2018 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
"Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on
- 65owner reports
- 83,000median miles
- $7,000median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 21, 2026 · checked Sep 29, 2026
1793 of the 2,310 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 65 of those describe transmission warning light.
Tick what matches of 65 reports
Transmission warning light 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: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This sheet is for a "Service Transmission" message, a transmission fault warning or a wrench light. Owners say it often shows up with lost power, a stall or a car that won't accelerate, and sometimes clears on the next start.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (9 reports), the transmission control module (4 reports), the valve body or solenoid (3 reports) and the clutch (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.
Speed control deactivation switch fire. Closed mar 22, 2005, led to recall 05V-017.
Dual fuel tank crossflow/leakage. Closed dec 6, 2001, led to recall 00V-424.
Blow back during refueling. Closed sep 23, 1999.
Alleged loss of throttle control. Closed sep 30, 1999.
Ford f-series dual fuel tank leakage. Closed nov 4, 1999, led to recall 93V-125.
Loss of throttle control. Closed aug 31, 1998.
Automatic transmission control. Closed aug 27, 1998, led to recall 97V-147.
Ice formation in the throttle body. Closed may 22, 2000, led to recall 96V-251.
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.
Fuel expulsion. Closed aug 20, 1993, led to recall 93V-125.
Fuel expulsion. Closed jan 7, 1993.
Fuel expulsion. Closed nov 1, 1991, led to recall 91V-146.
Transmission fluid fires. Closed jul 5, 1991.
What owners paid
9 of the 65 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $5,500 to $9,335.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 60,000 and 106,000 miles, from the 41 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“While driving my truck mostly when raining but not always the wrench light will come on and the truck will lose all power and not shift. I then shut my truck off left it set for about 15 minutes and when i start it back up everything will be fine light would be off run's fine for about 1 to 2 months or if it rains again then it will do the same thing again.”
Filed Aug 24, 2025
“We were driving on the highway when the truck starting jerking/shuttering and losing power. The wrench light came on, we put on the hazard lights and limped off the nearest exit.”
Filed May 24, 2025
“I was driving on the highway at 65 mph. A warning light came on saying my driver's side blind spot warning was not working. Then immediately a warning light with a wrench came on and said that there was a problem with the transmission. Then my truck shut down completely. It is not able to start, and the Ford dealer says they have no idea why.”
Filed Oct 19, 2022
“When cold harsh shifts, missing shifts. Feels like shifts to neutral, engine speeds up then slams hard into gear. Today wrench light came on. 3rd trip scheduled to dealer.”
Filed Dec 30, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 65 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. 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 113 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
- 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