2018 Ford Expedition · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 57owner reports
- 69,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Aug 20, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
146 of the 375 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 57 of those describe transmission shudder. Only timing chain failure is reported more often on this car.
Narrower sheets: Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear (36 reports)
Tick what matches of 57 reports
Transmission shudder on other Expedition years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (7 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the transmission and drivetrain cover the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
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.
All 14 recalls on the 2018 Ford Expedition, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Expedition
Unexpected transmission downshift. Closed oct 22, 2019, led to recall 19V-075.
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 45,000 and 111,000 miles, from the 24 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 8 service bulletins or notices for the 2018 Ford Expedition that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2017-2020 F-150, 2018-2021 Expedition/Navigator/Mustang, 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10R80 transmission may exhibit a harsh/delayed engagement and/or harsh/delayed shift, an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic ...
Some 2017-2023 F-150, 2018-2023 Expedition/Navigator/Mustang, 2019-2023 Ranger, 2020-2023 Explorer/Aviator/Transit and 2021-2023 Bronco vehicles equipped with a 10R60/10R80/10R80MHT transmission may exhibit a harsh/delayed engagement and/or harsh/delayed ...
Some 2017-2020 F-150, 2018-2021 Expedition/Navigator/Mustang and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10R80 automatic transmission may exhibit a harsh engagement/harsh shift/delayed shift.
Some 2017-2020 F-150, 2018-2022 Expedition/Navigator/Mustang and 2019-2022 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10R80 automatic transmission may exhibit a harsh engagement/harsh shift/delayed shift.
4 more on the 2018 Ford Expedition page.
What owners wrote
“Transmission that's was replaced approx 3 yrs ago is hard shifting from park to drive and park to reverse on flat level surface.”
Filed Aug 20, 2026 · 108,000 miles
“We have and continue to experience severe transmission slipping in our 2018 expedition limited. It can create a dangerous loss of control situation when it slips severely or upshifts or downshifts rough.”
Filed Jun 11, 2026
“When attempting to pass a slow moving vehicle on a 2 lane highway when driving up a hill the transmission failed to properly shift instead making a loud clunking and grinding sound before eventually managing to shift into a gear. This failure to shift properly meant that the vehicle was unexpectedly without power when trying to change lanes leading to a dangerous situation.”
Filed Dec 30, 2025
“-The transmission shifts hard and often skips a gear while driving -On slick roads it is easy to loose control from the sudden shift and jerk. -Yes, I have taken it to the dealer and they confirmed the problem and said that it is a known issue. -Yes the dealer has inspected it -There were no warning lamps or messages.”
Filed Sep 22, 2025
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 57 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Timing chain or cam phaser rattles 72 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 42 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 38 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 26 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 25 reports