2018 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Engine stalls or loses power while driving
- 251owner reports
- 53,000median miles
- $6,809median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
1606 of the 2,311 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 251 of those describe stalling. Only transmission shudder is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 251 reports
Stalling on other F-150 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: 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Stalling reports are some of the most alarming on the site. The engine quits while the car is moving, sometimes on a highway and sometimes at a stop. Many owners say it restarted right away and the dealer found no stored code, which is part of why these complaints pile up before anything gets fixed.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the throttle body (8 reports), the battery (7 reports), the ignition coil or plugs (3 reports) and the engine (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
8 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.
Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral.
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.
These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
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.
The cylinder heads may have been machined without lubrication supply holes for the camshaft bearing journals.
Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral before the vehicle achieves Drive function.
All 19 recalls on the 2018 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the F-150
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up. Open, led to recall 26V-237.
Unintended transmission downshift and rear wheel lock-up. Closed jan 30, 2026.
Low-pressure fuel pump failure. Closed sep 19, 2025, led to recall 25V-455.
Unintended transmission downshift. Closed jul 29, 2024, led to recall 24V-444.
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Unexpected transmission downshift. Closed oct 22, 2019, led to recall 19V-075.
Reduced power during hard acceleration. Closed apr 7, 2014.
Fuel tank strap failure due to corrosion. Closed aug 19, 2011, led to recall 11V-385.
Fuel tank strap corrosion/rust. Closed may 23, 2011.
Cng regulator leak. Closed feb 27, 2009.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Engine compartment fires. Closed aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V-388.
Ford f-series dual fuel tank leakage. Closed nov 4, 1999, led to recall 93V-125.
Automatic transmission control. Closed aug 27, 1998, led to recall 97V-147.
Failure transmission park engagement/loc. Closed sep 16, 1997, led to recall 97V-147.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed aug 31, 1994.
Idle air spd ctrl vlv malf. Closed jul 30, 1993.
Transmission fluid fires. Closed jul 5, 1991.
What owners paid
33 of the 251 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $4,300 to $8,800.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 17,000 and 84,000 miles, from the 140 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices 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 2017-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with 3.3L, 3.5L EcoBoost, or 5.0L engines may exhibit stalling, lack of power, low fuel rail pressure and/or DTCs P0087 or P008A after a repair was made that required the removal of the fuel line that connects ...
Some 2017-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine, 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 5.0L engine, 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.0L engine, may exhibit a high pitched squeal or whistle type noise from the ...
Some 2017-2020 Model year vehicles equipped with 3.3L, 3.5L EcoBoost, or 5.0L engines may exhibit stalling, lack of power, low fuel rail pressure and/or DTCs P0087 or P008A after a repair was made that required the removal of the fuel line that connects the ...
Some 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit excessive oil consumption of greater than 1L (1 quart) in 4,800 km (3,000 mi) with no visible oil leaks.
2 more on the 2018 Ford F-150 page.
What owners wrote
“The vehicle is stalling/jerking and long idling. I was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. Less than 80,000 miles. 2018 Ford 150”
Filed Sep 24, 2026 · 80,000 miles
“Transmission slips out of park. And starts like it's in gear , can vehicle feel the truck jump a little.also shifts stalls and feels like it's stopping when taking off from a intersection. Started doing this when truck was about 2 years old. Had dealer change trans filter and fluid last year but it's still doing it.”
Filed Sep 17, 2026
“Loss of power while acceleration from a stop sign. Vehicle would not shift into gear and acted like it could only drive very slowly. Repair shop inspected it and stated that the transmission needed work and would cost 8200.00 to fix issue that has a TSB out meaning ford knows about the issue”
Filed Sep 7, 2026
“Transmission failed at 59k miles while driving on the road. Shifting unexpectedly from 7th to 1st gear, complete loss of power at speed. This is due to the well known CDF clutch drum failure for which Ford has issued several TSBs. This needs to be a recall. Very dangerous.”
Filed Sep 18, 2024 · 59,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 251 reports involved a crash and 3 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
- 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
- Auto start-stop will not restart the engine 29 reports
- Driveshaft, axle or transfer case problems 26 reports