A 2018 Ford F-150 owner has reached 100,000 miles in his truck, providing a useful look at how Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 holds up after seven years of real-world use.
The owner, who runs the Smacky’s Garage YouTube channel, purchased the F-150 new and tracked what he spent on maintenance and repairs. His total came to $4,264 over 100,000 miles.
However, only $826 of that amount was spent repairing things that actually broke. The remaining $3,438 went toward routine maintenance and wear items.
Here is everything that went wrong with his 2018 Ford F-150.
The 2018 Ford F-150 Never Left Him Stranded
The most important part of this owner’s experience is not the number of individual problems. It is that none of them caused the truck to leave him stranded.
His repair list included:
- A failing starter
- A bad passenger-side wheel bearing
- A corroded tailgate handle
- A faulty hood-latch switch
There were also brake replacements, although the owner considers those normal wear rather than a mechanical failure. The truck spent its life in New England, where road salt, towing and winter driving can accelerate brake wear and corrosion.
That is a relatively short repair list for a seven-year-old truck with 100,000 miles.
Starter Failed Despite Disabling Auto Start/Stop
One of the more interesting failures involved the starter.
The owner disabled the F-150’s automatic start/stop system around the 30,000-mile mark because he did not want the starter repeatedly cycling in traffic. Despite that precaution, the starter eventually deteriorated and required replacement.
He had thought the battery was failing and replaced that first. Then, looking at the starter, he realized how corroded it was, and that was the real issue.
The starter was one of the most substantial actual repairs recorded during the first 100,000 miles.
Wheel Bearing, Tailgate Handle and Hood Switch Problems
The passenger-side wheel bearing also failed and needed to be replaced. Wheel-bearing life can be affected by road conditions, tire and wheel choices, towing, payload and exposure to water or road salt.
The tailgate handle suffered from corrosion, which is not especially surprising on a truck driven through New England winters. While the problem did not affect the engine or transmission, it is another example of the smaller issues that appear as a truck ages.
A faulty hood-latch switch created a more irritating problem by causing the truck’s alarm to activate. The switch incorrectly indicated that the hood was open, triggering the security system.
These were inconvenient repairs, but none prevented the F-150 from being driven.
The 5.0-Liter V8 Consumes Oil and Coolant
The owner reports that the 5.0-liter V8 consumes some oil and regularly needs coolant added.
Oil consumption has been a common owner complaint involving some 2018-2020 Ford F-150s equipped with the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. Ford issued technical guidance addressing excessive oil consumption, including an updated powertrain control module calibration and a revised dipstick.
This particular engine has continued operating through 100,000 miles, but owners should still monitor the oil level between changes. Allowing an engine to run significantly low on oil can cause damage even if the original consumption problem appears manageable.
The need to add coolant is also worth watching. Coolant should not normally disappear from a sealed system. A small external leak, water-pump problem, hose connection or other cooling-system issue could become more serious if the loss increases.
Neither condition has resulted in a reported engine failure, but both deserve continued attention.
Related post: 2021-2026 Ford F-150 Known Problems – Transmission, Recalls, Engine Failure?
Maintenance Cost More Than the Repairs
Over seven years and 100,000 miles, the owner spent $3,438 on maintenance compared with $826 replacing parts that broke.
Oil changes accounted for $1,600 of the maintenance total. A flat-tire incident cost another $1,000, while spark plugs were $65, coolant was $23 and a spare-tire lock cost $10. He also cleaned the truck’s door drains himself at no cost.
The $1,000 tire expense substantially increased the maintenance total and was not a mechanical failure involving the truck itself. Without that tire expense, his seven-year maintenance and repair total would have been $3,264.
Would He Buy Another Ford F-150?
Yes.
Despite the oil consumption, coolant loss and handful of repairs, the owner says he would purchase another Ford F-150. The truck has never left him stranded, and none of its problems resulted in an engine or transmission replacement.
That does not mean every 2018 F-150 with the 5.0-liter V8 will deliver the same experience. This generation has documented complaints involving oil consumption and Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission.
However, this owner’s experience demonstrates that the problems discussed online do not affect every truck to the same degree.
After 100,000 miles, the original engine and transmission are still working. The truck required only $826 in actual repairs, and its owner remains satisfied enough to buy another one.
For a modern full-size pickup approaching the end of its first 100,000 miles, that is a strong ownership report.
