & engine sensors636K views
2015 - 2016 Ford F150 P1289 - Overheat Out Of Nowhere - here is the fix - Cylinder Head Temp SensorFord Boss Me - Auto / Politics / Family · 284K views · 4 videos - Oil changes & service599K views
Ford F150 Oil and Filter Change DIY (2015 - 2020) 5.0L V8Smackey's Garage · 291K views · 3 videos - Lifters, AFM & cam phasers491K views
2017-2020 Ford F-150 3.5L Ecoboost Startup Rattle Fix: Make Sure You Are Getting The Latest Phasers!FordTechMakuloco · 347K views · 3 videos
Show 4 more
- Oil dilution & oil burning445K views
Oil Consumption Update - 2019 Ford F150 5.0LEliminator Performance · 252K views · 4 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical395K views
2010 - 2015 Ford F150 won't start - the #1 and 2 reason why, " Dash Flickers " Fuel Pump Fuse BlownFord Boss Me - Auto / Politics / Family · 324K views · 2 videos - Heat, A/C & blend door266K views
2018 F150 Cabin Air Filter InstallSmackey's Garage · 266K views - Driveshaft, axles & 4x4260K views
F150 2015 - 2018 4x4 Hub Lockout to eliminate 4x4 Issues - It's Just this Dang EasyFord Boss Me - Auto / Politics / Family · 164K views · 2 videos
Before you buy, watch
Top 5 Problems Ford F-150 Pickup 2015-2020 13th Generation1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know · 268K views
2015-2017 Ford F-150 Top Reliability Issues/ProblemsCamerons Car Reviews · 267K views
FORD Continues to Battle Transmission Problems my 2018 F150 back at the Dealer for the 4thTime LEMONCHUNKY CATS FISHING · 157K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 2,931 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford F-150 year. 2018 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 13K to 68K miles on the car (1,477 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 14K–94K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 19K–85K miles
- steering complaints mostly came at 15K–38K miles
Recalls 27
- lights 2026
When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended.
- transmission & drivetrain 2026
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.
- back over prevention 2025
The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Show all 27 recalls
- brakes 2025
The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
- equipment 2024
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
A radial damper inside the driveshaft may move out of position over time, which can cause a driveshaft imbalance and result in a fracture.
- back over prevention 2022
Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.
- brakes 2022
The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
- body structure 2022
Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
- latches/locks/linkages 2021
The tailgate latches may unlatch unexpectedly while driving.
- suspension 2021
The ball joint may have a misaligned dust boot and may be missing alignment hole and installation warning tag, which may lead to improper alignment of the ball joint.
- tires 2021
On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
- steering 2020
The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.
- lights 2020
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 ve…
- body structure 2019
If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
- latches/locks/linkages 2019
Water may enter the electrical wiring system and cause a short circuit, activating the switch and releasing the tailgate latches.
- lights 2019
The Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may not dim when the headlight switch is moved into the "On" position.
- seats 2019
Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms.
- engine 2019
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
- engine 2018
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
- seat belts 2018
If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
- fuel system, gasoline 2018
These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
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.
- engine 2017
The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
- transmission & drivetrain 2017
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 achie…
- body structure 2017
The structural roof braces may be missing rivets at the attachment of the roof rail, thereby reducing the structural integrity.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
What to pay
Typical dealer asking price for a 2018 Ford F-150 by mileage, from 207 dealer listings nationwide (November 2026). Under the great-deal number is about 10% below typical; over the high number is more than 5% above.
| Miles | Great deal at or under | Typical | Too high at or over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50K | $28.5K | $31.7K | $33.3K+ |
| 50K–75K | $27.0K | $30.0K | $31.5K+ |
| 75K–100K | $24.0K | $26.7K | $28.0K+ |
| 100K–125K | $21.4K | $23.8K | $25.0K+ |
| 125K–150K | $16.2K | $18.0K | $18.9K+ |
| 150K+ | $13.5K | $15.0K | $15.7K+ |
Private seller: coming soon. Private sellers often ask less than dealers, but we only publish a number once it's measured.
Salvage or rebuilt title: usually sells for well under a clean title. Estimates run from about 27% less (a matched study of 2,389 cars) to as much as 50% less (Edmunds). This is a guide, not a price; get an inspection.
Asking prices, not sale prices. Trim, engine, 4x4, condition and location move the price. Estimates, not an appraisal.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 552 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- No crank/no start, auto-start-stop
- Intermittent grinding noise
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenSogefi secondary diesel fuel filter leak2024
- ClosedLow-pressure fuel pump failure2024–2025
- ClosedPower tailgate release systems2021–2024
- ClosedSeatbelt pretensioner fire2018
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x4 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2 | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x4 | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford F-150 Super Crew PU/CC 4x2 | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3900 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.7L 6-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
At around 65 mph I hit a small bump on the highway and the steering wheel and front wheels began to shake and wobble uncontrollably.
2018 Ford F-150 owner · NHTSA complaint 11279907
More owner reports
Vehicle is exhibiting violent shaking at highway speeds after hitting bumps steering wheel is extremely violent shaking back and forth have to stop the vehicle to stop the vehicle to stop the shaking
NHTSA complaint 11395630
My air bag in the steering wheel is starting to come out I am worried it is going to deploy with the way it looks. See photo...I called the Ford Dealership and they refused to report it.
NHTSA complaint 11431351
Quick answers
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 116; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford F-150 year by this measure since 2010 is 2025.
What are the most common 2018 Ford F-150 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (32%), suspension (22%) and transmission & drivetrain (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford F-150 have?
27 safety recalls (latest: transmission & drivetrain). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Ford F-150 get?
18 to 24 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2018 Ford F-150 safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford F-150 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 13,500 and 68,000 miles. The middle report was at 34,000 miles, from 1,477 complaints.
Does the 2018 Ford F-150 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 16% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2018 Ford F-150 cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3900 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2018 Ford F-150 have?
2.7L 6-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
What Ford F-150 year is better than the 2018?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2010 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works