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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2018 Ford F-350 SD

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 201 safety complaints about the 2018 Ford F-350 SD with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 5 mention a fire, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. 9 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the steering, named in 101 complaints, 50% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 25,000 miles, the median across the 143 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers April 2018 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

201 complaints on file

201

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

5

Mention fire

5

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
STEERING 101 · 50%
SUSPENSION 77 · 38%
WHEELS 25 · 12%
STRUCTURE 24 · 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 21 · 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12 · 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 10 · 5%
ENGINE 7 · 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 · 2%
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL 4 · 2%
POWER TRAIN 4 · 2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 · 1%
0 42 85

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 201.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 59.

64 48 32 16
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2018 Ford F-350 SD. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

9 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V572000 · September 4, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
The 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.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,456,417 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

22V880000 · November 29, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 4x4 vehicles. A radial damper inside the driveshaft may move out of position over time, which can cause a driveshaft imbalance and result in a fracture.
The risk
A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power. Additionally, a vehicle rollaway could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Either of these scenarios increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S74.

Ford Motor Company · up to 18,808 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

22V644000 · August 26, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.
The 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.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S51.

Ford Motor Company · up to 277,040 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

22V087000 · February 16, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2022 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty vehicles equipped with gasoline engines and aluminum driveshafts. Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.
The risk
A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power, or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft as necessary, and properly attach the underbody insulators, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 7, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S09.

Ford Motor Company · up to 247,445 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

21V155000 · March 10, 2021

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
The 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. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.

Ford Motor Company · up to 15,769 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

19V880000 · December 11, 2019

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCrew Cab vehicles with carpet flooring. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk
A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply heat resistant tape to the carpet and its insulation, and modify the B-Pillar insulation as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S52.

Ford Motor Company · up to 490,574 vehicles across all model years covered

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

19V864000 · December 4, 2019

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks equipped with an electric tailgate latch release switch mounted in the tailgate handle. Water may enter the electrical wiring system and cause a short circuit, activating the switch and releasing the tailgate latches.
The 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.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the tailgate/frame wiring harnesses by adding jumper pigtails to isolate the tailgate release control circuits and will install a new tailgate handle release switch, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S48.

Ford Motor Company · up to 231,664 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

19V808000 · November 12, 2019

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2019 F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty trucks. The Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may not dim when the headlight switch is moved into the "On" position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module (BCM) software, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C10.

Ford Motor Company · up to 86,296 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

19V278000 · April 8, 2019

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged.
The risk
A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S11.

Ford Motor Company · up to 131,068 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

3 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Sogefi Secondary Diesel Fuel Filter Leak

PE24014

Still open preliminary evaluation · opened May 9, 2024

the diesel fuel system, the fuel system

The Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) has received 27 complaints alleging diesel fuel leaks due to a fracture in the secondary fuel filter housing in model year (MY) 2015-2021 Ford Motor Company (Ford) F-250, 350, 450, and 550 Super Duty vehicles equipped with 6.7L diesel engines. Of these complaints, 12 describe an engine compartment fire. The proximity of the secondary fuel filter to high heat sources creates a potential for autoignition thermal events and fires. ODI has contacted the vehicle manufacturer, Ford, and the filter manufacturer, Allevard Sogefi USA (Sogefi), and learned that the low-pressure fuel system is capable of a maximum operating pressure of 8.5 Bar, while the secondary fuel filter is only tested to seven (7) Bar during the manufacturing process. Additionally, changes starting in 2022 by both Ford and Sogefi align with a lack of similar complaints on MY 2022 and newer vehicles. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to evaluate the severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related problems. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Power Tailgate Release Systems

RQ21001

Closed recall query · opened January 15, 2021 · closed January 10, 2024

the body structure

In January 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ21-001) to assess allegations of post-recall remedy uncommanded tailgate openings in model year (MY) 2017-2019 F-250/350/450 Ford trucks. Besides the recall remedy launched in January 2020, Ford also implemented a production update in November 2019.  At the time of the RQ opening, ODI had received eleven (11) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs). ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Ford in February 2021. In numerous meetings after receiving their IR response, Ford highlighted the drop in claims since the recall and production update and communicated how they were unable to verify the owners’ complaints or replicate the concern. Despite this, Ford began developing ways to prevent uncommanded tailgate openings from various human, mechanical or electrical causes. Based on testing, Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction program, 21M05-S1/S2/S3, to further address the potential of unintended tailgate openings. This work was applied to vehicles being produced as of December 20, 2021.  The program began for already delivered vehicles on July 22, 2022. The covered models include 2017-2022 F-250, 350, 450, 550, 650 and 750 Super Duty and 2020-2022 F-600 Super Duty trucks. ODI has received 39 VOQs between February 24, 2020, and December 15, 2023, alleging uncommanded tailgate openings.  In a detailed analysis, none of the vehicles in the VOQs were found to have received the Customer Satisfaction update. Since ODI has not received any complaints of post-Customer Satisfaction program tailgate openings, this office is closing this Recall Query. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Power tailgate opens unintended

PE18011

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened October 12, 2018 · closed December 12, 2019 · led to recall 19V864000

the electrical system, the body structure

By letter dated December 4, 2019, Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a safety defect that may exist in model years (MY) 2017 through 2019 Ford Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450 vehicles equipped with an electric tailgate. Following the receipt of five consumer complaints alleging unintended tailgate opening without vehicle operator knowledge, while the vehicles were in motion, NHTSA opened this investigation to assess the manufacturer's data including warranty claims, field reports, design changes, etc.In vehicles equipped with an electric tailgate, water can enter the electrical wiring system and may cause a short circuit resulting in the unintended activation and release of the tailgate latch. This could allow unintended opening of the tailgate while the vehicle is in motion.Analysis of the data provided by Ford found that the frequency of a tailgate opening unintended was high in vehicles equipped with electric tailgates. Unintended tailgate opening without vehicle operator knowledge may result in loss of unrestrained cargo, increasing the risk of a crash. In response to this investigation, Ford decided to conduct recall 19V-864.Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford dealer to modify the tailgate/frame wiring harnesses by adding jumper pigtails to isolate the tailgate release control circuits, and will install a new tailgate handle release switch. With recall action 19V-864 taken by Ford Motor Company this investigation is closed. Further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist on other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following complaint identification numbers: 10984283,11004227,11082643,11090089,11104638,11115381,11140680,11141071, 11141075,11141174,11141200,11141331,11141447,11141547,11141548,11142572, 11142618,11142657,11153541,11153959,11157225,11160936,11165124,11165590, 11166199,11166802,11170049,11171409,11171509,11171685,11180009,11182035, 11186146,11191151,11191353,11193045,11194958,11203615,11206443,11209199, 11229482,11230768,11233349,11233436,11255126,11265643.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 injured · fire

Unknown component that failed. Suspicion, the fuel system located at the back of the fire wall on drivers side. The fire started in that location and was extremely hot and fast moving. The truck was fully engulfed within 1.5 minutes then burnt the attached 5th wheel trailer and contents. It was a total loss of 3 vehicles 2018 Ford F350, 2021 Dutchman Voltage 5th wheel trailer, and a 2013 Polaris RZR side by side UTV. All was reduced to rubble within 15 Min. Our safety and lives were at risk, we had 30-45 seconds from smelling and seeing smoke to flames. We were traveling on Interstate 15 at highway speeds and had to stop as safe as possible on the shoulder of the road. The vehicle has not

NHTSA complaint 11642894, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

1 injured · 8,200 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND PULLING A 40 FOOT FIFTH WHEEL, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT ON THE ROAD. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN OSCILLATING SEVERELY, BOUNCING ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE ROAD SHOULDER AND WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE CONTINUING TO DRIVE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A TORN LEFT SHOULDER MUSCLE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK SO VIOLENTLY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS ONGOING AND SURGERY WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BROADWAY FORD INC, 980 W BROADWAY STREET, IDAHO FALLS, ID 83402) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT

NHTSA complaint 11132889, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

1 injured · 22,000 miles

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, AT SPEEDS OF 55-70MPH I'VE HIT A SMALL BUMP OR ROUGH PATCH ON THE RODE. THIS SENDS THE STEERING WHEEL/FRONT END INTO A VIOLENT, UNCONTROLLABLE, OSCILLATING WOBBLE WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS VEHICLE IS UN MODIFIED AND WELL MAINTAINED SINCE I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW 9 MONTHS PRIOR. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE CAUSED SHOULDER AND NECK PAIN AND HAVE MADE ME SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT. FORD HAS YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR REPAIR THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint 11174704. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

1 injured

I lost control of my F350 when I was at 50 MPH. It started to shake uncontrollably when I hit a bump in the road… I tried to break and it got worse.. so I took my foot off the gas, ended up of the side of the road. I called back to our mechanic and he said it was safe to drive under 40 MPH. (He looked up the problem and found all the related incidents with the f series trucks…) Since then the have replaced the parts that Ford said to replace… and the truck is still up drivable.

NHTSA complaint 11444235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

fire · 150,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350 SD. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the driveway of their residence, the DPF regeneration process activated and completed, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact exited the vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, the contact discovered flames coming from under the hood. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire was not determined. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA complaint 11760855. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Ford Motor Company deployed an over-the-air software update to my 2018 Ford F350 that corrupted the Body Control Module. The software error permanently locked the vehicle into a speed-restricted 'MyKey' safety mode, leaving me with an altered vehicle and no admin access to bypass it. Ford Corporate is refusing to fix the corrupted software deployment. I do not and never have had a second key and they are now saying I must purchase this and pay for my truck to be reset.

NHTSA complaint 11757550. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Our 2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty diesel with the 6.7L Power Stroke engine has a well-known, massive fuel system concern involving the Bosch CP4 high-pressure fuel pump. This pump failed and it sheds metal shavings throughout the entire fuel system. Repair cost $13k. Per other consumer and google results: The CP4 Fuel Pump Issue. The Defect: The Bosch CP4 pump is designed for European diesel fuel, which has more lubrication than American diesel. When it lacks sufficient lubrication, it can score itself and self-destruct. The Damage: Metal debris floods the fuel rails, lines, and injectors, requiring a complete replacement of the fuel system components.

NHTSA complaint 11755489. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My wife reported a strong smell fuel in the passenger compartment of my 2018 F350 6.7L Diesel vehicle while returning home from work. Upon inspection under the hood when power was turned on I discovered a strong stream of fuel from the filter cap.

NHTSA complaint 11724348. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My truck's tailgate has started opening on its own while driving, again. Previous recalls on this issue were performed when parts were available. This is a safety hazard to anyone behind me if anything falls out of the truck bed while driving. Today, 2/3/2026, it opened again. A bucket fell out of the truck bed. Fortunately no one was behind me. My truck is available for inspection. I have not contacted the dealer yet for their inspection/diagnosis. There are no warnings when this happens. It has forced me to strap the tailgate so it can't open unexpectedly.

NHTSA complaint 11715342. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Steering Effort Control Module failed. This is a known concern with these vehicles. Many Super Duty's have this happen. It is a very expensive repair. The steering effort changes, the vehicle becomes out of alignment and other things like cruise control, wipers, etc may fail as part of this issue.

NHTSA complaint 11710914. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford F-350 SD

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 7 5 —
2025 14 6 —
2024 44 3 —
2023 41 15 —
2022 111 17 —
2021 96 14 —
2020 188 15 —
2019 467 11 —
2017 573 13 —
2016 209 3 —
2015 208 3 —
2013 9 9 —
2012 29 9 —
2011 43 7 —
2010 50 6 —

Other 2018 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 359 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst