2018 Ford Expedition: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
372 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2019 and 2020 Expedition, which score 42 and 41 on 481 and 397 owner complaints, both led by Power Train at 211 and 252. Buy a 2015, which scores 89 on 164 complaints with no safety-critical campaign, or a 2023 to 2025, which score 79, 73 and 73 on 71 or fewer complaints each; the 2018, 2021 and 2022 are CAUTION at 55, 63 and 65. Read the full note on the model page. 2018 specifically: 372 complaints on record, score 55/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used full-size SUVs: Expedition, Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade years to avoid, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 372 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 46.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Transmission that's was replaced approx 3 yrs ago is hard shifting from park to drive and park to reverse on flat level surface.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently shifted into park. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the transmission brake error message was displayed. The vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was restarted; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure reoccurred. The failure was a persistent failure. Th…
There is a seat belt recall and 3 other recalls that ford corp office and the dealership in henderson nc told me the parts are not available until 2027 and i am expected to drive this vehicle please help me
Recalls: 12 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V775000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | 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. |
| 18V213000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 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. |
| 18V214000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl) | 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… |
| 24V852000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | 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. |
| 24V099000 | Seat Belts:Pretensioner | 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. |
| 23V420000 | Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other Manual | 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. |
| 25V236000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder | 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. |
| 18V392000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train145 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine97 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System33 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other32 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine And Engine Cooling25 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
- Suspension24 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
Other Ford Expedition years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford Expedition?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (145 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Ford Expedition a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 55/100, computed from 372 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Ford Expedition's most common problem?
145 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Ford Expedition sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Ford Expedition cost to run per year?
About $5,773 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,868 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Ford Expedition have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Ford Expedition, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/12/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Ford Expedition really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 372 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 372 NHTSA complaints on record (46.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (37.5/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems