Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2018 Ford F-150
NHTSA data on file today
The 2018 Ford F-150 has 19 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,929 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars, averaged across 6 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V375000 Unintended Vehicle Movement NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V373000 Daytime Running Lights May Not Dim/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V236000 Loss of Brake Function from Brake Fluid Leak NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V852000 Missing Dashboard Air Bag Warning Label/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V150000 Brake Master Cylinder May Leak Fluid into Booster NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V983000 Tailgate May Open Unexpectedly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21E027000 Upper Ball Joint May Be Installed Incorrectly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V155000 Tire Failure may Cause Sudden Air Loss NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V097000 Daytime Running Lights May Not Dim/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V633000 Reduced Seat Back Strength/FMVSS 202 & 207 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V278000 Damage to Block Heater Connector may cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V894000 Block Heater Cable Splice Connector May Corrode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V568000 Fire after Seat Belt Pretensioner Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V392000 Fuel Pump Assembly Welds May Fracture Causing Leak NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V213000 Missing Roll Pin Causing Loss of Park Function NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V214000 Shifter position may incorrectly indicate 'Park' NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V672000 Cylinder Heads Incorrectly Machined NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V669000 Unintended Vehicle Movement NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V598000 Rivets Missing from the Roof Braces NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 763 complaints
- Engine 459 complaints
- Unknown or Other 196 complaints
- Structure 187 complaints
- Electrical System 140 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 84 complaints
Of the 1,929 complaints on file, 58 report a crash and 29 a fire; across all 1,929 complaints, owners report 45 injuries and 3 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $3,200–$6,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2018 Ford F-150 faces issues primarily with its powertrain and engine, reflected in multiple recalls and the highest owner complaints. Frequent concerns with transmission and gear indication problems negatively impact its overall reliability, although these issues might vary between individual vehicles.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| powertrain | 50,000–80,000 miles | $1,500–$3,500 | very common |
| engine | 40,000–70,000 miles | $2,500–$4,500 | common |
| brake master cylinder | 40,000–60,000 miles | $400–$900 | common |
| tailgate latch | 30,000–50,000 miles | $200–$350 | occasional |
| fuel pump | 50,000–80,000 miles | $600–$1,200 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 5,000 miles
- Tire rotation every 10,000 miles
- Brake inspection annually
- Coolant replacement every 60,000 miles
- Transmission service at 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Grinding noise from transmission
- Brake pedal feels soft
- Loss of power under acceleration
- Unusual engine noises
- Tailgate unlatches unexpectedly
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2018 Ford F-150 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.