The 2018 Expedition on the T3 platform shares the 3.5L EcoBoost with the F-150, and unfortunately inherits some catastrophic engine issues alongside typical 10-speed transmission quirks. When they're good, they're great family haulers—but the engine failure risk is real and expensive.
Catastrophic Engine Failure — Cam Phaser and Timing Chain Carnage
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Cold-start rattle that sounds like marbles in a coffee can, lasting 3-10 seconds, Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes (P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019), Loss of power, rough idle, possible catastrophic failure if timing jumps, Metal debris in oil from disintegrating phasers
Fix: Cam phasers and timing chains require full front engine teardown—remove grille, radiator, AC condenser, pull both heads to access chains properly. Budget 25-35 hours labor. If pistons score or bearings spin from debris, you're looking at short block replacement (40+ hours). Ford extended warranty to 10yr/150k on some, but not all qualify.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,500 for phasers/chains; $12,000-18,000 for short block
10-Speed Transmission Harsh Shifts and Shudder
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 30,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard downshifts from 3rd to 2nd, especially when slowing to 15-25 mph, Transmission shudder during light acceleration at 30-50 mph, Delayed engagement into Drive or Reverse when cold, Clunking on 1-2 upshift under moderate throttle
Fix: Ford TSB 19-2132 calls for adaptive learning reset and software flash first (1 hour). If that doesn't hold, fluid flush with Mercon ULV and new filter (2 hours). Persistent cases need internal clutch pack replacement or full rebuild (18-24 hours). Many owners report temporary improvement from flashes that eventually returns.
Estimated cost: $200-400 for flash/fluid; $4,000-6,500 for rebuild
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Red transmission fluid puddle under front of vehicle, Low transmission fluid warning light, Visible fluid weeping at cooler line quick-connects near radiator, Burnt transmission smell if fluid gets low enough
Fix: Quick-disconnect fittings at the radiator-mounted cooler crack or O-rings fail. Replacement lines from Ford are redesigned. Remove front bumper cover for access, replace both lines even if only one is leaking. 3-4 hours labor plus fluid refill and relearn procedure.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Fuel Pump Failure (Recall 20V-490)
Occasional · high severity
Symptoms: No-start condition, cranks but won't fire, Engine stalls while driving with no warning, Intermittent hard-start after sitting, runs rough then clears, Check engine light with low fuel pressure codes
Fix: Defective Bosch fuel pumps can fail suddenly. Ford recall covers replacement but appointment availability is spotty. In-tank pump replacement requires dropping the fuel tank—4-5 hours labor. If you're not covered by recall and it fails, you're paying out of pocket. Check VIN eligibility at Ford.com.
Estimated cost: $900-1,500 if not recall-covered
Power Running Board Failure
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 40,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Running board stuck in extended or retracted position, Clicking/grinding noise from motor but no movement, One side works, other side doesn't, Water intrusion causes corrosion in motor housing
Fix: Motor assemblies fill with water from road spray, corrode internally. Aftermarket motors are hit-or-miss. OEM motor replacement is 2-3 hours per side including programming. Some techs seal the vent holes with silicone as preventive measure on the new unit.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400 per side
Rear Driveshaft and PTU Vibration
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Vibration at highway speed (65-75 mph) that feels like bad tire balance but isn't, Clunk when shifting from Park to Drive, Whining noise from center of vehicle that increases with speed, PTU fluid leak at front output seal
Fix: Power Transfer Unit (PTU) shares fluid with front diff but runs hot. Ford calls for fluid changes every 30k in severe duty but owners manual says 'lifetime fill.' Driveshaft carrier bearing dries out. PTU fluid service is 1.5 hours, driveshaft replacement 3-4 hours. If PTU is damaged internally, you're replacing the whole unit (8-10 hours).
Estimated cost: $250-450 for PTU fluid; $600-1,000 for driveshaft; $2,500-3,800 for PTU replacement
Owner tips
Change PTU and rear diff fluid every 30,000 miles regardless of schedule—heat kills these units on heavy SUVs
Use Ford Motorcraft oil and change every 5,000 miles to minimize cam phaser wear; UOA shows fuel dilution is common with direct injection
If you hear ANY cold-start rattle, get it inspected immediately—waiting turns a $5k job into a $15k job
Keep transmission software up to date and consider fluid changes every 40k miles with Mercon ULV only
Check recall status by VIN before purchase—fuel pump and transmission issues have active campaigns
Great platform when it works, but the EcoBoost engine failure risk and 10-speed transmission issues make this a gamble unless you find one with documented cam phaser replacement and transmission service history—budget $3k reserve fund for peace of mind.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER · 25V236000
2025-04-11
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-150.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · 24V852000
2024-11-08
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · 24V099000
2024-02-09 · PE23021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Consequence: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 18V805000
2018-11-14
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition vehicles. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.
Consequence: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner notification was sent on December 21, 2018. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S37
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S17.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · 18V213000
2018-04-04
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
Consequence: 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 exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) · 18V214000
2018-04-04
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and 2018 Ford F-150 and Expedition vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions (excluding Expedition vehicles with
a Rotary Gear Shift Dial on the console). 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.
Consequence: 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 different gear. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the shift cable locking clip and properly seat it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for the recall is 18S10.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS · 18V058000
2018-01-16
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The second row window control modules may intermittently stop the movement of the power window. If something, such as a finger, is pinched by the window glass, the stopped window control module may prevent the window from automatically reversing. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence: If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row window electronic control modules, and replace them as necessary based on their build date codes, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C01.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 17V775000
2017-12-01
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Expedition vehicles. The second row outboard seats may have excessive forward adjustment capability and/or may have an improperly installed bolt that secures the seat back to the seat base. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints", number 207, "Seating Systems", and number 210, "Seat Belt Anchorage System."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row outboard seats for proper seat adjustment travel, replacing the seat frame assembly if necessary. Dealers will also inspect the bolts attaching the seat back to the seat base for the proper installation, correcting it as necessary. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began on January 10, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C20.
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