I recently purchased this vehicle and have had the "death wobble" occur 3 times recently. Driving at normal conditions, hit a bump in the road and the front wheels violently start shaking and the vehicle must come to a complete stop to stop the shaking. I had a semi behind me last time and was almost rear ended. This is a huge concern, and I've read where Ford refuses to address the issue as it is expensive to repair. I am formerly declaring that if this causes an accident it is on record that I have expressed my concerns and l will hold Ford liable.
The worst 2018 Ford F-250 SD problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering253
- Suspension199
- Wheels29
- Fuel system21
- Body16
- Driver assistance16
- Engine16
- Transmission16
- Electrical9
- Brakes6
- Acceleration4
- Airbags4
- Lights4
- Locks2
- Seats2
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Ford F-250 SD
Fuel pump 12Fire or smoke 8Backup camera 7Ball joint 7Jerking 7Power steering loss 5Tire blowout 5
Recalls 9
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 the federal safety agency recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning September 8, 2025.
Recall number 25V572000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 22V880000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 22V644000 · Recall details
Structure: frame and members: underbody shields
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 22V087000 · Recall details
Tires
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 21V155000 · Recall details
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
- 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.
Recall number 19V880000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: tailgate: latch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 19V864000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 19V808000 · Recall details
Engine
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
- 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.
Recall number 19V278000 · Recall details
See all 9 recalls for the 2018 Ford F-250 SD
Defect investigations
Sogefi Secondary Diesel Fuel Filter Leak
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
PE24014
Power Tailgate Release Systems
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 ownersâ 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 the federal safety agency 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
RQ21001
Power tailgate opens unintended
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, the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency 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.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference 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.
PE18011
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Ford F-250 SD 251
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Customer Satisfaction Program 22M03 – Supplement #2 Certain 2017-2020 Model Year Continental and Super...
- Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest...
- Customer Satisfaction Program 25N15
- Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines...
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless...
- Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Inspection For One-Time Replacemen
- Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Inspection For One-Time Replacement
- Pull/drift condition during braking
- Special Field Action 25L02 Certain 2017-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles...
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure
What 2018 Ford F-250 SD owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
When having to brake hard such as when a deer runs out my trucks ABS does not activate and my tires lock up causing me to slide. This has happened several times over the past few months . there are no ABS dtc codes and I have consulted technicians to no avail. I will note the last incident below but it has happened repeatedly.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250 SD. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. The contact researched and became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V087000 (Structure, Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Truck started loosing power And caught fire at the red light
Low fuel pressure alert came on the truck. It went away and then came on again a few days later. We took the truck to Joe Meyers Ford in Houston, TX. They verified the code/alert and replaced the fuel filter, then re-tested. The alert returned and once they continued their diagnosis, it was determined that the fuel pressure control valve had failed, allowing fuel, DEF, and water into the fuel filter. The fuel pressure would no increase to minimum spec of 55 psi. Ford then said that without replacing the Fuel Pressure Control Valve, Fuel pump, fuel filters, and flushing all the lines, the risk for the engine to seize up was very likely. They noted this was a similar issue happening to 2020 and older trucks, but all the same parts and issues. Upon repairing the truck, we have read up on recall 24V957 and feel the issues we encountered are identical in complexity and costs. We paid nearly $20,000 in repairs.
My backup camera went black. There is a recall on this product 25V572 or Ford 25S89. My vin number is not on the list. How do i get my vin number on this list since the problem is identical to the recall prolem?
100k miles and the high pressure fuel pump is failed. Created small metal particles that got into fuel lines. Everything needs to be replaced. There’s a recall on over 80k trucks with the same issue. Local ford said this is the same issue as all the recalls but because we don’t have the recall on our VIN, we have to pay $20k for replacement.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle displayed the death wobble. The failure had occurred three times. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was not able to speak with a representative. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
Fuel pump faulted, engine would just cut off in middle of driving whether on highway, street, or interstate. Engine would randomly shut off. Took to ford dealership, they had to replace low pressure and high pressure fuel pumps, the dealership says this model is notorious for that, the fuel pumps tear apart and send metal into the fuel rail. This caused the truck to not get diesel and shut off. An extreme safety issue. Several times it happened while driving, and nothing prepared you for it to happen. Just saw where models I believe starting with 2020 have been recalled for same issue. Don’t understand why 18 models weren’t.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the instrument cluster failed to function as intended. The contact stated the instrument cluster failed to activate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed central processing unit. The contact was informed that the central processing unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Compare the 2018 Ford F-250 SD
F-250 SD vs Ram 2500F-250 SD vs Chevrolet Silverado 2500F-250 SD vs GMC Sierra 2500
Other model years
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Questions about the 2018 Ford F-250 SD
Is the 2018 Ford F-250 SD reliable?
Owners have filed 400 complaints about the 2018 Ford F-250 SD, 2.2 times a typical F-250 SD model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2018 Ford F-250 SD year score?
The 2018 Ford F-250 SD scores 40 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford F-250 SD: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford F-250 SD?
Steering, with 253 complaints, typically around 28,000 miles. Next is suspension (199).
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford F-250 SD have?
9 recalls, covering back over prevention, power train and structure.
What year does the Ford F-250 SD have bad steering?
The Ford F-250 SD model years with the most steering complaints are 2019 (776 complaints), 2017 (717 complaints) and 2018 (253 complaints).
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Check its historyFord F-250 SD in the news
- Ford recalls 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD and 2026 F-350 SD and other models over hinge and attachments problem (30,123 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2026 F-150, 2025-2026 F-250 SD and 2025-2026 F-350 SD and other models over instrument cluster/panel problem (102,159 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2025-2027 Expedition, 2026 F-250 SD and 2026 F-350 SD and other models over exterior lighting headlights problem (41,748 vehicles)