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Owner complaints · Power Train

2018 Ford F-150 transmission and drivetrain problems

1,016 of the 2,311 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford F-150 name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 91 manufacturer bulletins, 4 recalls. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.

1,016 complaints 44% of this model year’s 12 reports a crash 2 a fire typically at 60k miles

What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain

Source: NHTSA complaint database

1,016complaints name the transmission and drivetrain

12 of the 1,016 reports a crash · 2 a fire · 14 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2018: 27 · 2019: 48 · 2020: 45 · 2021: 43 · 2022: 61 · 2023: 102 · 2024: 177 · 2025: 292 · 2026: 221

60kmiles, typically

Half of the 334 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 17,000 and 97,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

44%of this model year’s complaints

2,311 complaints in all about the 2018 Ford F-150, 221 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →

Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.

Across model years: Ford F-150 transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

Noticed chassis vibration starting at and above 60 MPH. Dealer attempted various fixes including replacing drive shaft, but vibrations remain

Power Train at 250 miles Aug 9, 2018 NHTSA owner report

Parked truck shut it off and took keys out. Was getting out of truck and truck started rolling away and I was between door and truck had to jump in to get it stopped. Found trans selector in park and transmission still in drive . See pictures it was a rental ruck have not heard from enterprise or Ford about injuries

Power Train at 2,000 miles Jul 10, 2018 NHTSA owner report

10 speed transmission hazards: when braking the transmission lunges into to lower gears and surges forward erratically requiring varying brake pressure to stop. Acceleration is also erratic, sometimes delayed, sometimes immediate. The Ford dealership does not have a solution and Ford will not responds to calls.

Power Train at 5,000 miles Apr 20, 2018 NHTSA owner report

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. Whether the vehicle was started manually with the key or the remote start feature, the vehicle would move forward or in reverse while the gear was in park. The failure was experienced several times. The dealer test drove the vehicle and was able to duplicate the failure.

Power Train at 2,257 miles Apr 18, 2018 NHTSA owner report

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. While driving approximately 10 MPH with the vehicle in first gear, the vehicle shifted into neutral. A few seconds later, the vehicle shifted into second gear. The contact stated that the failure recurred fifteen times. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.

Power Train at 521 miles Apr 9, 2018 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recalls filed under this heading

26V375000 High
Jun 9, 2026 · 10,742 vehicles
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.
18V213000 Critical
Apr 4, 2018 · 142 vehicles
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.
18V214000 High
Apr 4, 2018 · 292,909 vehicles
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.
17V669000 High
Oct 23, 2017 · 12,429 vehicles
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.

91 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading

SSM 54592 Service bulletin
Feb 17, 2026
For 20172026 vehicles equipped with a 10R transmission, a revision to the Road Testing Vehicle procedure has been made in the WSM, located in Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing. This updated procedure improves the diagnosis of customer reported transmission concerns and aids in locating the proper root cause. During diagnosis and testing, details regarding whether the condition is more preval
25E10 Emissions
Dec 13, 2025
Certain 2018-2020 Model Year F-150 Vehicles Equipped With 3.3L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming

The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Trouble codes named on this system

P0732 P0734 P076F P07F7 P07F6 P2707 P2708 P0369

Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Ford F-150 names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.

Other systems with a record on the 2018 Ford F-150

Source: the same files

engine problems 594 complaints
body and structure problems 193 complaints
electrical problems 172 complaints
brake problems 93 complaints

From here

Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Are transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2018 Ford F-150?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 1,016 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (44% of everything owners filed about it), and 91 manufacturer bulletins, 4 recalls are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.

Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2018 Ford F-150?

Yes — 4 campaigns are filed under this heading: 26V375000, 18V213000, 18V214000, 17V669000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2018 Ford F-150?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 60,000 miles; half of them between 17,000 and 97,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?

The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.