2018 Ford Expedition Engine Problems
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 Ford Expedition, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,933 miles. The words owners use most often: “cam phasers” (33% of reports).
- 99engine complaints
- 68,933median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Cam phasers: mentioned in 33 of 99 complaints (33%)
- Rattling sound: mentioned in 10 of 99 complaints (10%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 9 of 99 complaints (9%)
- Program 21N03: mentioned in 8 of 99 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 32 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 99 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Expedition engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Expedition | 3 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Expedition | 5 | 6% | — |
| 2023 Expedition | 6 | 9% | — |
| 2022 Expedition | 11 | 10% | 8,065 |
| 2021 Expedition | 56 | 24% | 62,500 |
| 2020 Expedition | 51 | 12% | 97,500 |
| 2019 Expedition | 108 | 21% | 69,118 |
| 2018 Expedition | 99 | 26% | 68,933 |
| 2017 Expedition | 38 | 11% | 62,000 |
| 2016 Expedition | 37 | 17% | 58,000 |
| 2015 Expedition | 31 | 19% | 55,154 |
| 2014 Expedition | 10 | 14% | 138,500 |
| 2013 Expedition | 10 | 11% | 78,500 |
| 2012 Expedition | 12 | 10% | 95,500 |
| 2011 Expedition | 11 | 15% | 110,000 |
| 2010 Expedition | 4 | 7% | 122,633 |
| 2009 Expedition | 2 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2008 Expedition | 5 | 3% | 96,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 21 | 10% | 122,700 |
| 2006 Expedition | 87 | 29% | 106,556 |
| 2005 Expedition | 57 | 18% | 111,960 |
| 2004 Expedition | 29 | 10% | 141,000 |
| 2003 Expedition | 44 | 7% | 154,000 |
| 2002 Expedition | 27 | 8% | 129,000 |
| 2001 Expedition | 15 | 3% | 193,500 |
| 2000 Expedition | 28 | 3% | 167,500 |
| 1999 Expedition | 26 | 3% | 174,716 |
| 1998 Expedition | 16 | 2% | 180,000 |
| 1997 Expedition | 11 | 1% | 193,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2018 Ford Expedition. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle was disabled multiple times after failures of the OEM coolant / heater hoses at plastic fittings. Hoses includes the primary radiator coolant hoses, bypass hoses and engine coolant hoses for the transmission cooler. First hose failure on 10/21/2022 (51,177) miles was repaired by Ford dealer…
My 2018 Ford Expedition with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine has developed a pronounced rattling/knocking noise at startup. This appears consistent with the well documented cam phaser/VCT problem affecting this engine family. At approximately 118,212 miles, an independent Firestone Complete Auto Care…
I noticed a loud rattle when starting my 2018 Ford Expedition, at first occasionally and then on every cold start. The Ford Dealer's service department diagnosed a cam phaser issue. There were no warning lights or messages available to me, but the service department's diagnosis showed several…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Ford Expeditions have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 Ford Expedition (26% of the 378 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford Expedition engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,933 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “cam phasers”, in 33 of 99 complaints, followed by “rattling sound” (10).
Other 2018 Ford Expedition problems
- Power Train problems (147)
See all 2018 Ford Expedition problems or engine problems across all Expedition years.