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2018 Ford F-250 SDProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 400 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford F-250 SD, most often about the steering. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 25V-572 the manufacturer reports only 21% of affected cars repaired.

38
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.6× the F-250 SD median · #3 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls9Lowest repair rate 21%Owner complaints40019 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage28kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2018 Ford F-250 SD has problems

400 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering2532
Suspension1991
Wheels291
Power train160
Structure161
Engine155
Fuel/propulsion system133
Back over prevention100
Electrical system92
12 other systems385

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

9 recalls

2018 Ford F-250 SD 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.

21%repaired · 2026 Q3

Sensing system: camera

Recall 25V-572 · Sep 3, 2025 · 1,456,417 vehicles · 307,410 repaired

Risk. A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

60%repaired · 2026 Q1

Sensing system: camera

Recall 22V-644 · Aug 26, 2022 · 277,040 vehicles · 167,430 repaired

Risk. Lack of a clear rearview camera image can reduce the driver's visibility of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

63%repaired · 2024 Q1

Driveline: driveshaft

Recall 22V-087 · Feb 16, 2022 · 247,445 vehicles · 155,788 repaired

Risk. A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 5 more recalls
37%repaired · 2023 Q1

Tires

Recall 21V-155 · Mar 10, 2021 · 15,769 vehicles · 5,797 repaired

Risk. Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2021 Q2

Seat belts: pretensioner

Recall 19V-880 · Dec 11, 2019 · 490,574 vehicles · 369,559 repaired

Risk. A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

77%repaired · 2021 Q2

Tailgate: latch

Recall 19V-864 · Dec 4, 2019 · 231,664 vehicles · 177,424 repaired

Risk. Unintended tailgate opening may allow unrestrained cargo to fall out of the truck bed and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

76%repaired · 2021 Q1

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 19V-808 · Nov 12, 2019 · 86,296 vehicles · 65,488 repaired

Risk. DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

86%repaired · 2020 Q3

Engine

Recall 19V-278 · Apr 8, 2019 · 131,068 vehicles · 112,158 repaired

Risk. A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 steering problems start?

28kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 202 steering complaints. 99% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
113under 30k miles199under 100k miles3100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2018 vs. every other F-250 SD 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 F-250 SD median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2018 Ford F-250 SD, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Power tailgate opens unintendedPE18011 · closed Dec 12, 2019
    Led to recall 19V-864
  2. Sogefi Secondary Diesel Fuel Filter LeakPE24014 · still open
    Open
  3. Power Tailgate Release SystemsRQ21001 · closed Jan 10, 2024
    No recall
In owners' words

What F-250 SD owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I recently purchased this vehicle and have had the "death wobble" occur 3 times recently. Driving at normal conditions, hit a bump in the road and the front wheels violently start shaking and the vehicle must come to a complete stop to stop the shaking. I had a semi behind me last time and was…
Complaint 11774147 · Oct 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle displayed the death wobble. The failure had occurred three times. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was not able to speak with a…
Complaint 11672833 · Jul 11, 2025 · 32,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the steering wheel seized with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not…
Complaint 11645244 · Feb 27, 2025 · 148,000 miles

Own a 2018 F-250 SD?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.