2018 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Auto start-stop will not restart the engine
- 29owner reports
- 28,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Apr 1, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
720 of the 2,311 complaints on this car are about the engine. 29 of those describe auto start-stop failure.
Tick what matches of 29 reports
Auto start-stop failure on other F-150 years
No other F-150 model year has enough reports of auto start-stop failure for a sheet of its own. See every F-150 year.
What this problem usually is
Start-stop complaints describe one moment: the engine shuts off at a light, as designed, and then doesn't come back when the driver lifts off the brake. Owners report sitting in traffic with a dead engine, having to shift to park and restart by hand, and dealers who find nothing wrong on the first visit. It usually happens more than once before anyone files.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (3 reports) and the start-stop module (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the engine cover the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causing corrosion and damage.
The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
All 19 recalls on the 2018 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the F-150
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Reduced power during hard acceleration. Closed apr 7, 2014.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Engine compartment fires. Closed aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V-388.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed aug 31, 1994.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed jul 30, 1993.
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 13,000 and 49,300 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2018 Ford F-150 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 2018 F-150 vehicles built on or before 25-Feb-2018 may experience an inoperative auto start-stop feature after the powertrain control module (PCM) software has been updated. This may be due to various software parameters within the PCM.
What owners wrote
“Was slowing down to turn, engine cut out and received an âauto start/stop, shift to P and then restart engineâ error on dash. Almost got in an accident because of it.”
Filed Apr 1, 2026
“I was stopped at a stop sign and then proceeded to press the gas and turn into the far lane. A quarter to halfway through the turn the engine shut off and I got the message â Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engineâ. Had to put the vehicle in park in the middle of the road and restart the engine. Luckily no one was coming but if there had been I could have been hit.”
Filed Apr 20, 2025
“While slowing down an off ramp while towing a known trailer, vehicle engine turned off and screen said AUTO STARTSTOP SHIFT TO P, THEN RESTART ENGINE. That worked. had been running for an hour.”
Filed Dec 14, 2024
“My truck stalls when I brake to a full stop when the auto start/stop is deactivated. It is an intermittent problem that I have had the Ford dealer investigate twice with no resolution. It is a bothersome irritation that can potentially get me rear-ended when, at a traffic light, the truck dies and I have to shift to park, restart the engine, shift back into drive, and hopefully make it out of there.”
Filed Nov 23, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 29 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
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 519 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 251 reports
- Timing chain or cam phaser rattles 227 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 195 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 180 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 164 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 119 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 114 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 91 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 91 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 89 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 65 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 54 reports
- Tailgate or liftgate will not open or close 48 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 47 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 42 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 40 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 38 reports
- Rear window shatters or explodes 38 reports
- Vehicle fire 32 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 30 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 29 reports
- Driveshaft, axle or transfer case problems 26 reports