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2018 Ford F-150 · Torque converter replacement
2018 Ford F-150 torque converter replacement cost
A 2018 Ford F-150 torque converter replacement typically costs $1,050 to $2,260 at an independent shop, parts and labor included across its engine options. The torque converter itself runs $220 to $600, and the job takes 6 to 9 hours. Prices updated September 2026.
Estimated cost, selected engine
$1,050 to $1,970
Charlotte, NC area
Prices updated September 2026
Which engine? They price differently, so pick yours for a closer number.
Torque converter (part)
$220 to $600
Labor (6 to 9 hours)
$720 to $1,440
Fluids + supplies
$110 to $220
2018 Ford F-150 torque converter replacement: parts and labor
Labor runs $720 to $1,440 (the job takes 6 to 9 hours at typical independent-shop rates), and the torque converter itself typically costs $220 to $600 for the 2018 Ford F-150, plus $110 to $220 in mercon fluid (10 to 13 qts) + flush. Prices updated September 2026.
| Engine | Parts | Labor | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L V6 | $220 to $470 | $720 to $1,280 (6.0 to 8.0 hrs) | $1,050 to $1,970 |
| 2.7L EcoBoost | $300 to $600 | $780 to $1,360 (6.5 to 8.5 hrs) | $1,190 to $2,180 |
| 3.5L EcoBoost | $300 to $600 | $780 to $1,440 (6.5 to 9.0 hrs) | $1,190 to $2,260 |
| 5.0L V8 | $300 to $600 | $780 to $1,360 (6.5 to 8.5 hrs) | $1,190 to $2,180 |
Coverage note: 3.0L Power Stroke diesel (added mid 2018): its diesel specific 10R80 converter is $1,089.86 OEM (JL3Z-7902-A) versus $319 for the gas trucks, which would distort the parts range. Raptor is not excluded; its high output 3.5L EcoBoost shares the gas 10R80 converter and is folded into the 3.5L row's labor spread.
RepairPal has no torque converter estimator for the F-150 (only alternator, catalytic converter, and full transmission pages), and generic aggregators quote $700 to $2,000 for the job, which brackets but undershoots real 2026 shop pricing on the 10R80. TransmissionRepairCost.com puts independent shops at $1,200 to $2,200 and dealers at $1,800 to $2,800 for this exact truck. The dealer premium here is almost entirely labor rate ($190 to $230/hr versus $120 to $160 independent), because the OEM converter itself is cheap: $319 online for the 10R80 unit. The real dealer risk is scope creep, since shudder complaints sometimes get quoted as full transmission replacement (one documented 10R80 quote was $8,800) when TSB 19-2346 calls for a fluid exchange first and a converter second.
Where these numbers come from
- Estimate ranges: a hand-verified research pass for this exact vehicle and repair, cross-referenced across 12 independent sources (parts retailers, labor guides, and published shop pricing), completed September 2026.
- Recall and complaint data: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) records for the 2018 Ford F-150 specifically, filtered to transmission relevance and refreshed daily from the federal API.
- Local prices: real, accepted quotes from verified Fixxr marketplace jobs, published per metro once five verified jobs of this type have closed. Never estimates dressed up as transactions.
Not included in the estimate: Transmission rebuild or replacement if metal or hard parts debris is found once the unit is out ($2,800 to $7,500 on the 10R80), Valve body, lead frame, or solenoid repairs, which are separate known 10R80 failures with their own pricing, Transmission cooler or cooler line replacement if a flush cannot clear friction material, Flexplate, rear main seal, or transmission mount replacement while the transmission is out, Diagnostic time to confirm shudder is the converter and not injectors, plugs, or driveline, The TSB 19-2346 Mercon ULV fluid exchange attempt that should precede converter replacement, Taxes, shop supplies, and fluid disposal fees.
What actually goes wrong on this exact vehicle
Federal safety data for the 2018 Ford F-150, filtered to the transmission specifically.
4
transmission recalls
35
transmission owner complaints
transmission recall · NHTSA 26V375000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 17V669. Quickly moving the shift lever from Park to Drive may cause a loss of gear indication on the instrument cluster display and a momentary selection of an unintended gear, such as Reverse or Neutral. Unintended gear selection may cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction, increasing the risk of crash or injury.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Real owner report, verbatim from NHTSA:
“Truck will not shift into 7th gear, will down shift to 1st gear once it reaches 6th gear around 40mph. Causing the vehicle back tires to brake and skid and lose control of vehicle.”
Get the failure confirmed with a real diagnosis before you approve the repair, so you fix the part that actually failed.
Recall fixes are free at the dealer. Everything else deserves a fair price.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), recalls and complaints for the 2018 Ford F-150. Refreshed periodically.
Not sure what’s wrong?
A shudder or slip can be the torque converter, the transmission itself, worn mounts, or even misfires. Describe what your truck is doing and our free diagnostic tool narrows it down before you spend a dollar.
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Get connected with a mechanicHow your torque converter works
The torque converter is the fluid coupling between the engine and the automatic transmission in your 2018 Ford F-150. It lets the engine keep spinning at a stoplight, multiplies torque when you pull away, and at cruising speed an internal lockup clutch grips solid to stop wasting fuel. That clutch is the part that wears out, and because the converter bolts on between the engine and transmission, replacing it means removing the transmission, which is why labor is most of the bill.
Four signs it’s the torque converter
Shudder at steady speed
A rumble-strip vibration at light throttle on the highway. The classic sign of a worn converter lockup clutch.
RPM flares, truck doesn't
Engine revs climb without matching speed. The converter or transmission is slipping instead of gripping.
Delayed or harsh engagement
A pause or clunk when shifting into drive or reverse, especially cold.
Hot, dark, or burnt fluid
A slipping converter cooks the fluid. Dark color or a burnt smell means friction material is circulating.
The free check: on a quiet road, hold a steady 45 to 55 mph at light throttle. A vibration that appears in that zone and fades when you accelerate or lift off points at the converter clutch. Mention exactly when it happens to your shop; it is the single most useful thing you can tell them.
What a torque converter replacement is like on the 2018 Ford F-150
2018 is the crossover year for F-150 transmissions, and it decides which torque converter your truck takes. The base 3.3L V6 kept the carryover 6R80 six speed, while the 2.7L EcoBoost, 3.5L EcoBoost, and 5.0L V8 all moved to the new 10R80 ten speed. The parts pricing is inverted from what you would expect: the 10R80 gas converter (Ford HL3Z-7902-A) sells for about $319 at online OEM discounters like FordPartsGiant, while the 3.3L's 6R80 converter (FL3Z-7902-A) runs about $468. Because the OEM 10R80 converter is that cheap and carries Ford's updated clutch lining, many independent shops skip aftermarket reman units entirely on the ten speed trucks.
If your 10R80 truck has the classic rumble strip vibration at 30 to 50 mph under light throttle, that is torque converter clutch shudder, and Ford wrote TSB 19-2346 for it. The TSB's first step is a Mercon ULV fluid exchange, not a converter. Transmission shops report the roughly $300 fluid service alone cures the shudder in about 60% of cases because the reformulated ULV has better friction properties; only the remaining 40% need the converter this page prices. Pay for the fluid exchange first before authorizing a $1,200 to $2,200 converter job.
The converter itself is a 12 minute swap once the transmission is out; the transmission removal is the job. Book time on these trucks runs about 7.2 hours for the R&R plus 0.2 for the converter, and working techs say it is closer to 10 hours on the floor. The spread in each row covers 2WD versus 4WD (the 4x4 adds front driveshaft and transfer case time), and the 3.5L row runs slightly wider because it includes heavy tow package SuperCrew 4x4s and the Raptor's high output 3.5L, which shares the 10R80. Budget the full 13.1 quart Mercon ULV fill on ten speed trucks at $10 to $15 a quart; ULV is not interchangeable with the Mercon LV the 3.3L's 6R80 uses, and a wrong fluid fill will bring the shudder right back.
Get a second opinion before a shudder complaint turns into a transmission replacement. The 10R80 has separate known failure points (lead frame and solenoid issues run $500 to $1,200, valve body work $900 to $2,400), and some dealers quote the whole unit when only the converter clutch is worn; one 2019 10R80 owner was quoted $8,800 for a new transmission for a shudder complaint. The honest tell is the fluid: if the pan and cooler lines show heavy friction material from a shedding converter clutch, a thorough cooler flush is mandatory with the new converter, and if hard parts debris is present a $2,800 to $7,500 rebuild conversation becomes legitimate. Clean fluid plus shudder equals converter and fluid only.
On the 3.3L 6R80 truck, aftermarket reman converters are a real option in a way they are not yet for the 10R80: AutoZone lists 2018 F-150 converters from about $129 to $409, and Dacco style reman units for the closely related 2011 to 2017 6R80 trucks sell in the $207 to $280 range at PartsGeek and eBay. Confirm the reman house has the late 6R80 variant for the 3.3L before ordering, because the FL3Z-7902-A application spans the 3.3L Duratec and older 3.5L Cyclone trucks and the bolt pattern differs from the EcoBoost 6R80 converters used through 2017.
Estimate note: these are researched independent-shop ranges, not a guaranteed quote. The only exact number is one from a shop that has seen your car.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 2018 Ford F-150 torque converter replacement cost?
A 2018 Ford F-150 torque converter replacement typically runs $1,050 to $2,260 at an independent shop, parts and labor included. The torque converter itself is $220 to $600, labor makes up most of the rest, and the job takes 6 to 9 hours.Why does the price change with the engine?
The 2018 Ford F-150 came with more than one engine, and they do not share the same part or the same access. A tighter engine bay or extra teardown adds labor hours, and the part price moves too. Sites that show one national number flatten that out. Pick your engine on the estimate above for a closer figure.What are the signs of a bad torque converter?
The classic sign is a shudder at steady highway speed under light throttle, a rumble-strip vibration that comes and goes as the converter's lockup clutch grabs and slips. Others: engine RPM flaring up without the truck speeding up, a delayed or harsh clunk into drive, a whine that changes with gear, and transmission temperature climbing on grades. These symptoms overlap with internal transmission problems and even engine misfires, so get a real diagnosis before paying for either.Can I drive my Ford with a bad torque converter?
Briefly, but it gets more expensive the longer you wait. A slipping converter sheds clutch material into the transmission fluid and runs hot, and that debris circulates through the entire transmission. Caught early, this can be a converter and fluid job. Ignored, it becomes a full rebuild at several times the price. If it shudders occasionally, book the repair soon; if it slips hard or overheats, stop driving it.Should the transmission be rebuilt at the same time?
Fluid condition is the tell. If the fluid is clean and the failure is isolated to the converter clutch, a converter-only replacement is a legitimate fix, and the labor is already paid since the transmission comes out either way. If the fluid is dark, smells burnt, or carries metal or friction material, converter debris has been through the whole unit and a reputable shop will recommend a rebuild instead of bolting a new converter to a dying transmission. Ask to see the fluid and the pan.How long does a torque converter last?
Usually the life of the transmission, commonly 100,000 to 200,000 miles. The weak point is the lockup clutch inside the converter, which wears like any friction clutch, and worn-out fluid accelerates it. Regular transmission fluid service is the cheapest way to extend converter life, and it is also what keeps a future repair converter-only instead of a rebuild.Are there recalls on the 2018 Ford F-150?
Yes, NHTSA lists 19 recalls for the 2018 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are done free of charge at a franchised dealer for that brand, so it is worth checking your VIN before paying a shop for related work.
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