2018 Ford Expedition problems & reliability
374 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Expedition, alongside 14 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
11 complaints report injuries (25 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Ford Expedition vehicles were involved in 16 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 146 | 39% |
| Engine → | 98 | 26% |
| Electrical System → | 33 | 9% |
| Unknown / Other | 32 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 25 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting → | 24 | 6% |
| Suspension → | 24 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 15 | 4% |
| Service Brakes → | 14 | 4% |
| Structure → | 13 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 23 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 126 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 58,500 miles (middle 50% between 25,400 and 92,500 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2018 Ford Expedition with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine has developed a pronounced rattling/knocking noise at startup. This appears consistent with the well documented cam phaser/VCT problem affecting this engine family. At approximately 118,212 miles, an independent Firestone Complete Auto Care inspected the vehicle…”
Engine · filed Sep 11, 2026
“Daytime running LED lights in headlights have stopped working. Unable to replace bulb/fix due to having to replace the entire head lamp assembly.”
Exterior Lighting · filed Sep 9, 2026
“Transmission that's was replaced approx 3 yrs ago is hard shifting from park to drive and park to reverse on flat level surface.”
Power Train · filed Aug 20, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
Recall Query RQ24015 · opened Nov 15, 2024 · closed Jul 23, 2025 · led to recall 25V197
Technical service bulletins
165 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Expedition. The 10 most recent:
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
25N17 · Other · issued Mar 25, 2026
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display…
TSB 25-2570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2025
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in…
SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 12, 2025
This bulletin supersedes TSB 25-2132. Reason for update: update the Part List Description and Labor Times Description Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following…
TSB 25-2476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 30, 2025
On your vehicle, the OBD monitoring system for the catalytic converter may not be operating as intended. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may illuminate on the instrument panel even though a catalytic converter…
24E13 · Emissions · issued May 5, 2025
Some 2018-2024 Expedition/Navigator vehicles equipped with 22 inch wheels, may exhibit an increased level of vibrations which can be felt while driving on a smooth road at speeds at or above 75 mph (120 km/h). Pinpoint…
SSM 53661 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2025
This bulletin supersedes TSB 25-2023. Reason for update: update the Part List and Service Procedure Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: * Harsh…
TSB 25-2132 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 2025
Certain 2018-2021 Model Year Expedition Vehicles equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprograming
24E13 · Emissions · issued Apr 17, 2025
"Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: • Harsh engagement • Delayed engagement • Harsh shift • Delayed shift • Illuminated MIL with DTCs P0751…
TSB 25-2023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 11, 2025
Some 2017-2025 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a 10R60/10R80/10R80 MHT/10R100 transmission may exhibit a whine noise at idle and/or while driving.
SSM 53305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 17, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Ford Expedition has 14 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Ford Expedition?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 58,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.