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2018 Ford Expedition El
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
307 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (36% of complaints, typically reported near 65k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Ford Expedition EL EXTENDED SUV 4x4
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 19%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Ford Expedition El, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (24) · Engine & cooling (23) · Lights (18)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
36%111 complaints · typically near 65k mi · 46 in the last 2 years
“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…”
Engine
28%87 complaints · typically near 46k mi · 33 in the last 2 years
“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 recall…”
Electrical system
8%24 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“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 recall…”
Engine & cooling
7%23 complaints · 13 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal cranking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no …”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Ford EXPEDITION EL beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Expedition El model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Ford Expedition El against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.