Most common 2018 Ford Expedition problems
Share of the 382 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Expedition complaints by model year
Best Expedition years: 2014, 2013, 2012. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017, 2018. Compare all years →
2018 Ford Expedition recalls (14)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge.
Structure › Interior panels › Center console
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles. The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Show 8 more recalls
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition vehicles. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The second row window control modules may intermittently stop the movement of the power window.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row window electronic control modules, and replace them as necessary based on their build date codes, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Expedition vehicles. The second row outboard seats may have excessive forward adjustment capability and/or may have an improperly installed bolt that secures the seat back to the seat base.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row outboard seats for proper seat adjustment travel, replacing the seat frame assembly if necessary.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Ford Expedition:
Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
On November 22, 2023, the O ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE23021 to investigate complaints of front seat belt retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Expedition vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company.
What 2018 Ford Expedition owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 148 →
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted without warning. The transmission also shifted hard, and the vehicle jerked while driving at various speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The transmission was rebuilt. The following day while driving approximately 65 MPH, the transmission shifted hard, and the contact became aware that transmission fluid was leaking from the vehicle after exiting and inspecting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure and replaced the transmission. The contact stated that the transmission still shifted hard while driving and the message that the engine was overheating was displayed. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the vehicle sputtered while restarting. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V392000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that oil was leaking from the timing valve cover and the front struts. The dealer also informed the contact that the transmission lines were leaking. …
Engine & cooling all 120 →
No Brakes, Engine Racing, & ignition would not turn off, yes available for inspection at Seth Whatley Ford. Car crashed which was the only way it came to a stop, wheels were still turning when I got out of the car, if anyone one had been around they would have been hurt or killed. Towed to dealer, dealer was unable to find any evidence on their side. Insurance adjuster came out and assess the damage from crash. There was no warning lights or sensors that were working during this episode. Monday, March 27, 2023 at approximately 10am, I got into my Expedition to start my vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed as I pushed the button to start the car, and the engine was running smoothly. Foot was on the brake pedal when I put the car into reverse, the car shot out from the carport and engine was racing. …
The contact stated owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a rattling sound emitting from the engine compartment and the VIN was included in a Warranty related coverage for the cam phasers to be replaced. Approximately 4 years after the cam phasers were replaced, the rattling sound returned. The contact stated that the sound mostly occurred during cold starts, and intermittently after the vehicle had warmed up. The check engine warning light illuminated signaling a catalytic convertor failure. The contact researched and learned of Customer Satisfaction Program with the NHTSA ID Number: 10201090 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam phasers had failed again and needed to be replaced. …
Electrical system all 34 →
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering and unintendedly decelerated to 20 MPH. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the fuel pump and the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Solenoid were replaced; however, the failure recurred increasingly, and the vehicle lost motive power on several occasions. The contact veered to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle after several attempts and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump and the fuel pressure rail were replaced; however, the check engine warning light became illuminated. …
The infotainment screen that includes the rear backup camera stopped working intermittently and then completely. The dealer's service department identified that the APIM, a module involved in operating the screen had failed. The backup camera is a significant and necessary safety feature for such a large vehicle. The dealer ordered the new part and replaced it at significant expense. There was no warning of this issue, and the only symptom was the intermittent delay of the infotainment system turning on upon startup of the vehicle.
2018 Ford Expedition engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Ford Expedition a good car?
Based on 382 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Expedition rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Expedition at the same age. It is one of the Expedition years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford Expedition?
The transmission & drivetrain — 148 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission › control module (tcm/pcm/tecm). Next are the engine & cooling (120) and electrical system (34).
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Expedition have?
There are 14 recalls for the 2018 Ford Expedition, the most recent from June 24, 2026 (automatic transmission). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Expedition?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2013 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017 and 2018. See the full Ford Expedition years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford Expedition problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 57,000 miles; 45% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.