general problems of the 2018 Ford Expedition - part 1

Vehicle experienced catastrophic timing system failure causing engine to jump time and stall at idle, creating a safety hazard due to risk of sudden loss of power. This is a repeat issue originally documented under warranty (2020) and again during recall/service program 21n03 (2021), where repair was declined as “not severe enough. ” recall 24e13 (software update intended to prevent timing chain failure) was completed in 2025, but failed to prevent this exact condition. Vehicle is now inoperable and unsafe. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of the recall remedy and prior service handling. We've also submitted a case to Ford: cxh07545978w9w1d2.

The cdf drum is starting to fail and it will shift from a low gear to a high gear at certain speeds. It’s definitely not safe and is extremely expensive to repair.

"verified internal hydraulic cross leak due to cdf drum bushing movement. Transmission has delayed engagement in 4th, 5th, and 6th gears. This is a known manufacturing defect in the 10r80 transmission. ".

The vehicle often feels like it is slipping when it is changing gears at lower speeds. When trying to accelerate quickly getting on the highway, it fails to increase speed. The gas pedal is pressed and the engine revs and it does not increase speed. This has happened more than once and has caused me to nearly be in accidents because I cannot enter the highway as I should. I took it to a dealer initially in 2023 and they repaired the transmission cooler. Was told it was operating as designed after that. Then in 2024 I took it in for the same issue and was told I needed an engine replacement. I paid for an entire engine replacement and was told the issue was fixed. I am now having the same issue and will be taking it back for a 3rd time. My local shop (not the dealer) told me it is the timing belt which is part of the engine. I feel unsafe in my vehicle and do not feel my $16,000 repair fixed the problem.

While driving at approximately 55 mph, the vehicle intermittently loses throttle response. Pressing the accelerator results in no increase in rpm or vehicle speed, even when the pedal is fully depressed. After 3–5 seconds, power suddenly returns. The issue consistently occurs after the vehicle has been driven for about 20 minutes and is at normal operating temperature. During some events, a “powertrain malfunction / reduced power” warning with a wrench indicator appears. The vehicle is equipped with the 10r80 10-speed automatic transmission. The failure occurs during steady highway cruising and creates a serious safety concern, as the vehicle will not accelerate when needed for merging or passing. A buzzing noise is heard during the loss of power, and engine rpm remains steady with no response to throttle input. This intermittent loss of power at highway speeds presents a significant safety risk.

When attempting to pass a slow moving vehicle on a 2 lane highway when driving up a hill the transmission failed to properly shift instead making a loud clunking and grinding sound before eventually managing to shift into a gear. This failure to shift properly meant that the vehicle was unexpectedly without power when trying to change lanes leading to a dangerous situation.

My vehicle has started to have problems shifting in some gears(3rd & 7th). I have been doing research, and this seems to be a recurring problem for vehicles with the 10r80 transmission. Where this has caused a big safety risk, is that a few times, the vehicle wouldn't move when pushing on the gas after having the foot on the brake after I had already left and been driving it for 5-10 minutes. This has put me at risk of getting hit by oncoming cars since I couldn't get the vehicle to go as it should to cross a road or intersection. My vehicle shows no dashboard warnings that anything is wrong. I have had all regular maintenance done, don't use the vehicle for towing, and I only have 70k miles on the car. Over the years I have had it where it just feels like the vehicle won't shift, but it has gone away pretty quickly. It's only been since this summer that it is now a persistent issue. I have brought it up over the years to the Ford service department, and nothing was shared with me that there was an issue with the vehicle transmission. It is now that it's been consistent(only when the transmission is cold) that this happens on every drive. All Ford wants to do is charge me to rebuild the transmission conveniently now that I am out of warranty!.

I was driving down the road at 45 mph, I pushed the accelerator then my vehicle shifted out of drive to neutral, the rpm increased, the car speed decelerated, then the vehicle put itself back in gear severely downshifted so much that my car lost 20 mph then the engine returned to normal after a violent shake and loud grinding noise. The car could have caused an accident had there been anyone behind me. Luckily there were no other cars around me. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer. They are unable to duplicate the issue I stated but did indicate a skip in cylinders when they hooked it up. I had the transmission overhauled at 53k when it was not shifting properly. I asked Ford to replace the transmission however they elected to overhaul it. From time to time the transmission would shift odd but nothing of over concern. The incident on Nov 3 was very unusual and safety of travel for me. The vehicle had done something similar earlier that morning but that time it was from a stop and no speed so not nearly as violent as the one later that evening. The vehicle is currently sitting at a dealer needing a transmission replaced, however the vehicle is 500 miles over the 75k esp. Ford is refusing to discuss the problem.

At approximately 100,500 miles, my 2018 Ford Expedition XLT 3. 5l ecoboost developed loud rattling noises consistent with cam phaser failure. Zeigler Ford confirmed the failed cam phasers on October 20, 2025. These phasers were previously replaced on the vehicle at 51,000 miles on February 10, 2022, at al piemonte Ford under the customer satisfaction program 21n03. They used the old phasers hl3z-6c525-cd which are known to be defective rather than the new updated phasers ml3z-6c525. Cam phaser failure can cause engine misfires, loss of power, and potential engine damage, creating a serious safety risk, especially at highway speeds. This issue has been reported by multiple Ford Expedition owners, indicating it is not isolated. I request that NHTSA investigate whether this defect warrants a recall or expanded coverage for vehicles like mine that exceed csp mileage limits. My vehicle has been properly maintained, and the failure is due to a known defect in the 3. 5l ecoboost cam.

The transmission started jerking and downshifting and and like the brakes was coming on and stoping you and I was pulling out onto the road and it wouldn’t go and I was setting in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic and scared for my life, luckily I didn’t have anyone with me and it moved a little and I was finally able to get it out of the road. This is the problem everyone is having Ford you need to recall these transmissions and replace them with new ones that are better this is a shame and bad business. It is hard enough to afford buying vehicles in this day and time and then it need a transmission that is expensive to replace.

The transmission was shifting into neutral while driving, causing hesitation with oncoming traffic approaching, at one point it actually shifted into park or reverse while driving in forward gear. We could easily been stalled or lost forward motion with the intent of thinking we were ok to proceed thru oncoming traffic, which would result in collision or accident, jeopardizing our safety or our grand children in car seats safety. The car was taken to Ford dealership and they said there were no codes on the autos computer and that the car would not reproduce the failure, however up on bringing the vehicle home it continued to slip into neutral while driving. The first failure started in October 2025 and was taken to the Ford dealer for repair in November 2025. I contacted Ford regional management and they gave me a case #cxh-07154008-p4f3d0 in February 25, 2026.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving over 40 mph, the vehicle stalled on two occasions. The contact stated that while driving a roundabout, the vehicle lost motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle jerked and was sluggish, and there was no area to pull over to. Upon parking the vehicle, the power train warning light was illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic who was unable to service the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was jerking due to the cs drum and transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted regarding the latest symptoms that the vehicle had displayed. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

Since November 2024 to date the transmission has reduced power when trying to accelerate thus being unsafe when trying to pull out into traffic. It also will not engage reverse thus again impeding when in traffic. It appears randomly. Verified software has been updated. Ford is saying complete transmission replacement is needed on a vehicle that is only 7 years old.

At highway speed the car erratically shifted and lost power most likely due to cdf drum failure in the transmission. It happens randomly due to a known transmission issue. Can you imagine loosing power at hwy speed with a vehicle full of children?.

The transmission unexpectedly shifts into neutral while accelerating, particularly between 3rd and 5th gear. This is very dangerous, as the car loses power and stalls. This has led to several close calls, such as when merging into traffic or accelerating from a stoplight, which almost resulted in me being rear-ended or t-boned.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission independently upshifted and then shifted into neutral. The contact stated that the transmission temperature gauge became elevated, and the vehicle shuddered while accelerating. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced twice before owning the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

As I was driving yesterday, my transmission began making a strange noise and did a hard shift. About 1/2 mile later it made the noise again and downshifted to first and would not shift up. I was able to turn off the main road I was on to a side street where I put the car in park and shut it off to look under and around it. Not seeing anything I got back in and started it. I wanted to try to get it into a nearby parking lot, but after being shut off it began shifting again and I was able to get it home. It has had hard shift issues before and lagging response issues, but this is the first time it has done the downshift and noise. I went to some online forums and found multiple people with a similar issue, one of which suggested reporting it.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the transmission shuddered abnormally and unexpectedly downshifted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,617.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph uphill, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering, and the wrench symbol was displayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure and referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

2 instances have occured while driving. Stored codes are p0562 charging system voltage low and p07e6 stuck in park (6/6/2025) and p07e6 stuck in park (7/12/2025). I believe the issue may be related to technical service bulletin - momentary neutral-out condition in drive - 23-2120 upon acceleration to pass a car, I heard a loud knock, lost power, let off the gas, an engine failure error flashed on my screen, regained power and was then able to accelerate again. The potential cost could be $5,600 and potentially higher due to labor. Ford's have been plagued by transmission issues year after year. How many vehicles need to be affected before a formal defect investigation focused on the 10r80 transmission can be made.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into limp mode with the maintenance warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle jerked, and the transmission shifted hard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway. The contact and five minor children were inside the vehicle during the failure. The contact feared for her and her families safety. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with cdf drum failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive(d). The shift system fault message was displayed. The contact exited the vehicle, opened the hood, moved a wire on the transmission, and the vehicle operated as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and test-driven without failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle warranty had expired. No additional assistance was provided. The contact related the failure to an undisclosed TSB. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,992.

I have had several issues with this vehicle throughout the years I have owned it. The current issues I am writing about include: transmission failure and replacement, rear passenger door no longer opening and continued issues with the catalytic convertors. When it comes to the transmission it was unsafe to drive as the gears continued to slip while driving and cause the vehicle to temporarily loose power. This could have resulted in an accident. The vehicle is currently having the transmission replaced at a repair shop where they confirmed the issues. They will also be looking at the other two issues as well. The door not opening poses a huge safety concern as we are only able to use one rear door for entering and exiting.

The transmission is not reliable. The vehicle is shifting erratically and the engine rpms fluctuate drastically. Our safety is at risk when the vehicle will not accelerate when giving the vehicle gas. It is failing when merging onto highways and climbing hills. It has even begun to experience these issues when downshifting improperly. The Ford dealer has confirmed that the transmission is not performing as originally designed. This seems to be a known problem but Ford is not acknowledging the need to assist the customers. Many other owners of the same vehicle with the 10 speed transmission are experiencing the same problems as reported online. This problem first appeared in our vehicle a few weeks ago but has gotten progressively worse in the last few days.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted into drive; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

My wife was driving home from a sports class with my kids in the car. She went to make a left turn against oncoming traffic and the car completely lost power. Pressing the gas did not give any power to the car and the car felt like it was in neutral. If the car did not have enough power at the time of the turn to make it through the oncoming lane, it would have been hit by the oncoming car endangering the lives of the occupants of both vehicles. Our vehicle continued to exhibit the same behavior and I drove it to the dealer. While on the way to the dealer it had 2 powertrain failures before I got it there (30 miles away). The dealership ran diagnostics and said it would be best to get a new tranny as opposed to overhaul since the vehicle only has 90,000 miles and is less than 7 years old. We ended up getting it towed to a local transmission shop who confirmed the diagnostic. They said the seal on the cdf drum plate failed and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. The tranny was rebuilt with all new parts, half a dozen of them upgraded parts from Ford. Upon researching the symptoms, I found this vehicle exhibited a neutral out condition and Ford wrote a technical service bulletin because this issue is so common. I'm frustrated because my family could have been seriously injured or killed because of a known issue that Ford knows about yet chooses to not fix even though this issue puts passengers in life threatening situations. I would not have known about this issue prior to my car exhibiting the neutral out behavior. My local transmission shop has all the parts that were taken out of the transmission and they are available for inspection.

Component/system that failed: the 10r80 automatic transmission is malfunctioning. It causes harsh shifting, delayed acceleration, hesitation, and unpredictable surging. These issues have been confirmed as part of Ford’s internal TSB 23-2250, which directly references this transmission defect. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: this transmission failure poses a serious safety risk. The hesitation and delay in acceleration occur during merging, turning, and highway driving, which can cause near misses and sudden loss of power. The delayed response time compromises my ability to move safely through traffic. Reproduced/confirmed: yes. The issue was confirmed by liberty Ford in fayetteville, nc, after I paid for a diagnostic. The service department acknowledged the symptoms but refused to cover the diagnosis or repair under warranty since no recall was showing under my VIN. Inspected by others: the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer directly or by law enforcement or insurance. However, it was diagnosed and documented by an authorized Ford dealership (liberty Ford in fayetteville nc). Warning lamps or symptoms: there were no warning lamps or error codes. The symptoms began subtly but became consistent over time. The first noticeable event was approximately in “early 2025”, with increased severity since then. I submitted a written complaint to Ford on June 9, 2025, via usps priority mail (tracking #[xxx]) and also filed a certified safety complaint with NHTSA (tracking #[xxx]) but have received no response. I am requesting formal investigation and recall action. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Cam phaser and timing chain assembly is beginning to fail. Ford has a csb out on this problem but is unwilling to repair or replace components. Transmission has had to be replaced be cause of failure at 100000 miles. I’ve had to replace the water pump twice on my Expedition. Driver side seat belt no longer retracts.

Recall 24e13 was issued for my vehicle on 4/16/2025 and I had repairs done on my vehicle in March. This recall states that catalytic converters may be replaced unnecessarily and the dealership has agreed with me on this. Ford continues to deny me reimbursement for this issue and I paid +/- 3800 for this repair to be done when I am sure I did not need it now.

The truck suddenly loses power while driving. Then goes back to normal. Most recently but not only time I lost power on interstate, the dash blinks see manual. I was almost hit by vehicle behind me as I was unable to continue accelerating. Similar recalls for my year and make of vehicle include powertrain control module reprogram for cam phaser rattle and automatic engine idle shutdown.

I bought the vehicle used with 108,xxx miles on it in may of 2024. In July I had in the repair shop for one issue and noticed there was an issue with the auto start/stop. When the auto start/stop is engaged and the brake is depressed it jams into first gear like a standard vehicle when the clutch is released to early. Transmission fluid was checked to be low so it was refilled. I was told to change my driving habits, which is what I did. I no longer use it because it still has the issue. Move forward to December 2024. I was driving and realized it was skipping 2nd, 4th, and sometimes 6th gears. Upon further research I found that it was normal to happen. When I was driving it home on February 20 I lost 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. I was close enough home where I was able to get home. When I got home I restarted and still had no lower gears. I let it sit for a couple of hours and drove it again and I had the normal gear shift. I called the dealership and had an appointment scheduled. I was told from that appointment a brand new transmission was needed or a transmission overhaul was needed to fix the issue. I was told to contact Ford customer support to find out if there were any options about the warranties that may be out there or recalls about the 10-speed transmission. When I called Ford about the possibility of my 10-speed transmission being under the recall for the transmission I was told that because the VIN did not need to recalled. Upon further research I have found multiple people with this issue in this vehicle. Ford would not cover anything as the vehicle is out of warranty and over 100,000 miles. I was told to file a claim with NHTSA because of the risk it may cause others, but at this time there was nothing more that could be done.

I cash purchased a 2018 Ford Expedition on Feb 1st 2025 - I have a 90 day warranty and purchased an extended 2 year warranty. I've taken the vehicle back twice to auto nation in denver CO for transmission issues. The transmissions slips and makes a horrible nose when it shift. I can't drive it due to it being unsafe to drive. I do not feel safe driving the vehicle. Auto nation continues to declining to repair the vehicle. I've owned the vehicle for 2months and maybe drove it for only 100 miles due to the unsafety. Ford has know issues with these 10speed transmissions. I was never informed by the dealer of these know issues therefore was sold a lemon.

The contact owns 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 35 mph, the transmission struggled to shift into gear, and upon depressing the accelerator pedal the rpm became elevated, until the transmission shifted into gear allowing to vehicle to continue driving. The contact stated that the message "see owner’s manual" was displayed. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission control module had failed and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

Ford had to rebuild rear differential. The transmission failed, too. Both unacceptable especially at 62k miles and zero utility usage including trailering or 4wd.