2018 Ford Expedition recalls and problems

The 2018 Ford Expedition has 14 safety recalls and 384 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer.

Recalls
14
Complaints
384
Crashes / fires
8 / 2
Injuries / deaths
25 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2018 Ford Expedition vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2018 Ford Expedition recalls

Recall 26V-402: Power Train

Reported Jun 24, 2026 · 741,195 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

Risk: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.

Recall 26V-368: Structure

Reported Jun 9, 2026 · 548,463 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles. The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.

Risk: Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.

Recall 26V-344: Seat Belts

Reported May 27, 2026 · 419,967 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 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.

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.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.

Recall 25V-197: Seat Belts

Reported May 23, 2025 · 112,951 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 25V-236: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Apr 11, 2025 · 123,611 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 24V-852: Equipment

Reported Nov 8, 2024 · 27,678 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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."

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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 24V-099: Seat Belts

Reported Feb 9, 2024 · 77,574 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-420: Equipment

Reported Jun 9, 2023 · 691,133 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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."

Risk: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-805: Seats

Reported Nov 14, 2018 · 34,946 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

Fix: 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

Recall 18V-392: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Jun 12, 2018 · 5,645 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-214: Power Train

Reported Apr 4, 2018 · 292,909 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

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 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-213: Power Train

Reported Apr 4, 2018 · 142 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

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 exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-058: Visibility

Reported Jan 16, 2018 · 361 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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."

Risk: If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

Recall 17V-775: Seats

Reported Dec 1, 2017 · 462 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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."

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.

Fix: 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.

2018 Ford Expedition problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Power Train152
Engine100
Electrical System34
Unknown or Other32
Suspension26
Exterior Lighting25
Engine and Engine Cooling25
Vehicle Speed Control15
Service Brakes15
Seat Belts15
Structure14
Wheels9

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 9
  • Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 4
  • Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 3
  • Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs — 2
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) — 2
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Crank/Camshaft Position Sensor — 2
  • Exterior Lighting › Headlights — 1
  • Suspension › Rear — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 57,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2018 Ford Expedition complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Structure · at 180,000 miles · reported Nov 6, 2026
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 reasonable amount of time to provide the recall repairs. The contact stated that the transmission required multiple attempts to shift into park(P), and the failure became more frequent over time. While in park(P) with the parking brake engaged, the vehicle experienced unintended rollaway. The…
Power Train · reported Oct 26, 2026
Transmission shifting very hard and lost forward momentum while on highway nearly causing accident. The resulting tow and repars totaled close to $5000.00
Suspension · reported Oct 16, 2026
MacPherson Strut assemblies leaking large amounts of hydraulic fluid which spills into/on the brakes. Decreased fluid in the MacPherson Strut results in excessive rebound, decreased braking, at times no braking when fluid has spewed onto brakes, followed by a sudden grab of the brakes that feels as though the anti-lock system might engage. This defect poses a serious risk of accident, injury, or even fatality of loss of control occurs at the wrong time. Ford has been made aware of the problem, and is side-stepping the repair under the guise of calling the component a "shock absorber" (it's…
Seat Belts · at 98,650 miles · reported Oct 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, her daughter became entrapped by the rear passenger-side seat belt. The seat belt continuously clicked tighter, forcing the contact to cut the belt strap to free her daughter. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts), which the contact associated with the failure. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that because there was no recall regarding a rear passenger-side seat belt failure, assistance could not be provided. The failure…
Engine · reported Oct 14, 2026
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 gear. Once I had pulled off enough I turned the car off and on again and resumed driving. This has happened multiple times. Each time when I have contacted Ford they say it’s a known issue with the make of the Clutch drum and realized the issue after the 2022 year and changed the way it was made.…

Other Ford Expedition years

Compare all Ford Expedition years · All Ford models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Ford Expedition have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2018 Ford Expedition: 26V-402 (power train), 26V-368 (structure), 26V-344 (seat belts), 25V-197 (seat belts), 25V-236 (service brakes, hydraulic) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford Expedition?

Owners report power train problems most often (152 reports), followed by engine (100). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 57,000 miles.

Are Ford recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Ford dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.