RoadVitals

2018 Ford F-350 Sd Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jul 14, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 199 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Ford F-350 Sd submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 14, 2025

Truck went into limp mode wile driving on highway had to have trailer towed 980 miles egr cooler rubbing on wire harness on firewall staffing wires ro short out fuel injection this is a manufacturer defect.why would egr cooler and electrical wire harness be placed so close is a big safety and fire hazard ....cost of repairs at ford dealer in Columbia Tennessee $800 for repairs

NHTSA ID
11673394
Incident
Jun 21, 2025
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Feb 15, 2025
Fire reported2 injuries reported

Unknown component that failed. Suspicion, the fuel system located at the back of the fire wall on drivers side. The fire started in that location and was extremely hot and fast moving. The truck was fully engulfed within 1.5 minutes then burnt the attached 5th wheel trailer and contents. It was a total loss of 3 vehicles 2018 Ford F350, 2021 Dutchman Voltage 5th wheel trailer, and a 2013 Polaris RZR side by side UTV. All was reduced to rubble within 15 Min. Our safety and lives were at risk, we had 30-45 seconds from smelling and seeing smoke to flames. We were traveling on Interstate 15 at highway speeds and had to stop as safe as possible on the shoulder of the road. The vehicle has not been inspected as far as I know, the frame is all what is left. There were no warning lights and all gauges read normal,

NHTSA ID
11642894
Incident
Feb 12, 2025
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 24, 2024

Sync screen has gone black on radio causing all blind spots to be invisible while parking a large vehicle. I was told by ford tech support this is a recall in certain year ford explorers but not in the F series trucks! I looked up the issue on many of ford forums and it is an unresolved issue. If the rear camera is a recall the image projecting device “SYNC Radio” which is a brain to truck should be as well I would imagine. The laborer and parts for the repair are costly to the company and I’m extremely concerned with how I was treated when this is a known issue with ford. I paid 62000 for a vehicle that now has a recall for a foggy camera but no recall for the device to visually see 360 degrees around vehicle. Suburban Ford of Waterford wants to charge me upwards around 1000.00 for parts and laborer to fix a KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. All attempts to update have been completed and any ford provided reset and install options have been performed. Downloaded the 3.4 update onto thumb drive in the right format and just black screen of death it’s now been named in forums. They push it off as an update but the years being monitored have faulty APIM modules. Causing screens to have no image, sound, and HANDSFREE safety features. Please help me resolve this concern! Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11604376
Incident
Jul 1, 2024
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 3, 2021

The tailgate continues to open randomly while driving or backing up the truck. The recall for this was completed but the issue continues to occur. Most recently this caused $525 worth of damage to my 5th wheel camper and $450 worth of damage to my tailgate. This is very dangerous and should be addressed by Ford immediately.

NHTSA ID
11439147
Incident
Oct 25, 2021
Electrical
Filed Sep 17, 2021

My 2018 F-350 is on its way back to the dealership for the 4th time in 2 years for the same reoccurring problem with the alternators. About every 6 months the trucks starts flashing nearly all of the engine warning lights, shuts off all auxiliary components, (radio,AC,interior lighting) and then continues to cycle on and off for the duration of that trip. That's a lot of fun at 75 miles an hour at night! Something has to change.

NHTSA ID
11433377
Incident
Aug 4, 2021
Body & structureElectrical
Filed May 6, 2021

TAILGATE STILL RANDOMLY OPENS AFTER FORD ISSUED RECALL TO CORRECT. SEEMS TO OCCUR PRIMARILY WHEN TRUCK IS PARKED ON HILL WITH EBRAKE SET. WHEN RELEASING EMERGENCY BRAKE ON A HILL, THE RELEASE IS QUITE VIOLENT IN TERMS OF THE TRUCK VIBRATING/SHUDDERING. IT APPEARS THE PROXIMITY OF THE REMOTE OPEN TAILGATE SWITCH AND THE VIBRATION WITH THE EBRAKE HANDLE RELEASE, MAY BE ACTIVATING THE REMOTE SWITCH. TRUCK HAS ALREADY HAD THE FORD ISSUED TAILGATE OPENING RECALL APPLIED WHICH HAS NOT CORRECTED THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11415389
Incident
May 6, 2021
Mileage
25,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 24, 2020

YOU DID A RECALL FOR THE TAILGATE OPENING BECAUSE OF MOISTURE IN A SENSOR BUT YOU STILL HAVE NOT DONE A RECALL FOR THE TAILGATE OPENING DUE TO THE KEY FOB. YOU SAY ALL THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE CAUSED SHOULD THE TAILGATE OPENING WHILE PULLING A TRAILER. IF YOU HAVE THE KEY FOB IN YOUR POCKET IT CAN BUMP THE TAILGATE OPEN BUTTON TWICE (JUST WHILE WALKING) AND OPEN THE TAILGATE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE DISABLED. THE DAMAGE POSSIBILITY IS IDENTICAL. PLEASE GET THIS CORRECTED. SHOULD IT COME OPEN IN MY YARD WHILE I AM WORKING AND COMES DOWN ON MY GRANDDAUGHTERS HEAD IT COULD BE DEADLY. PLEASE CORRECT THIS. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ID
11311209
Incident
Feb 5, 2020
Mileage
500 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 30, 2019

THE TAILGATE OPENS ON ITS OWN. THE LATEST INCIDENT, THE TAILGATE OPENED ON ITS OWN WHILE TRAVELING. INITIALLY I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE PRESS THE TAILGATE BUTTON BUT AFTER SECURING THE KEY TO ENSURE NOTHING PRESSES AGAINST THE BUTTON FOUND OUT THAT IS THAT IS NOT THE CASE. LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 29 JUL 19 AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO MY TRAVEL TRAILER AND THE TAILGATE ITSELF . I AM CURRENTLY USE S BUNGEE CORD TO SECURE THE TAILGATE FROM OPENING.

NHTSA ID
11240562
Incident
Jul 29, 2019
Mileage
35,425 mi
ElectricalExterior lightingPowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 14, 2019

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A FEATURE THAT SHUTS THE ENGINE AND IGNITION OFF AFTER 30 MINUTES OF IDLE WITHOUT DRIVER INTERACTION. THESE VEHICLES HAVE "UP-FITTER SWITCHES" WHICH CAN BE TIED TO THINGS LIKE AUXILIARY WARNING LIGHTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS TURN OFF AS WELL AS POWER TO ANY AUXILIARY LOADS. I AM A FIREFIGHTER IN NORTH CAROLINA. I HAVE THESE SWITCHES ATTACHED TO AUXILIARY SAE-W WARNING LIGHTS. THE OTHER NIGHT, I WAS ON THE SCENE OF A COLLISION AND AFTER 30 MINUTES, MY TRUCK SHUT ITSELF OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WENT COMPLETELY DARK. THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS TURNED OFF, AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS INSTALLED ON THE PERIMETER OF THE BODY. THIS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC HAZARD AND PUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHERS IN THE ROADWAY IN JEOPARDY. THE FEATURE CAN BE DISABLED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, BUT REQUIRES THE VEHICLE TO BE STOPPED AND VARIOUS MENUS TO BE CYCLED THROUGH. I THOUGHT I'D KICKED IT OFF BUT APPARENTLY MISSED THE SETTING WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT AND RENDER AID AT THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. I HAVE SPOKED WITH RONALD FULLER WITH FORD'S BODY BUILDER ADVISORY SERVICE WHO INFORMS ME THAT THIS FEATURE IS INCLUDED IN ALL RETAIL TRUCKS, AND CAN NOT BE DISABLED. THEIR LOGIC IS THAT THEY WANT TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING THE VEHICLE IN THEIR GARAGE AND ASPHYXIATING THEMSELVES. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PURCHASE A POLICE PACKAGE VEHICLE WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE. MY CONCERN IS ANY VEHICLE USED FOR CONSTRUCITON, ROAD WORKS, OR FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION IS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR SITUATION WHICH CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING TOTALLY DARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY.

NHTSA ID
11186789
Incident
Mar 11, 2019
Mileage
3,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 20, 2018

THE TAILGATE RELEASES (OPENS OR DROPS) UNEXPECTANTLY WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. IT HAS OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, REVERSE, OR DRIVE AND THE PARKING BRAKE RELEASE LEVER IS ACTUATED. THIS HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID
11152884
Incident
Nov 20, 2018
Mileage
1,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 14, 2018

TAILGATE COMES DOWN ON IT'S OWN. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW. DEALER COLD FIND NOW CODES.

NHTSA ID
11151497
Incident
Nov 10, 2018
Mileage
5,400 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 14, 2018

BACK UP CAMERA GOES BLANK AND SHOWS BLACK ON DISPLAY.

NHTSA ID
11151494
Incident
Jul 23, 2018
Mileage
4,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .