YearToAvoid

2018 Ford F-150 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 1,008 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Ford F-150, 44% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 60,000. Four related recalls cover shift-to-park and shift cable issues, including a 2026 fix for trucks previously repaired under an earlier recall.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
1,008
44% of 2,308
Crashes reported
12
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
14
Median mileage
60,000 mi
Related recalls
4

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle showing 'park' on the dash while actually rolling or staying in reverse, leading to unintended movement and crashes.
  • Some describe the truck surging or accelerating on its own after the shift lever is moved between park, reverse, and drive.
  • Several complaints describe the transmission downshifting or skipping gears unexpectedly at speed, with one report of the transmission independently dropping into first gear and the vehicle becoming uncontrollable.
  • A few owners report driveshaft separation or failure that they believe caused loss of steering control.
  • Isolated reports describe fire starting near the middle of the truck or at the rear axle while parked or after a rear-wheel lockup on the highway.

When 2018 Ford F-150 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 19, 2018, latest Sep 24, 2026.

2018 Ford F-150 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter902018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q22025 Q3
1008 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (90).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Ford F-150

  1. NHTSA 26V375000Jun 9, 2026Transmission & Powertrain10,742 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V669. 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.

    Risk: Unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, increasing the risk of crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 18V214000Apr 4, 2018Transmission & Powertrain292,909 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding Expedition vehicles with a Rotary Gear Shift Dial on the console). 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.

    Risk: If the gear shift cable clip becomes unseated or dislodged, the gear shift lever position may indicate that the transmission is in 'Park' when it may be in a different gear. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the shift cable locking clip and properly seat it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 18S10.

  3. NHTSA 18V213000Apr 4, 2018Transmission & Powertrain142 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.

    Risk: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.

  4. NHTSA 17V669000Oct 23, 2017Transmission & Powertrain12,429 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.3L engine, a 6-speed transmission and a column mounted shift lever. 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 achieves Drive function.

    Risk: Unidentified or unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in a way that was not intended by the driver, increasing the risk of crash or injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S35.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by F-150 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010121 (14%)
  2. 2011825 (38%)
  3. 2012679 (38%)
  4. 20131,336 (45%)
  5. 2014424 (28%)
  6. 2015406 (24%)
  7. 2016582 (28%)
  8. 2017539 (38%)
  9. 20181,008 (44%)
  10. 2019730 (55%)
  11. 2020354 (49%)
  12. 2021314 (31%)
  13. 2022157 (26%)
  14. 2023156 (38%)
  15. 202455 (29%)
  16. 202525 (24%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems in the 2018 Ford F-150?
NHTSA lists 1,008 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 F-150, which is 44% of all 2,308 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2018 Ford F-150?
Yes. NHTSA lists four Transmission & Powertrain recalls tied to the 2018 F-150, including campaigns 17V669000, 18V213000, 18V214000, and a 2026 recall (26V375000) covering trucks that were incorrectly repaired under the earlier 17V669 recall.
At what mileage do 2018 F-150 transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2018 F-150 is 60,000 miles, according to NHTSA data.
Have there been crashes linked to 2018 F-150 transmission complaints?
NHTSA data shows 12 crashes, 2 fires, and 14 injuries associated with Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 F-150.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.