RecallRadar

HomeFordF53 → 2018

2018 Ford F53 Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

7 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 2.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious18V470000

Wheels

If a sufficient quantity of wheel studs break on one hub, vehicle handling could be affected, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace any suspect front wheel hub studs, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customers service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S21.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford F53 stripped chassis vehicles equipped with 22.5 inch front wheels. The front wheel hub assembly may have wheel studs that were not properly heat treated.

Complaint volume

7 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
2Fires
2Injuries
0Deaths

Across 7 complaints. Severity Index 2.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Structure · Body2 · 29%Steering1 · 14%Wheels1 · 14%Power Train1 · 14%Suspension1 · 14%Electrical System1 · 14%
  1. Structure:Body — 2 reports
  2. Steering — 1 reports
  3. Wheels — 1 reports
  4. Power Train — 1 reports
  5. Suspension — 1 reports
  6. Electrical System — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1998 (1) · 1999 (2) · 2000 (1) · 2001 (1) · 2003 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 (1) · 2021 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.