10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
11 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
13 / 0
Average Mileage:
22,940 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2018 Ford F-150:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #731

Oct 012025

F-150

  • miles
My truck would shift gears randomly and the transmission would slip every time I start to accelerate. I took it to the shop and they said that there was internal CDG cylinder failure. I looked it up and it seems as that this has been an issue with a lot of F-150's.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #730

Aug 292025

F-150

  • miles
After Ford performed a PCM (Powertrain Control Module) reprogramming recall on 16 July 2025, the vehicle began experiencing repeated engine misfires, loss of power, and engine warning lights. The condition progressively worsened, leading to a leaking fuel injector, an EGR valve that stuck open, and eventual internal engine damage requiring full engine replacement. These failures involve PCM-controlled systems (ignition timing, fuel injection, and exhaust gas recirculation) and occurred shortly after the recall calibration. The issue has been confirmed and documented by an authorized Ford dealer. The truck has become unsafe to drive due to stalling and shuddering at highway speeds, which could pose a risk of loss of vehicle control. Warning lamps and a wrench icon appeared intermittently before the engine shuttering and loss of power. The vehicle and all repair documentation are available for inspection upon request.

- Hermitage, TN, USA

problem #729

Feb 062024

F-150

  • miles
The transmission down shifts in critical situations unexpectedly nearly causing wrecks.

- Woodland, MS, USA

problem #728

Feb 172024

F-150

  • miles
Unexpected gear shift while driving Harsh or erratic shifting Hesitation between gears Unexpected lunging or jerking This is the transmission. Loss of power on roads. Yes, gears skipping gears. Gears skipped are gear 2, gear 4, gear 5 gear 8. Complete loss of gear power or forward movement on gear 4 RPM will rise to 3.5 to 4. RPMS. I have to let RPM come back down and then I will have control over throttle. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer yet. No warning lamps, no messages or other symptoms. Mechanic near me checked of codes and none showed. The truck is not giving any warning lights either. However, problems still continue.

- Onalaska, TX, USA

problem #727

Oct 032025

F-150

  • miles
NHTSA Complaint Statement (2018 Ford F-150, 10R80 Transmission -?" CDF Drum Issue) I am filing this complaint regarding the automatic 10R80 transmission installed in my 2018 Ford F-150. This transmission suffers from a well-documented defect involving the CDF drum, which is a critical component for clutch engagement and shift control. The defect causes a variety of unsafe conditions, including erratic shifting, gear slippage, harsh engagement, hesitation on acceleration, surging between gears, and sudden or complete loss of drive power. These failures occur unpredictably, placing both the driver and others at risk. In my experience, and in the reports of many other owners, the transmission will sometimes delay engagement when pulling into traffic or attempting to merge, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to collision. At other times, the truck surges forward without smooth control when shifting, or drops into neutral-like conditions, preventing acceleration. This behavior is not only inconvenient but represents a serious safety hazard that could easily result in an accident at highway speeds or in intersections. Ford Motor Company has released multiple technical service bulletins related to the 10R80 transmission and its harsh shifting behavior, yet none provide a lasting repair for the CDF drum defect. In most cases, the only available remedy is costly transmission replacement or complete rebuild, often well before expected service life. This is clearly not normal wear-and-tear but a design or manufacturing flaw that compromises safe operation. Given the widespread reports, repeat failures, and the safety implications of a transmission that can suddenly fail, I respectfully request that NHTSA open an investigation into the Ford 10R80 transmission and specifically the CDF drum issue. A recall or mandated corrective action is necessary to protect vehicle owners and the public from the risks created by this defect.

- Glendale Heights, IL, USA

problem #726

Nov 252024

F-150

  • miles
the transmission is failing, automotive shops have told us that a transmission rebuild or replacement is needed. They found the transmission fluid "in bad shape" with "lots of metal". The transmission downshifts harshly, it hesitates, and there is gear slippage. It is quickly degrading and will no longer be drivable soon. This is a result of Ford's design or manufacturing flaws with the 10R80 engine. The truck has 94K miles.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #725

Sep 262025

F-150

  • miles
Shortly after I purchased my 2018 f150 in April of 2018 I brought it back to my dealer in June stating that it was shifting hard in and out of 5th gear. My service advisor at that time said his f150 was doing the same thing. They plugged it into their computer and stated that there was no problem. Subsequent trips back for the same problem resulted in the same answers. Now in September of 2025 on the 26th, with 56k miles on the truck the transmission is lunging so hard at stops that it feels like I was hit from behind.

- Houston , TX, USA

problem #724

Sep 242025

F-150

  • miles
This truck has been in the shop 4 different times due to the transmission shifting erratically, jumping between gears, loss of power, and hard shifting. Ford knows this is a problem with the 10R80 transmission, YOU know this is a problem with the 10R80 transmission. Yesterday while driving 55mph the truck shifted itself into 1st gear, the truck momentarily jerked, the rpm-??s shot up to 5000 and then the truck just lost all power like it was in neutral and wouldn-??t move. After almost getting hit by the car behind me and the car coming at me, I drifted off the road and it took ten minutes before it would go into gear correctly, at which time I drove it slowly home with the flashers on. Now I have to take it back to the shop for the 5th time for this same dangerous problem. I am aware as I know that you are too of the numerous class action lawsuits around the country against Ford for this issue with millions of vehicles. Yet you sit on your hands not ordering Ford to issue a recall. Do your job!

- Franklin , NC, USA

problem #723

Apr 092019

F-150

  • miles
A defect in the 2018-2020 Ford F-150's 5.0-liter V8 "Coyote" engine that causes excessive oil consumption, potentially leading to engine failure, reduced efficiency, and increased emissions. Ford concealed this defect not letting owners know and didn-??t issue a recall. The oil dip always reads as if there is not enough oil in the truck causing you to have to constantly top off oil which is always over the usual amount of oil needed. The excessive oil consumption and potential carbon deposits can lead to severe engine issues, including stalling or even complete engine failure. This has caused other issues. This oil consumption defect has been there since I purchased this vehicle causing oil changes sooner than needed. A manufacturing defects in the 2018-2020 Ford 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission, commonly found in newer F-150 trucks, causing issues like harsh/erratic shifting, jerking, and power loss. The erratic shifting and power loss can pose a safety risk, especially when accelerating, merging, or in traffic. Ford concealed this defect not letting owners know and didn-??t issue a recall. I also, have had transmission defects that has needed repairs and replacement due to Power-shift dual-clutch, harsh shifting and power failure. My trucks have had two transmission major repairs. The first time on 9/6/22 at 36,541 miles the whole transmission had to be replaced completely due to powertrain or reduced engine power. Then again on 9/20/25 at 62,948 miles same issue Powertrain (wrench symbol) on the supposedly new transmission this time Ford dealership said it was the transmissions Dual clutches. This i didn't understand why was it happening with a new transmission and always met with an I don-??t know these things happen by Ford attendants. This caused to go without a vehicle for months having to use public transportation, loss of money, and time from work. Again, none of these defects were explained or recalled.

- Houston , TX, USA

problem #722

Sep 122025

F-150

  • 142,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission temperature became elevated. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road to restart the vehicle, but the transmission failed to shift into gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where metallic debris was found in the transmission fluid. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

- Covington, GA, USA

problem #721

Jul 282025

F-150

  • miles
I have 2018 F150 with the 10R80 transmission. At 140K it started to neutralize and hard jerk back into 9th-10th gear at 60mph or highway speed. Sometimes when driving from a complete stop and then proceed forward, it would rev the rpm-??s up to 5K and hard jerk into first gear. I took it to ford, they confirmed they knew about the issue it was a bad design on the bushing and that there was Technical service bulletin about it. I called ford corporate and they said they could not help and it was on me, even for a bad design. So for something they knew was a bad design and instead of recalling and fixing the issue I had to fork out like 4500 for the transmission to be rebuilt with the new bushing.

- Hickory, KY, USA

problem #720

Jun 212025

F-150

  • miles
During the years 2017 to 2020 Ford Motor Company manufactured a transmission 10r80 transmission with a defect in the CDF drum inside the transmission the bushing inside the drum moves out of place resulting in transmission failures.. this particular transmission usually lasts around $120-140,000 MI before the transmission fails. Through my research it costs between $5,500 and $7,500 for repairs.. with it being a manufacturer defect I feel that Ford should recall these Transmissions and replace them with the revised CDF drum..

- Smiths Grove, KY, USA

problem #719

Jul 012025

F-150

  • miles
Per ford tmsb the oil pan was installed wrong on some f150 trucks and leak needs recall to repair there mistake '

- Harrisville, MI, USA

problem #718

Sep 072025

F-150

  • miles
I have 114,000 miles on my truck. Without warning, my truck shifted from 10 gear down to 1st while driving 70 miles per hour. The force of the downshift caused the wheels to lock up and I almost lost control of the vehicle. I took the vehicle to the dealership and the repairs was over $10K. There are countless issues detailed on the internet with transmission failures for this vehicle but yet, Ford has not owned up to the defect.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #717

Sep 032025

F-150

  • miles
Auto start stop. This has happened on several occasions where I will be traveling at highway speeds and my 2018 F-150 10 speed 10R80 Transmisson with a 5.0-liter motor has died while traveling. I have talked to Ford Engineering reps, and they say they have never heard of this. I have done research into the subject and there have been hundreds of reports of the same issue. I have an appointment scheduled for Ford to look into the issue.

- Stearns, KY, USA

problem #716

Aug 282025

F-150

  • 84,700 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. In addition, the vehicle jerked abnormally and unintendedly upshifted. The -??Service Transmission-?? warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal transmission failure and a fractured valve cover. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,700.

- San Tan Valley, AZ, USA

problem #715

Aug 302025

F-150

  • miles
Transmission: Delayed shift/hesitation at low speed after take-off. Risk of loss of motion while crossing traffic. Consistently happens at low speed shift change, doesn't matter if on flat or incline. A lot of other owners complaining of same exact issue, Ford has yet to acknowledge that there's a flaw in the drivetrain.

- Horse Shoe, NC, USA

problem #714

Aug 072025

F-150

  • miles
My truck only has 61,000 miles and it started skipping gears and down shifting suddenly and I loose power and it stalls out in intersections. When it shifts it goes into neutral and my motor races making it extremely dangerous on the highway. I had a transmission tuneup done for $500 but it didn-??t help. It got worse over a weeks time and I took it back to the mechanic because a wrench came up on my dashboard. He ran a check and 4th gear was shot. So now I need a new transmission. 2014 f150 had a recall. Several people I know with the same year as mine 2018 have the same problem.

- San Bernardino , CA, USA

problem #713

Aug 202025

F-150

  • miles
Transmission started shifting very erratically, skipping, and hanging in gears. The rear end would lock up and the tires would screech. On the highway, during downshifts, the vehicle would hang and shift hard, jerking the vehicle in heavy traffic. Could not maintain safe speeds.

- Conway, AR, USA

problem #712

Aug 152025

F-150

  • 87,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over to the right side of the roadway and turned off, and then restarted the vehicle but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The -??WRENCH-?? symbol was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

- Southport, NC, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »