2018 Ford F-350 SD Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2018 F-350 Super Duty most often describe a violent front-end shake after hitting a bump or road seam at highway speed, with many reporting it began well under 40,000 miles and that steering damper replacements did not stop it. Tailgate openings while driving, blurred or blank rearview camera images, and diesel fuel-system failures at higher mileage also appear repeatedly in the sampled complaints.

1. 1
   Steering

   Front-end shake at highway speed ('death wobble')

   • 108 complaints (53%)
   • median 25,000 mi at 2.2 yrs old (77 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the front end and steering wheel shaking violently after hitting a bump, bridge joint, or rough pavement, usually at 50-75 mph, and say control returns only after slowing well below highway speed. Some trucks were taken to the dealer and had the steering damper or stabilizer replaced, and several owners state the shake came back within days or a few thousand miles. A few describe an adaptive steering warning light with an off-center, hard-to-turn wheel and a steering wheel assembly replacement. Mostly reported between about 15,000 and 45,000 miles, typically at highway speeds over uneven pavement; a few appear under 5,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the truck at 60-70 mph over bridge joints and rough pavement before buying, and ask whether the steering damper or stabilizer was replaced and when. A service bulletin covers steering wheel replacement on 2017-2019 trucks with adaptive steering, so ask whether that work was done if the wheel sits off-center.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My truck has begun experience uncontrollable shaking in front suspension when at highway speeds of 60+ MPH if I hit pot hole or big bump on highway or interstate. I lose steering control it has happened 3 different times and took 10 to 30 seconds to stop and get it under control and only way was to slow to less than 50 MPH on highway.”

   NHTSA complaint #11408567, filed 2021-04, 29,500 miles

   “While driving at a sustained speed of 50 miles per hour I hit a bump in the road then experienced violent shaking in the steering wheel the death wobble as others describe it. I applied the brake and steered it off the road. I got out checked all the wheels and suspension but everything seemed normal. I proceeded to drive again but never went over 45 after that.”

   NHTSA complaint #11403517, filed 2021-03, 42,583 miles
2. 2
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera image blurry or blank

   • 13 complaints (6%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners report a foggy, blurry, or completely black rearview camera image when reversing, sometimes with a camera-unavailable message. Several say parts for the camera recall were not available for an extended time and that dealers either charged for the repair or could not schedule it. One owner reports backing into a tree because no image displayed. Reported from about 10,000 miles up to 150,000 miles, with most under about 65,000 miles.

   Recall 22V644000Recall 25V5720003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Put the truck in reverse and look at the screen in daylight and low light; ask whether the camera recall or the rearview camera customer satisfaction program was completed and whether the camera has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the rearview camera was displaying a blurry image while reversing. The vehicle was initially taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that he would be charged to repair the vehicle. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V644000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and two other unknown dealers were contacted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11515832, filed 2023-04, 20,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse, the back over prevention screen displayed a black screen, with the “Camera Unavailable” message displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear-view camera failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V644000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,692. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11534579, filed 2023-07, 62,692 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Tailgate opens unexpectedly

   • 28 complaints (14%)
   • median 15,251 mi at 1.8 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe the tailgate unlatching and dropping while the truck is moving, including while towing, and in some cases the problem continued after the tailgate latch recall repair was completed. Owners also mention the key fob button being pressed in a pocket, and one attributes it to vibration when releasing the parking brake on a hill. Dealers reportedly worked on the truck multiple times, and some owners say they were told it was fixed when it was not. Reported across a wide mileage range, from very low mileage up to about 40,000 miles, often while driving or towing.

   Recall 19V8640002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the tailgate latch recall was performed and whether any power-release tailgate service bulletin work was done; check that the tailgate latches firmly and does not release when the truck is shifted or driven over bumps.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had the tailgate recall completed on my vehicle, shortly afterwards, I was still experiencing issues with the tailgate falling while driving. I returned the vehicle to Ford again to report the issue. The Ford dealer worked on the vehicle for 2-3 days and returned the vehicle to me again stating it had been fixed. The recall did not resolve the issue. The tailgate opens unexpectedly when the vehicle is in motion. I do not know if it happens on the freeway, city street or while turning.”

   NHTSA complaint #11389009, filed 2021-01, 34,000 miles

   “Tailgate came open on its own yet again..towing a 5th wheel..was able to see it open in a sharp turn and stop..causing a traffic jam on highway 12. Several cars almost hit each other...this is after recall was completed .”

   NHTSA complaint #11330697, filed 2020-06, 37,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Diesel fuel leaks and fuel-system failures

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners of diesel trucks describe a strong diesel smell with fuel leaking from the fuel filter in the engine compartment, and others report stalling with reduced power followed by diagnosis of high-pressure fuel pump failure and metal debris in the fuel system requiring replacement of the whole system. These complaints cluster at much higher mileage than the steering complaints, and several trucks were towed. Mostly reported between about 110,000 and 160,000 miles, generally while driving or after a stop.

   What to check: Check for a diesel smell around the engine bay and any signs of fuel residue near the fuel filter, and ask for service records covering fuel filter changes and any fuel pump or fuel system repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of diesel fuel was present inside and outside the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the diesel fuel was leaking from the fuel filter inside the engine compartment and onto the ground. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11513451, filed 2023-03, 160,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH and coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled in the middle to the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was pushed to side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump had exploded, causing metal shavings intrusion in the fuel system. The dealer determined that the entire fuel system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11668566, filed 2025-06, 138,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase highway test drive over rough pavement and bridge joints is the most useful check on this model year, along with confirming the steering damper, tailgate latch, and rearview camera recall or program work was completed. Service records for diesel fuel-system repairs are worth reviewing on higher-mileage trucks.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.