The contact's husband owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and diagnosed the vehicle with a defective cam phaser. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under the Customer Satisfaction Program. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
2018 Ford F-150 engine complaints
Page 6 of 21: complaints 131 to 160 of 591, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Formal Complaint Regarding Recall 24E12 and Related Emissions System Failure I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my recent experience related to Ford Recall 24E12 Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming for Emissions Compliance, and the subsequent failure of my vehicle's emissions system immediately following this recall service. The work was performed at Donley Ford 702 Charles St, Galion, OH 44833. On March 12, 2025, I took my vehicle in for the mandated Recall 24E12, which involves reprogramming the PCM to improve emissions component monitoring. Prior to this service, my vehicle exhibited no issues whatsoever, the check engine light was not on, and the vehicle operated perfectly. However, just a few days after the recall service (and with fewer than 5 miles driven post-service), I started my vehicle and was immediately met with a check engine light. I contacted the dealership service department and spoke with a representative who assured me there would be no charge to inspect the issue, given its potential connection to the recall. After I brought the vehicle in, I was texted (not called) and told that my catalytic converter had failed and that I was being quoted $2,446.55 + tax to replace it. I questioned how such a failure could occur immediately following a PCM update specifically targeting emissions system monitoring. The technician immediately denied any connection between the recall and the catalytic converter Given that Recall 24E12 involves PCM reprogramming to improve the detection and performance of emissions-related components, I find it extremely troubling that my catalytic converter failed immediately after the recall service, and that the dealer refuses to acknowledge any possible connection. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this matter further to determine, Whether the recall and PCM reprogramming could have caused or accelerated catalytic converter failure.
The engine system on this vehicle experienced multiple failures, including severe knocking, power loss, and potential oil-related malfunctions. Despite repeated service visits to the authorized Ford dealership, the problem persisted. The dealership performed multiple repairs, but the issue was never fully resolved. The vehicle has been undrivable for over a year, during which I have had to rely on rental cars, borrowed vehicles, and eventually purchased cash vehicles to commute — all while continuing to pay for the truck. This is a severe financial and safety burden for a vehicle sold as reliable. To this day, no clear resolution has been offered, and Ford’s internal support has repeatedly deflected responsibility or referred me to scripted call center processes. The vehicle remains parked, unable to be driven due to fear of catastrophic failure or causing harm to myself or others on the road. The engine should be fully inspected, and the failure reported as part of a broader pattern I believe exists across other vehicles with this powertrain. There were early warning lights, knocking, and oil issues documented during dealer visits. The dealer acknowledged repeated service cases but failed to offer a true fix or replacement. This is more than mechanical failure — it’s a consumer safety and engineering accountability issue. I urge the federal safety agency to investigate the root cause and assess whether a broader recall or investigation is warranted.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the parked, the contact became aware that there was no oil on the dipstick. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was piston ring failure and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The sound had become progressively louder over time. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that here was no coverage for the vehicle under the Customer Satisfaction Program. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
10 speed auto transmission failure
I was stopped at a stop sign and then proceeded to press the gas and turn into the far lane. A quarter to halfway through the turn the engine shut off and I got the message “ Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engine”. Had to put the vehicle in park in the middle of the road and restart the engine. Luckily no one was coming but if there had been I could have been hit.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. There was a powertrain and emission failure. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer, where the vehicle was repaired under Emission recall 24E12. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam phasers had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure persisted over time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The contact related to the failure of Technical Service Bulletin Number: 20-2315. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
This pickup has been regularly maintained with the manufacturer suggested maintenance. At 86k miles the engine seized while we were traveling down the road.
I had repeated issues with sudden downshifts while driving starting around 80,000 miles. By 83,000 miles it was doing it weekly or more frequently. It would shift down to first gear no matter what gear it was in. I would have trouble getting it to shift back even if I stopped and turned it off or tried the manual’s “fix” of pressing the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time for at least 30 seconds. I paid $2300 to fix a transmission barely past 80,000 miles. Besides the safety issue, the impact on daily life in general is a mess. Ford should have to recall all recent years and fix or repay the customers like me who had to pay Ford to fix their defects.
Sudden down shift at highway speeds while pulling a trailer followed by immediate engine oil pressure loss. I got out and checked engine oil level and it was okay also there was no oil leaks. I tried to restart engine and it would not restart.
Sudden down shift to second gear at highway speeds while pulling a trailer followed by immediate oil pressure loss.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring and had progressively worsened upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N03. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart and was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to excessive oil consumption. The mechanic determined that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the cam phasers were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been serviced for the same failure with the cam phasers under Customer Satisfaction Program: 21B10. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle was idling rough and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer, and it was determined that the engine had consumed over 3 quarts of oil during the test period. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer advised that it was a known failure of the 2nd generation 5.0-liter engines. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle for four minutes. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the transmission was shifting hard. The RPM was fluctuating. While parking or driving, the vehicle thrusted forward and backward. The failure persisted over time. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC: P0019, indicating a camshaft position correlation Bank 2 Sensor B; and DTC: P0025, indicating an exhaust (B) camshaft position timing over-retarded (Bank 2). The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact heard a ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam phasers had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,577.
My cam phasers are always burning and consuming a lot of oil it also has a ticking sound coming from the engine which Ford says is normal but I don't think it's normal because it gets louder and it happens as I drive all the time. My transmission will automatically slam into a higher gear while trying to accelerate on the highway. Oil is constantly getting into the spark plug chamber even after replacement of seals.
Hello, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to follow up on an ongoing issue with my vehicle related to the recall 21B10. I recently purchased a 2018 F150 in November 2024, and I’ve encountered significant problems with the vehicle that I believe are tied to the recall. Specifically, the vehicle is experiencing issues with acceleration, which has made it unsafe to drive, especially on the interstate. When I took my vehicle to Ford in Mooresville, NC, they diagnosed the problem as an error code 21B10. Upon contacting Ford on March 28, 2025, I was informed that the recall had been addressed in February 2022. However, I was advised that the case cannot be reopened, and that it would need to go for review. Given the critical nature of the issue I am experiencing, I am concerned about my safety while driving the vehicle. The acceleration problems are a direct danger, and I cannot drive the truck on the interstate due to these issues. I would like to request that this case be reviewed immediately. I have all the necessary documentation from the 2022 recall repair and am happy to provide it for your reference. It is my hope that we can resolve this issue promptly, as it poses a significant safety risk. Please let me know how we can proceed to ensure that this matter is addressed as soon as possible. I look forward to your prompt response and assistance in resolving this issue. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked abnormally, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the failure was a transmission failure. The contact was provided with an estimate for a new transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer, who informed the contact that there were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
When accelerating to highway speeds, my truck downshifts a gear or 2. This has been happening for the past year since I purchased the truck. When I try to accelerate to 60 MPH from 50 it is really hesitant after downshifting.
Upon cranking the truck the cam phasers make a rattling noise. The issue is the same as it is in the recall 21B10 that affects the F-150's but excludes the Raptor.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 5-70 MPH, the transmission was shifting hard. There were no warning lights illuminated. On a separate occasion, the transmission was shifted from drive to reverse and shifted very hard. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but not diagnosed, and the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,500.
Our 2018 F-15 with 3.5 ecoboost has experienced known issues with the cam phasers, a loud rattle during startup. Ford service technicians report the problem to be from a pin coming loose on the cam phaser, resulting in the cam phaser slapping. Ford has acknowledged the issue and designed an updated cam phaser but has selectively chosen to replace the defective items only if a truck is under warranty. This said, the updated cam phasers were available after many trucks exceeded their warranty.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that during cold starts, there was a loud rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the cam phasers were faulty, and a software update was needed. The software update was performed, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that shortly after the software update, the transmission started experiencing hard shifting. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced by an independent mechanic, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 56,000.
When I tow my boat the starter overheats and when I stop to get gas I have trouble starting the engine or it won't start at all until the engine cools completely.
2018 f150 5.0L engine. Uses excessive oil. Usually have to add 2-3 qts of oil between oil changes. Numerous times (over 20) I have stopped and vehicle would not start because oil level was too low. Happened multiple times before I knew what was causing this issue. Same vehicle transmission will shift from 4th gear to 2nd causing engine to rev high and jerk one forward. Ford knows about the oil issues with these engines. This is causing unwanted expense with having to add oil between changes, excessive engine wear, and damage to other engine components and exhaust system components.
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