2018 Ford Expedition · symptom sheet

Engine rattles or ticks

37owner reports
70,015median miles
0involved a crash

Newest report Jul 16, 2026 · checked Sep 19, 2026

117 of the 372 complaints on this car are about the engine. 37 of those describe engine rattle.

Tick what matches of 37 reports

a ticking or tapping at idle

worse on a cold start

a rattle that comes and goes

the check engine light followed

the dealer named a specific part

it got worse over weeks

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the cam phasers (29 reports) and the timing chain (6 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2018 model year as of Sep 19, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Expedition

DP05-005opened Sep 22, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 1997 to 2004

Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.

NHTSA summary

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY 1997 TO 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES.(2) MOST THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, REPETITIVE CLICKING OR POPPING SOUND.(3) MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER; HOWEVER, IN 99% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL.IN THE VERY FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE DID STALL, MOST VEHICLES COULD BE RESTARTED.(4) ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINANTS CITED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS OR A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.(5) IN ALL BUT A VER

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 48,000 and 96,000 miles, from the 26 reports that gave a mileage.

120

122

1223

1224

925

226

What owners wrote

“The truck suddenly loses power while driving. Then goes back to normal. Most recently but not only time I lost power on interstate, the dash blinks see manual. I was almost hit by vehicle behind me as i was unable to continue accelerating. Similar recalls for my year and make of vehicle include powertrain control module reprogram for cam phaser rattle and automatic engine idle shutdown.”
Filed Feb 28, 2025

“Faulty Cam phasers The cam phasers in this vehicles makes an undesirable noise, such as a rattle when starting the engine or a knocking noise when idling. Vehicle has at times experiences Poor acceleration, Rough engine running, Tapping or rattling noise when the engine is idling and hot”
Filed Dec 10, 2024

“Engine sound when car turns on. Took the car to personal mechanic and a Ford Dealership both confirmed sound of engine when started. Can hear a sound (ticking/clicking) when idling.”
Filed Nov 4, 2024

“when I start the SUV in the morning, it makes a very loud rattling noise. it appears that its a very well known issue w Dry start. My mechanic stated that Eco boost 3.5 L 2018 expeditions have many of those issues (possible to a bad Phasers). the vehicle only has 35k miles on it, and was starting without noise before.... (I will attempt to include a short video)”
Filed Jun 3, 2024 · 35,000 miles

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 37 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.