2018 Ford Expedition Electrical Problems

The infotainment screen that includes the rear backup camera stopped working intermittently and then completely. The dealer's service department identified that the APIM, a module involved in operating the screen had failed. The backup camera is a significant and necessary safety feature for such a large vehicle. The dealer ordered the new part and replaced it at significant expense. There was no warning of this issue, and the only symptom was the intermittent delay of the infotainment system turning on upon startup of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11750757

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

Engine light stays on along with manual light and charging system service now. Battery, alternator changed out, 3 mechanic repair shops can not find what is wrong. Vehicle bogs down and does not run right when the Manuel light comes one which is about 2 times a week.

NHTSA ID

11747439

Incident

May 1, 2025

Ford performed Emission Recall 24E13 on my vehicle. The corporate software update bricked the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), rendering the vehicle completely inoperable 30 miles later. Ford corporate is refusing to repair the damage caused by their mandatory safety campaign, leaving me stranded. The vehicle was towed back to the dealership the recall was performed. They ran a full diagnostics and confirmed the PCM is bricked.

NHTSA ID

11744538

Incident

May 25, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford Expedition. The vehicle was purchased through a dealer sale. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy per a Carfax report. At the time of purchase per the title, the vehicle mileage was 56,562., However, the Carfax report stated that the mileage was 195, 253 on 3/2/26. The contact stated that the current approximate mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11739501

Incident

May 11, 2026

Mileage

195,253 mi

my car is a 2018 we bought it used in 2020 we had to had the transmission flushed and coils replaced . that didn't work . we had drum issues and gear slippage . now i. have to put a new transmission in the car

NHTSA ID

11736669

Incident

May 1, 2026

Back up camera does not display or turn on. There has been no damage to the vehicle but radio which includes the back up camera do not turn on or function. This is a safety hazard for this car when backing up.

NHTSA ID

11732741

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

My 2018 Ford Expedition had an open recall for back up screens not working at all. I have a 2018 Ford Expedition Limited, purchased new for $72,000 in April 2018. The issues that have been repaired are endless however this one is a HUGE safety issue. It is a known issue and my VIN is not included in the recall. I called dealership and they will do a $285 “free” software fix as they did to the VIN included in recall: this is a known 2018 Ford Expedition recall and my VIN is not included but has the issue.

NHTSA ID

11725633

Incident

Jan 14, 2026

I own a 2018 Ford Expedition, and the factory-installed backup camera has progressively failed. Initially, the camera display was intermittent—sometimes showing the rear view and other times freezing or going black. The issue has now worsened to the point that the camera no longer turns on at all when the vehicle is placed in reverse. This failure presents a significant safety hazard, as the rearview camera is critical for detecting pedestrians, obstacles, and other vehicles—especially in a large SUV with limited rear visibility. The loss of this feature increases the risk of an accident while reversing. Additionally, this defect renders the vehicle non-compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, which requires all vehicles manufactured after May 2018 to have a functioning rear visibility system. Because the Expedition was sold with this federally mandated safety equipment, the complete failure of the camera should be considered a safety defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue, as it appears to be a widespread problem among Ford vehicles of this model year, and urge Ford to provide a corrective action or repair.

NHTSA ID

11702098

Incident

May 14, 2025

The sunroof on my 2018 Ford Expedition is leaking at multiple points and has become stuck and inoperable. The dealership advised that the brackets are broken and the entire sunroof assembly must be replaced. The leak occurs in several areas across the Vista Roof, causing water to enter the cabin. This appears to be related to known design defects already referenced in multiple Ford Technical Service Bulletins (TSB 18-2374, TSB 19-2374, and TSB 21-2292). Details: I purchased this 2018 Ford Expedition on August 17, 2024, from Battlefield Ford in Culpeper, Virginia, where it underwent a Ford Blue Warranty inspection before sale. The vehicle had approximately 98,000 miles at purchase and now has around 109,000 miles. Shortly after purchase, I noticed water intrusion from the sunroof area. The vehicle was inspected at Sheridan Ford in Smyrna, Delaware, where technicians confirmed leaks at four separate points, broken sunroof brackets, and recommended complete sunroof replacement. In addition to the leaks, the sunroof is stuck and will not operate properly. Ford customer service was contacted, but they stated that no assistance or goodwill coverage would be provided. I find this unacceptable given the severity of the issue, the existence of related TSBs, and the potential safety hazards associated with electrical and visibility impairment due to water intrusion. The vehicle also required brake replacement shortly after purchase, despite being reported as low 3 mm during the Blue Warranty inspection, which raises additional concerns about the adequacy of Ford’s inspection process and potential oversight of critical components. Safety Concerns: Water intrusion may affect electrical components, airbags, or roof-mounted sensors, increasing the risk of malfunction or short circuits. The sunroof’s inability to close or seal properly could result in driver distraction, loss of visibility, or mold and corrosion inside the cabin.

NHTSA ID

11692517

Incident

Oct 3, 2025

There was a recall for cam phasers etc under 21N03. My car was fixed in 2021 but the parts they put it in were not the updated parts. I was told it was the same recalled parts that they used to replace. Now I am having the same issue again . I am not currently driving my vehicle until it can be remedied. I contacted the dealership and they are not willing to cooperate or work with me. I will attach the report that was done back in 2021 below.

NHTSA ID

11673612

Incident

Jun 6, 2025

What component or system failed or malfunctioned TRANSMISSION, and is it available for inspection upon request YES How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR 8 LANE HIGHWAY AND COULD NOT EXCELERATE SAFTLY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES, MANUFACTURER FORD & AAMCO TRANSMISSION Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, NO and when did they first appear THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. FIRST THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT EXCELERATE AND THEM THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THIS TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED 3 TIMES KEEPS LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. EVEN AFTER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE WITH AAMCO PLEASE HELP ME I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY TRUCK TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING

NHTSA ID

11645718

Incident

Jan 5, 2025

I've had a couple of issues with my expedition since day 1. When I click on my memory seat to adjust seat/mirror etc. the front mirrors (not the encasement) will turn in one direction and sit there and click until I manually adjust the mirror(s). Today is 10/24/23 and starting yesterday, I was in rush hour traffic and noticed my motor sounded different. Then while headed to work it just started jumping and popping in and out of gear. I am in stopped traffic at one minute and the next be going 70 mph then back to stuck in traffic. So, my fear is driving this thing and it totally failing and it causing a serious wreck to myself and others! This needs to be addressed or I will never own another Ford.

NHTSA ID

11551639

Incident

Oct 23, 2023

Our 2018 Ford Expedition Max caught fire while on a test drive after repairs at Canby Ford. It completely caught fire and is a total loss. We were supposed to pick up the car an hour later. If our kids were in the car strapped into car seats, there may not have been enough time to get them out. They could have died. The mechanic who was driving saw the engine smoking and jumped out (he was at risk). The whole car was gone within 2-3 minutes. In my opinion it exploded as all the windows were blown out. The motor block melted, and the front end of the car is gone. There is a report with Canby Oregon Fire Department. Most people would assume it was overheating, get out and open the hood with their family still in the car. If that had happened people could have died. There were no check engine lights on when we took it to Ford. It was just close to the end of a warranty and there was an engine rattle we wanted fixed. Please come look at the car to investigate. It is at an independent insurance valuation company. I asked the manager of Canby Ford if he would report it to Ford Motor Company, he said no it would just go through their insurance. Ford needs to recall all of the expeditions so someone doesn't die in a fire. Ford already settled on the 2021 Ford Expedition and there are fires on older models and similar F150 Trucks. There are many reported fires without a recall. Please recall all the expeditions and investigate all the other Ford Vehicle fires swept under the rug. We don't want someone else to die due to a lack of action. The previous Ford Expedition settlement is not enough as it only covers 2021. If nothing is done, we plan to go public on the news with the photos, hopefully we can say NHTSA did something (or we can say NHTSA did nothing). Other families are at risk, they need to know to get out fast cause it could catch fire or explode. They need to not assume the engine is overheating (as I would have done 2 months ago) it could be on fire .

NHTSA ID

11549081

Incident

Sep 15, 2023

When car is stopped, the engine dies and it reads on screen “ place car in park to restart engine”. This is not the automatic stop/start. Car has died a handful of times when in stopped traffic or at red lights. Sometimes taking several seconds to get engine running again. Brand new battery. Herb Chambers Ford dealership used diagnostics on 9/29/23 and “did not find anything broken”.

NHTSA ID

11547784

Incident

Sep 26, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering and unintendedly decelerated to 20 MPH. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the fuel pump and the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Solenoid were replaced; however, the failure recurred increasingly, and the vehicle lost motive power on several occasions. The contact veered to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle after several attempts and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump and the fuel pressure rail were replaced; however, the check engine warning light became illuminated. The contact's husband replaced the O2 sensors, the catalytic converter, and the fuel pump stand; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered while idling in the parking lot and then lost power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the failure recurred while driving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Tri-State Ford (1900 Interstate 40 Access Rd, Amarillo, TX 79103), where it was diagnosed that a relay in the wiring harness box had failed, and the wiring harness box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

NHTSA ID

11543289

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

Mileage

46,000 mi

The screen does not turn on making the backup camera not work.

NHTSA ID

11539854

Incident

Aug 5, 2023

We were having issues with our transmission shifting very abruptly and making a clunking noise back in late June 2023. This was occurring as my wife was traveling out of state for a funeral to Michigan. We were able to drop the vehicle off at a certified mechanic in Ohio, and were told that they were metal shavings inside the transmission. The vehicle sat there for several weeks, waiting on a new/remanned transmission from a local Ford dealership. The transmission was replaced, and I flew back to Ohio to drive the vehicle back to Virginia in early August. At first, the vehicle was shifting and driving normally as it should. However, when I was near Richmond, Virginia, I had to change lanes to pass a semi, and when I pressed the gas, all power was lost and the lights on the dash went completely black. About 2 to 3 seconds later, the vehicle shifted with a loud clunk and the advance track warning light came on. The malfunction nearly caused an accident as vehicles behind me had to slam on their brakes, as I finally made my way to the shoulder of the road to collect myself.

NHTSA ID

11539517

Incident

Aug 10, 2023

Door locks don’t unlock on 3 out of 4 doors. Transmission jerks and acts like losing power frequently. Engine tries to die at idle when stopping. Timing chains failed along with cam phasers yet symptoms still continue. Heater hoses leak to heater core. This caused high temps of 255 degrees to occur for engine.

NHTSA ID

11527782

Incident

Jun 5, 2023

Front Blower motor not working correctly. Engine Valve cover driver side small crack.

NHTSA ID

11522201

Incident

Dec 1, 2021

The rear doors don’t unlock frequently. They won’t open from inside or outside often and require repeated unlocking of locks. The manual lock pulls on top of panel are too recessed to grab and pull. The drivers door never comes up at all.

NHTSA ID

11505774

Incident

Feb 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, he heard a loud noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the cam phaser needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 83,000.

NHTSA ID

11486768

Incident

Sep 20, 2022

Mileage

83,000 mi

About 20 times now, while I am on the freeway, sometimes when I am coasting, and other times when I am trying to quickly accelerate, my car down shifts out of nowhere and loses power, again either when I am in the fast lane coasting, or trying to merge into traffic. It's like it is going to stall and when I step on the gas, it just revs and doesn't get into gear and go. I have almost been rear ended because I go from 70 to like 40 mph. When I was trying to merge into traffic, I got partially into the other lane and then it just wouldn't go. I could easily have been hit. One time when I was coasting and it did it, a warning came on, and then a check manual, but it went away too fast. I have taken it to the dealer and a repair shop multiple times and they can't replicate it. It could definitely cause an accident as my car suddenly slows down and it won't accelerate. I have to wait about 10-15 seconds until it reengages. It makes aloud clunking/dropping sound as if I ran over something and one time it sounded like a million pebbles were inside my engine and under my car. No diagnostic numbers are coming up and it's like no one knows what I am talking about. But multiple Fords are having this issue and they are not doing anything about it. I took it in during my warranty and now it's out of warranty and I'm going to have to pay for something that they should have repaired from the get go. This is dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11483699

Incident

Sep 5, 2022

Electrical fire under hood occurred spontaneously. Just before my vehicle shut off the dash board read something about to conserve battery shut engine off. Pulled over got out of car and it burned . Insurance agent is investigating. Sherriff and fireman said it was electrical fire under hood. Had I not decided to pull over at rest stop when I did we would have been on freeway when it ignited.

NHTSA ID

11425507

Incident

Jul 15, 2021

UNDER WARRANTY, MOISTURE WAS PRESENT IN ALL THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE UPPER (THIRD) BRAKE LIGHT HAD THE MOST CONDENSATION. AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER REVIEWED THE ISSUE AND ADVISED FORD DOES NOT COVER MOISTURE WITHIN A LIGHT AS THE MOISTURE WILL DISSIPATE OVER TIME. I ADVISED THE UPPER BRAKE LIGHT WAS NEVER DRY, THEY INSISTED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE ISSUE. I COULD REPLACE THE LIGHT, I RECEIVED A QUOTE AT THAT TIME. NOW THE UPPER BRAKE LIGHT HAS LESS THAN 2 LED'S WORKING AND THE VISIBILITY IS NEXT TO NOTHING. REVIEWING FORUMS, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN PRESENT IN THE FORD EXPEDITIONS SINCE THE NEW VEHICLE DESIGN CHANGE. MY CONCERN IS VERY SIMPLE, THAT BRAKE LIGHT IS IMPORTANT IN THE SAFETY OF OUR PASSENGERS, THOSE AROUND THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ITSELF. WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN A REAR END COLLISION WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE BRAKING OF THIS VEHICLE AHEAD WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ONE CAR AHEAD OF YOU BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHEN DRIVING BEHIND THIS VEHICLE MYSELF. I CONSIDER THIS BRAKE LIGHT A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE SAFETY FEATURES IN OUR VEHICLE. TIMING OF THE ISSUE WAS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. FIRST PHASE WAS MOISTURE NOT DISSIPATING, SECOND PHASE HAS BEEN THE LED LIGHTING CONTINUES TO STOP WORKING, A FEW LED'S AT FIRST, NOW ONLY A FEW ARE OPERATIONAL, AND DIM AT BEST DUE TO THE CONTINUED MOISTURE IN THE UPPER REAR BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID

11399251

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

THE VEHICLE HAS AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH CAUSES A CROSS TRAFFIC SYSTEM FAULT, BLIND SPOT SYSTEM FAULT AND THE LIFTGATE OR LIFTGLASS TO INDICATE THAT IT IS AJAR. HEN THESE FAULT THE SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE INOPERATIVE AND POSE A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS OCCURS WHILE IN MOTION AT BOTH ON BOTH CITY STREETS AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324175

Incident

May 7, 2020

Mileage

48,000 mi