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2018 Ford F-150 Supercab Diesel
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
1,835 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2016–2020 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2018 Ford F-150 Supercab Diesel.
Why caution?
84 complaints involve a crash, fire, injury, or death. Read them before deciding.
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (38% of complaints, typically reported near 50k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#363 of 423Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Ford F-150 Supercab Diesel ranks #363, scoring higher than 10% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
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.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Ford F-150 Supercab PU/EC 4x4
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 19%
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
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 F-150 Supercab Diesel, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Engine & cooling (83)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
38%695 complaints · typically near 50k mi · 290 in the last 2 years
“The transmission is hard shifting and staying in 6th gear most of the time. And when I pulled into my driveway the transmission was shifting back down to first and rol…”
Engine
24%441 complaints · typically near 13k mi · 152 in the last 2 years
“Cam phaser failure. Has been a customer satisfaction program through Ford which I participated in but was not deemed to have the issue as described. The dealer has now…”
Body & structure
10%185 complaints · typically near 8k mi · 12 in the last 2 years
“Pant is flaking off roof and tail gate in 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Offord white paint. Clearly a manufacturing defect . 2018 F150 has approx. 27,000 miles on it, Filed …”
Electrical system
7%135 complaints · typically near 40k mi · 26 in the last 2 years
“When backing up, my camera will either not work or be extremely slow. Then once it works the backup image or blank screen will show up when not in reverse. My screen w…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 3 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 1,835 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 84 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Ford before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 50k miles). Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 13k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
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 F-150 SUPERCAB DIESEL beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every F-150 Supercab Diesel model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Ford F-150 Supercab Diesel 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.