21 complaints reported

2018 Ford Expedition Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
21
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2026

Passenger side DRL (daytime running light) has dimmed and turned purple. Upon further research, this is happening to thousands of Ford Expeditions specifically on the passenger side. The only repair is to replace entire housing.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2025
Feb 2026

Front passenger DRL fail in lower 2/3 of LED strip. Im afraid other cars won't see me as well. No warnings on the inside dash display. A car flagged me down to tell me.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2026
Dec 2025

DRL failure is widespread across ford vehicles and should be addressed by the manufacturer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2025
Dec 2025

Drl is only half on seems that this is a common problem and a safety problem for it is a lighting issue

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2024
Nov 2025

The passenger DRL is only lit at at the top strip and not the rest of the strip.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2025
Oct 2025

Passenger side daytime running lights (DRL) have dimmed, diminishing daytime visibility . LED bulb may be out. Seems to be a common problem per other Expedition owners. There were no warnings or messages stating problem. The only way to fix the problem is by replacing the entire headlamp assembly ($1,200 plus labor).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2025
Aug 2025

The passenger side headlight assembly has a led daytime running light strip that has burnt out and is a common issue with this model car

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2025
Jul 2025

Defective daytime running light, passenger side, that does not fully illuminate. I’ve noticed this on several of the same make, model, and body style (with the same DTRLs).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Jul 2025

The passenger side day time running light led halo is partially not working-Daytime Running Light defective. Several customers affected for the same reason all over internet.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Mar 2025

Drl not workingg

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2024
Feb 2025

Daylight light led lighting is halfway off.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2024
Jan 2024

Defective daytime running light, passenger side, that does not fully illuminate. I’ve noticed this on several of the same make, model, and body style (with the same DTRLs).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2022
Oct 2019

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2018 EXPEDITION ARE AWFUL. THEY ARE FAR TOO DIM AND DISTANCE COVERAGE IS FAR TOO SHORT. THEY HAVE A SHARP CUT OFF THAT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE SOMETHING IS IN THE WAY OF THEM. THE BRIGHTS ARE BETTER, BUT NOT NEARLY WHAT THEY SHOULD BE FOR A 2018, $60K+ VEHICLE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. NOT CONFIDENT THAT I WOULD SEE SOMETHING IN THE ROAD WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME TO SAFELY AVOID IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2019
May 2019

POOR ILLUMINATION FROM HEADLIGHTS. VISIBILITY AT NIGHT WITH EITHER HIGH OR LOW BEAMS IS UNACCEPTABLE. NOT EASY TO AVOID OBSTACLES LIKE DEER CROSSING THE HIGHWAY, DEBRIS OR OTHER HAZARDS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2019
May 2019

I HAVE A WONDERFUL 2018 FORD EXPEDITION. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR, AND EXPECTED I WOULD, BECAUSE I DID RESEARCH BEFORE LEASING IT. THE ONE THING I DIDN'T DO, WHICH I'VE NEVER HAD TO DO IN ALL MY YEARS OF CAR BUYING OR LEASING, IS TEST DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHTTIME. THE STANDARD HALOGEN HEADLAMPS ARE AWFUL, AND DANGEROUS. I CANNOT SEE ANYTHING. MY GIRLFRIEND ALSO CAN'T SEE ANYTHING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO ASSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD. BUT I SWEAR I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR WITH HEADLAMPS THIS DIM OR POORLY DESIGNED. ESPECIALLY FOR A CAR SO LARGE, THE PROJECTOR LAMP CUTOFF IS TOO SHARP AND TOO LOW. OF COURSE, USING THE HIGH BEAMS DOES BRING THE LIGHTNING TO NORMAL, BUT I AM BLINDING OTHER DRIVERS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD ASAP. IF YOU MONITOR WHAT'S OTHER EXPEDITION DRIVERS ARE SAYING IN ONLINE FORUMS, I GUARANTEE YOU WILL FIND THE SAME RESULT. THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT YET, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT, OR EVEN TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING THE SAME CAR WITH STANDARD HALOGEN HEADLAMPS. IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THIS CAR TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH ITS CURRENT EQUIPMENT SETUP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2019
Jan 2019

HEADLIGHT POWER ON THE VEHICLE IS INADEQUATE, DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH FORWARD VISIBILITY. NOTICED AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE IN DEC. 2018

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2019
Dec 2018

THE HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS IN MY 2018 FORD EXPEDITION LIMITED ARE TOO DIM AND UNSAFE FOR ROADS THAT ARE NOT LIT OR FOR DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON ANY ROAD. I CANNOT SEE THE ROAD WELL AND I FEEL THAT THE HALOGEN BULBS ARE NOT A GOOD ENOUGH OPTION IN A 60K+ VEHICLE. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR CUTTING CORNERS AND NOT MAKING THE LED HEADLIGHT HOUSING STANDARD FOR ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES. THE FORD OEM HALOGEN BULBS ARE EXTREMELY DIM AND UNSAFE FOR CONSUMER USE. IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE ROAD, I DON'T THINK MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD GIVE ME ENOUGH NOTICE TO AVOID AN OBSTRUCTION. VERY UNSAFE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2018
Aug 2018

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE ABSOLUTELY THE WORST OF ANY CAR I'VE EVER DRIVEN. DID NIGHT DRIVING YESTERDAY; THE PERIPHERAL LIGHTING WAS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT, AND I COULDN'T EVEN SEE MY DRIVEWAY FROM THE ROAD. THERE IS NO MENTION ON THE WINDOW STICKER ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF LIGHT FIXTURES THE CAR HAS. I FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT, AND WILL LIMIT THIS EXPOSURE WHEN I CAN. TOTALLY UNSAFE IN THE DARK OF NIGHT. THE ROAD TO OUR PLACE IS UNLIGHTED AND KINDA COUNTRY . . . COULDN'T SEE THE DRIVEWAY AT 10MPH WITH THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2018
Jun 2018

THE HALOGEN HEADLAMPS ON THE 2018 EXPEDITION ARE COMPLETELY INADEQUATE FOR A 2018 VEHICLE. THEY ARE DIM, AND THEY ARE ANGLED DOWN WITH A LOW CUTOFF. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADJUSTED THE LIGHTS AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE, WHICH DID NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. FORD OFFERS AN OPTIONAL LED HEADLAMP SYSTEM WHICH APPEARS SIGNIFICANTLY BRIGHTER AND SAFER, BUT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THESE ON THE DEALER LOTS. IT'S WILDLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO SELL A BRAND NEW VEHICLE FOR $65000 + THAT HAS HEADLIGHTS FROM THE 1990S. THEY ALSO CLAIM THAT THIS SYSTEM CAN NOT BE RETROFITTED TO THE HALOGEN HEADLAMP MODELS. DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A ROAD WITHOUT STREET LIGHTS IS UNSAFE. YOU CAN'T SEE ROAD SIGNS, ONCOMING TRAFFIC, PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD, ETC. VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THIS NHTSA SITE ABOUT THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET FORD TO REPLACE THE HALOGEN LIGHTS WITH THE LED LIGHTS?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2018
Feb 2018

CPSC: THE PURPORTED PURPOSE OF FORD'S 'PROJECTOR' HEADLIGHT DESIGN WAS TO INCREASE LUMENS WHILE DECREASING POWER CONSUMPTION. INSTEAD OF THE HEADLIGHT (AS WITH 'NORMAL' LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS) BEING AIMED AWAY FROM ONCOMING VEHICLES AND DISPLAYING THE ENTIRE ROAD AHEAD, THE HEADLIGHT ROAD VISIBILITY (AS VIEWED BY THE DRIVER THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD) HAS A DISTINCT, HORIZONTAL LINE ABOVE WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY DARK AND BELOW IS LIT. *DT *JS *TT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2018
Jan 2018

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SHINE VERY LOW AND NOT FAR ENOUGH AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ARE ALSO VERY DIM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 FORD EXPEDITION, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2018

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford Expedition has 21 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.