2018 Ford F-150 (13th gen) · Known Issue
2018 Ford F-150 Cam Phaser Rattle: Was It Ever Recalled, and What It Costs to Fix Out of Warranty
Quick answer: There was no recall. Ford covered the 3.5 EcoBoost's cam phaser rattle with service bulletins (TSB 20-2315 and its successors replace all four cam phasers) and with programs 21B10 and 21N03, and those programs ended by January 1, 2023. Out of warranty, expect roughly $2,500 to $4,500 at an independent shop, with owners reporting shop and dealer quotes from about $4,800 to $7,000. The giveaway is a diesel-like clatter for the first few seconds of a cold start.
Applies to: 3.5L EcoBoost only. Other versions of the 2018 Ford F-150 do not have this problem.
What the Issue Is
The second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost in 2017 to 2020 F-150s is known for cam phasers, the variable-valve-timing units on the front of each camshaft, that wear and rattle. The signature is hard to miss: a diesel-like clatter for the first few seconds of a cold start, especially after the truck has sat, as worn phasers slap before oil pressure locks them. Left alone, the rattle can lengthen and spread to hot restarts, cam timing codes appear, and the timing chain and its guides join the repair.
Ford's paper trail is specific, with no recall in it. TSB 20-2315 called for replacing all four cam phasers (Ford calls them VCT units) on trucks built on or before October 31, 2019, and bulletins 21-2119 and 23-2143 followed it. Alongside the bulletins Ford ran three programs: 21B10 reprogrammed the engine computer on 2017 to 2020 F-150s with the 3.5 EcoBoost and was open through March 31, 2022; 21N03 gave prorated cam phaser coverage, until January 1, 2023, to trucks that had the 21B10 update; and 21N08 put the earlier calibration back on trucks that developed a shudder after it. All three have ended.
The used market sorts these trucks into three groups: repaired trucks with paperwork for the four-phaser job (the ones to buy), quiet originals that have not shown it yet, and rattlers, which should be priced with the repair included. A cold start you witness yourself does most of the screening, which makes this one of the easier major problems to catch before purchase.
Symptoms to Watch For
- 1.Diesel-like rattle for 1 to 3 seconds on cold startup
- 2.Rattle after short hot-soak restarts (getting worse)
- 3.Check-engine light with cam/crank correlation codes (P0016-family)
- 4.Rattle extending into idle or light acceleration (advanced)
- 5.Reduced power or rough running in late stages
Real Repair Costs
Independent-shop pricing for all four cam phasers with the timing chains, guides and tensioners replaced in the same job. Owners report shop and dealer quotes from about $4,800 to $7,000, the top with upgraded Ford parts. Ford's 21B10 and 21N03 programs have ended, so an out-of-warranty truck pays the full bill, and repair paperwork on a used truck is worth real money.
| Repair | Typical Cost (installed) |
|---|---|
| Parts: four cam phasers + timing kitaftermarket kit to Motorcraft | $350-$1,200 |
| Complete job, installedlabor is most of the bill | $2,500-$4,500 |
Major issue: budget for it. Ranges are US independent-shop estimates with quality parts. Use them as negotiation grounding, not a quote.
Mechanic's Tip: Spot It Before You Buy
Insist on a true overnight-cold start and stand at the front of the truck when it fires: phaser rattle is a hard mechanical clatter in the first seconds that then fades, and once heard it is not mistaken for anything else. Repeat the test after your drive with a 15-minute hot soak, because worsening phasers often rattle there too. Then ask for paperwork: an invoice for four cam phasers (VCT units) with timing parts is the repair Ford's bulletins describe, and a dealer printout showing the 21B10 update tells you the truck went through Ford's program. A rattler with no paperwork should be priced with the $2,500 to $4,500 job included.
The Bigger Ownership Picture
Beyond this specific issue, budget roughly $1,100-$1,600 per year for scheduled maintenance and repairs on a 2018 Ford F-150. That is a typical US range from Avturo's ownership-cost table, an estimate rather than a quote, and it excludes insurance, fuel, and financing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the F-150 cam phaser repair cost?▼
At independent shops, roughly $2,500 to $4,500 for all four cam phasers with the timing chains, guides and tensioners replaced in the same job. Parts run from about $350 for an aftermarket kit to $1,200 or more for Motorcraft parts, and owners report shop and dealer quotes from about $4,800 to $7,000. The labor, deep in the front of the engine, is most of the bill.
Can I drive an F-150 with cam phaser rattle?▼
A brief startup rattle is drivable in the near term, and many trucks run that way for months. But it is wear you are listening to: a rattle that lengthens, shows up on hot restarts, or brings timing codes is progressing, and advanced wear can take the timing chain and guides with it and grow the bill. Plan the repair rather than getting used to the noise.
Did Ford recall F-150s for cam phaser rattle?▼
No. Ford handled it with service bulletins (TSB 20-2315, then 21-2119 and 23-2143, which replace all four cam phasers) and with programs rather than a recall: 21B10 reprogrammed the engine computer, 21N03 gave prorated cam phaser coverage to trucks with that update until January 1, 2023, and 21N08 restored the earlier calibration on trucks that shuddered afterward. All of those programs have ended, so an out-of-warranty truck pays its own way today.
Which F-150 engines do the cam phaser bulletins cover?▼
Ford wrote the bulletins and programs for the 3.5 EcoBoost: 21B10 named 2017 to 2020 F-150s with the 3.5L GTDI engine, and 21N03 was later widened to Raptor and Limited models and to 2018 to 2020 Expeditions and Navigators. Other F-150 engines of this generation are outside those documents. Among 3.5s, a truck with documented four-phaser repair paperwork is the fixed version and often the best value.
Sources
The facts on this page were last checked against these documents on October 10, 2026. Programs and their coverage end; check the car's VIN with a dealer for what still applies.
- Service bulletin: Ford service bulletin on 3.5L EcoBoost cold-start rattle and cam phaser (VCT) replacement (dot.report copy) (dot.report)
- Warranty program: Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21B10, 2017-2020 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost (NHTSA file MC-10189763) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Warranty program: Ford program 21N03 supplement: cam phaser coverage to January 1, 2023 (NHTSA file MC-10209366) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Repair cost estimate: Go-Parts: F-150 timing set and cam phaser job, parts and shop labor estimate (go-parts.com)
- Owner reports: GON forum: owner reports and repair quotes for F-150 3.5 EcoBoost cam phasers (forum.gon.com)
- Owner reports: TrueDelta: 2018 Ford F-150 engine problem reports (truedelta.com)
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