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2013 Ford E-450 problems, recalls and owner complaints

What the 2013 Ford E-450 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated November 2, 2026.

  • 2safety recalls
  • 12owner complaints
  • 0crash reports
  • 0fire reports
  • 0injuries reported

12 complaints, against an average of 8 for the other 12 Ford E-450 model years.

Every Ford E-450 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.

Buying a 2013 Ford E-450? Get the pre-purchase checklist →

What goes wrong with the 2013 Ford E-450?

The components named most often in the 12 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.

  1. Power Train4 (33.3%)
  2. Service Brakes2 (16.7%)
  3. Steering2 (16.7%)
  4. Suspension2 (16.7%)
  5. Wheels2 (16.7%)
  6. Electrical System1 (8.3%)
  7. Equipment1 (8.3%)
  8. Structure1 (8.3%)

Has the 2013 Ford E-450 been recalled?

2 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.

Equipment Adaptive/Mobility Farber Specialty Vehicles (Farber) is recalling various specialty vehicles modified by Farber and equipped with model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. NHTSA campaign 15V112000 · February 25, 2015 · Risk and fix

Risk: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

Fix: Farber will notify owners to take their vehicles to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Farber customer service at 1-800-331-3188, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Farber's number for this recall is 14E-041.

Equipment Adaptive/Mobility Elkhart Coach (Elkhart) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-350 and Ford E-450 vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to May 1, 2014 and equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. NHTSA campaign 14V595000 · September 24, 2014 · Risk and fix

Risk: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

Fix: Elkhart will notify owners to take the vehicles to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on October 1, 2014. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Owners may also contact Elkhart customer service at 1-574-264-5179. This recall has been superseded by campaign 15V-768.

What do 2013 Ford E-450 owners report?

12 of the 12 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.

NO CRANK NO START WITH ANTITHEFT ON . LOST COMMUNICATION
Electrical SystemNHTSA complaint 11120875 · Aug 19, 2018
THIS IS A JAYCO GREYHAWK 31' RV. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP IT WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY UPON BEING SHUT OFF. IT WILL ONLY START AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
Unknown Or OtherNHTSA complaint 11093698 · May 14, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE "SERVICE VEHICLE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (MORRIS BUFFALO FORD, 702 E. HIGHWAY 55, BUFFALO, MN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH CYLINDER WELL INSIDE THE TRANMISSION WAS CRACKED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Power TrainNHTSA complaint 11073007 · Feb 15, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE "SERVICE VEHICLE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (MORRIS BUFFALO FORD, 702 E. HIGHWAY 55, BUFFALO MN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH CYLINDER WELL INSIDE THE TRANMISSION WAS CRACKED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Power TrainNHTSA complaint 11073008 · Feb 15, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE "SERVICE VEHICLE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (MORRIS BUFFALO FORD, 702 E. HIGHWAY 55, BUFFALO MN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH CYLINDER WELL INSIDE THE TRANMISSION WAS CRACKED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Power TrainNHTSA complaint 11073009 · Feb 15, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE "SERVICE VEHICLE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (MORRIS BUFFALO FORD, 702 E. HIGHWAY 55, BUFFALO MN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH CYLINDER WELL INSIDE THE TRANMISSION WAS CRACKED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
Power TrainNHTSA complaint 11073012 · Feb 15, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT "SLIDE-OUT" DISENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500.
StructureNHTSA complaint 10895001 · Aug 11, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD E-450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY DUE TO LIVING IN A HOT CLIMATE STATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EVAPORATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
EquipmentNHTSA complaint 10785985 · Oct 26, 2015
I AM A CONTRACTOR FOR FEDEX HOME DELIVERY AND OWN THE TRUCK IN REFERENCE. AFTER APPROX 4900 MILES, THE TRUCK FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION BY FEDEX AND NEEDED THE FRONT TIRES REPLACED. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TIRES SUFFERED MAJOR/EXCESSIVE TREAD WEAR AFTER JUST ONE MONTH ON THE ROAD. WHEN I ADDRESSED UTILIMASTER, THE BODY COMPANY, ABOUT THE ISSUE I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND TO CONTACT FORD. FORD EXPLAINED THE SAME AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT UTILIMASTER. NEITHER PARTY WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECTIVE TIRES THAT I HAVE NOW SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS…
Suspension, Wheels, Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 10608123 · Jul 3, 2014
THIS IS A CLASS "C" MOTORHOME MANUFACTURED BY JAYCO WITH OPTIONAL ALUMINUM WHEELS. (JAYCO GREYHAWK 31FK) ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE ALUMINUM RIMS IS STAMPED "DO NOT EXCEED 60 PSI". THE MOTORHOME COMES WITH LOAD RANGE "E" TIRES RATED AT A MAX. OF 80 PSI. THE JAYCO PLCARD ON THE DOOR JAM STATES THAT THE REAR TIRES MUST BE INFLATED TO 80 PSI. *TR
WheelsNHTSA complaint 10604912 · Jun 21, 2014
STEERING IS HEAVY, (HEAVY/STIFF/STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN), DOES NOT ROTATE AND/OR RETURN EASILY AND SMOOTHLY. THE OPERATOR/DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO MANUALLY ASSIST THE RETURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO CENTER, DOES NOT HAVE RETURN ABILITY TO CENTER HOME POSITION ON ITS OWN. SAFETY IS #1; HEAVY/STIFF/STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN RAISES SIGNIFICANT CONCERN WITH THIS SUNSEEKER CLASS C MOTORHOME/RV BEING UNSAFE, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND/OR A HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN THE OPERATOR/DRIVER CONSISTENTLY NEEDS TO MAINTAIN A WHITE KNUCKLE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WITHOUT ASSISTANCE OR…
Steering, SuspensionNHTSA complaint 10564260 · Feb 13, 2014
DURING MY 1500 MILE RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGE SERVICE, THE FORD DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND A LEAK OF HYDRAULIC FLUID THAT TURNED OUT TO BE COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING / POWER BRAKING HYDRO BOOST UNIT. HE DETERMINED THAT THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A FACTORY OVER-TIGHTENING OF A BOLT ON THE UNIT THAT STRIPPED THE THREAD AND CAUSED THE LEAK. THE BOOSTER AND ASSOCIATED HOSES OR LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE BRAKES. *TR
Steering, Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 10561282 · Jan 24, 2014

2013 Ford E-450: questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Ford E-450 reliable?

NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford E-450; the most common categories were power train (4, 33.3%), service brakes (2, 16.7%), steering (2, 16.7%). There are 2 safety recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford E-450?

Across 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (33.3% of complaints), service brakes (16.7% of complaints), steering (16.7% of complaints), suspension (16.7% of complaints), wheels (16.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.

Does the 2013 Ford E-450 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2013 Ford E-450; the most recent (campaign 15V112000, 2015-02-25) concerns Equipment Adaptive/Mobility. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Check your own E-450

Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved November 2, 2026. Model year 2013 only. How these reports are made.

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