no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
NewRisk. Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
2018 Ford ExpeditionProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 384 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford Expedition, most often about the power train. It is covered by 14 safety recalls, and for recall 25V-197 the manufacturer reports only 27% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Ford Expedition has problems
384 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
150Power train3 crash/fire/injury
100Engine3 crash/fire/injury
34Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
26Suspension
25Exterior lighting
25Engine and engine cooling
15Vehicle speed control
15Service brakes
15Seat belts
5913 other systems7 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 150 | 3 |
| Engine | 100 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 34 | 4 |
| Suspension | 26 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 25 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 25 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 4 |
| Seat belts | 15 | 2 |
| 13 other systems | 59 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
14 recalls
2018 Ford Expedition recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Interior panels: center console
NewRisk. Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.
no report yet
Seat belts: pretensioner
NewRisk. Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q3
Seat belts: pretensioner
Risk. Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Show 10 more recalls
repaired · 2026 Q3
Foundation components: master cylinder
Risk. A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q3
Other: labels
Risk. Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Seat belts: pretensioner
Risk. Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q3
Other: owners/service/other manual
Risk. Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Risk. In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
repaired · 2019 Q4
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2019 Q3
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. If the gear shift cable clip becomes unseated or dislodged, the gear shift lever position may indicate that the transmission is in 'Park' when it may be in a…
repaired · 2019 Q3
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been…
repaired · 2019 Q2
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Risk. If the seat back is not adequately secured, and/or the seat occupant is improperly positioned, there can be an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
89kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 36 power train complaints. 64% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 34% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
6under 30k miles23under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine
8 owners mentioned a cost$5,366median
Middle half: $4,750 – $6,125
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other Expedition year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Expedition median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Ford Expedition safety ratings
2018 Ford Expedition SUV 4x4 in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (19.3% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Ford Expedition, and the recalls they led to.
- Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent DeploymentLed to recall 25V-197
In owners' words
What Expedition owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications for NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V344000 (Seat Belts), 26V368000 (Structure), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to complete the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a…
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING VERY HARD AND LOST FORWARD MOMENTUM WHILE ON HIGHWAY NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENT. THE RESULTING TOW AND REPARS TOTALED CLOSE TO $5000.00
I was traveling on the interstate and went to accelerate to pass a vehicle. My car displayed system fault codes and made a clicking noise and dropped to neutral while my RPMs stayed high. I lost acceleration and had to swerve to avoid a collision. The engine then had a loud clank and jerked into…
Own a 2018 Expedition?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.