2018 Ford F-550 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
13/100
#14 most-complained of 16 F-550 years
The 2018 Ford F-550 has 8 complaints, 13 recalls, and a complaint index of 13 — the lowest complaint index among the 16 model years tracked, ranked 14th worst (best overall verdict). Steering issues top the problem list at 25% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 8
- Recalls
- 13
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2018 Ford F-550 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering2 (25%)
- Structure & Body2 (25%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (25%)
- Airbags1 (13%)
- Engine1 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (13%)
What owners report
- Front end shakes violently above 45 mph, reported at 38,550 and 17,000 miles despite multiple dealer visits.
- Steering veers left or right on its own and won't self-straighten, leading to steering box replacement at 14,000 miles.
- Turbocharger failure triggered an intermittent warning light at 55 mph and recurred a second time after repair, at 66,265 miles.
- Ring and pinion gears needed replacement after a humming noise from the rear end while driving 65 mph, at 26,000 miles.
- Subframe fractured in half near the rear cabin while driving around 10 mph, at 268,967 miles.
- Frame cracked between the bed and cab while parked, discovered at 73,000 miles, tied to a previously declined recall repair.
2018 Ford F-550 recalls
13 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V572000Sep 3, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,456,417 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
- NHTSA 19V880000Dec 11, 2019Seat Belts490,574 vehicles
Seat belts:pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCrew Cab vehicles with carpet flooring. 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.
Risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply heat resistant tape to the carpet and its insulation, and modify the B-Pillar insulation as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S52.
- NHTSA 19V414000Jun 5, 2019Other4 vehicles
Equipment
Farber Specialty Vehicles (Farber) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F-550 vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which can cause the camera image to be reversed.
Risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Farber will notify owners, and dealers will add a harness relay capacitor module, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact Farber customer service at 1-800-331-3188 or ASA customer service at 1-800-384-4400.
2018 compared with other F-550 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Ford F-550 reliable based on complaints?
- Compared to other F-550 model years, 2018 ranks well. It has a complaint index of 13, the lowest of the 16 years tracked, and its verdict is Best relative to other years.
- What is the top complaint area for the 2018 Ford F-550?
- Steering is the top problem area, making up 25% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 15,500 miles.
- Does the 2018 Ford F-550 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 13 recalls for the 2018 Ford F-550, covering areas like back-up camera displays, brake lights, seat belts, and rearview cameras. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How many complaints does NHTSA have for the 2018 Ford F-550?
- NHTSA lists 8 complaints for the 2018 Ford F-550, with zero reported crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths.
- What is the overall median mileage at failure for the 2018 F-550?
- Across all reported complaints, the median mileage at failure is 32,275 miles.