NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 9 recalls and 15 owner complaints for the 2018 Ford F-250 Sd.
For the 2018 Ford F-250 SD, the most consistent pattern owners report centers on steering and suspension. Multiple owners describe a severe high-speed steering wobble, often called "death shimmy", triggered by hitting a bump, expansion joint, or rough pavement at highway speeds. Owners report the steering wheel shaking violently and the whole front end oscillating, with the only remedy being slowing to around 30 mph before the wobble subsides. Some report this happening while towing, which amplifies how alarming the experience feels. The pattern appears across vehicles with factory wheels and tires at relatively low mileage, around 15,000 miles in at least one case. Powertrain complaints round out the top reported systems, though at lower volume. A single report also mentions a rearview camera displaying a blank image on startup, with the unit requiring replacement.
15
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
By System
The 2018 Ford F-250 SD has 9 recalls, the most serious involving the driveshaft, which can fracture and cause sudden loss of drive power or, if it contacts the ground, loss of vehicle control.
Two separate driveshaft issues affect this truck: underbody heat shields can loosen and wear against the aluminum driveshaft until it cracks, and an internal damper component can shift out of position and fracture the shaft. On 4x4 models, the second issue also raises the risk of rollaway while parked without the parking brake set. Two fire concerns round out the more serious issues: in SuperCrew Cab models with carpet flooring, sparks from a seatbelt pretensioner deploying in a crash can ignite carpet or insulation near the B-pillar, and on trucks that received a prior block heater repair, a damaged splice connector can overheat and start a fire. Continental tires on certain vehicles were over-cured during production and can develop sidewall cracks, leading to sudden air loss or tread separation. The tailgate latch can release on its own when water shorts the electrical switch, spilling cargo onto the road. The daytime running lights may also fail to dim when the headlights are switched on. Finally, two camera defects can cause the rearview image to appear foggy, distorted, inverted, or blank while reversing.
At a glance
What can fail
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
The rearview camera may show a distorted, inverted, or blank image when you shift into reverse.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A radial damper inside the driveshaft can shift out of position over time, causing imbalance and potential driveshaft fracture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driveshaft at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The anti-reflective coating on the 360-degree camera system's lens can degrade, causing the rearview camera image to become foggy or cloudy.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and rub against the aluminum driveshaft, potentially damaging and fracturing it.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the driveshaft, repair it if needed, and securely reattach the underbody insulators.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain Continental tires on these vehicles may have been cured too long during manufacturing, which can affect tire integrity.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the tires and replace them as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When the front seat belt pretensioner deploys during a crash, it may create sparks that ignite the carpet or insulation near the B-pillar.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply heat resistant tape to the carpet and insulation, and modify the B-pillar insulation as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can enter the electrical wiring in the tailgate handle switch, causing a short circuit that unintentionally releases the tailgate latches.
What the fix does
Dealers will modify the wiring harness, isolate the tailgate release circuits with jumper pigtails, and install a new tailgate handle switch.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The daytime running lights may not dim when you switch the headlights to the on position.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the body control module software at no charge to fix the dimming function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged during a previous repair, creating a potential failure point.
What the fix does
Dealers will disable the engine block heater. When replacement cables are available, dealers will replace the heater cord at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.