2018 Ford Explorer Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 50 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Ford Explorer, 7% of its 731 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 86,000 miles. One crash is linked to this area, no fires, and no related recalls are on file.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 50
- 7% of 731
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 86,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Vehicle unexpectedly shifts into limp mode while merging or accelerating on the highway.
- Owners describe a shudder, rough idle, and sluggish acceleration during launch, which some traced to a torque converter issue described in a Ford bulletin.
- Transmission hesitates when shifting into reverse or drive, sometimes followed by jerking while underway.
- Acceleration stalls for a few seconds before the transmission and computer appear to resync, then normal power returns.
- Vibration develops near stop lights, with dealers replacing the transmission support without resolving the problem.
- One owner reported total transmission failure with the vehicle only a few months old and very low mileage.
When 2018 Ford Explorer transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Sep 6, 2018, latest Sep 22, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Ford Explorer
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Explorer model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are transmission problems on the 2018 Ford Explorer?
- NHTSA shows 50 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Explorer, which is 7% of the 731 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a transmission recall for the 2018 Ford Explorer?
- No related recalls are listed in the NHTSA data provided for this transmission and powertrain problem area.
- At what mileage do 2018 Explorer transmission problems usually show up?
- The median mileage at failure for transmission and powertrain complaints on the 2018 Explorer is 86,000 miles.
- Did any 2018 Explorer transmission complaints involve crashes or fires?
- NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires tied to Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2018 Explorer.
- How does the 2018 Explorer compare to other years for transmission complaints?
- The 2018 Explorer's transmission complaints are 7% of its total complaints, lower than the 40% share seen in 2020 and the 28% share in 2021.