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2013 Ford F-150 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Ford F-150 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 2,796owner complaints
- 74crash reports
- 31fire reports
- 60injuries reported
The most complained-about Ford F-150 year on file: 2,796 complaints, against an average of 1,013 for the other 14 model years.
Every Ford F-150 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Ford F-150?
The components named most often in the 2,796 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Ford F-150 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 2,796 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?337 owners · 12.1%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Ford F-150?241 owners · 8.6%
- Why do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2013 Ford F-150?127 owners · 4.5%
- Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?106 owners · 3.8%
- Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 idle rough, misfire or hesitate?86 owners · 3.1%
Has the 2013 Ford F-150 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Ford F-150 as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
What do 2013 Ford F-150 owners report?
12 of the 2,796 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.
At about [XXX] [XXX], Tuesday, I was N/B on [XXX] , my speed was approximately 60 mph. All of a sudden, my brakes locked up as if I slammed on by brakes. Although a safe distance behind my, vehicles behind me had to swerve out of my way due to the sudden breaking. After pulling over, I checked the undercarriage, thinking I might have hit something, but everything was clear. Not knowing what had just happened I got back onto the highway and when I reached a speed of approximately 65 mph it did it again causing my truck to swerve into the oncoming lane of traffic. I still didn't know what was…
Truck has 91,200 miles and was well maintained. Truck has a loud rattle (like rocks in a can) on dry start up after sitting for several days. Rattle goes away after starting and is consistent with worn CAM PHASERS, as shown in many videos on the internet describing this known problem with the Ford 3.5L ecoboost engine. Ford issued a customer reimbursement program for repairing this known defect but it does not apply to this vehicle, even though it was built with the defective cam phasers and is showing signs they are destroying themselves, which can lead to catastrophic engine failure. Ford…
the speed sensor in transmission isn't working properly it shift down to 1st gear as shown in these recalls 19S07,19S19,AND 24S37. IM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED TO 19N01 in any way but the problem was that its showing on my vin that they conducted a recall 19S07 ON MY 2012 F-150 IN THE Past but then after that there was a 19S19 recalled ADDED because the prior 19s07 didn't work properly or hold up ,so what that meant was they should have made it aware to all vehicles that was performed with this reprogramming recall but they did not send any notification or make available to my f150 especially…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the speedometer went to 0 MPH, and the transmission failed to shift out of 1st gear. The contact shifted into neutral and shifted back to drive; however, the transmission still failed to upshift into second gear. The check engine warning light and the service vehicle soon warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the molded lead frame was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified…
While driving my vehicle speedometer goes to zero which no recognition of speed. If brought to a stop I can’t get out of first gear. Ford issued a “Customer Satisfaction Program 19N01” related to the 6R80 transmissions, Sudden Transmission Downshift. This “Customer Satisfaction” should have been a non expiring recall. The check engine sometimes flicks on but does not stay on or show a code. Issue is intermittent and lasts 10-15 min until vehicle recognizes it’s not incapable of shifting. Given this severely limiting malfunction I highly recommend the recall be extended indefinitely to make…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. In addition, the steering failure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
On vehicles equipped the R680 six speed transmission, the oil lines break off at the Quick Disconnect to the transmission oil cooler due to metal fatigue. When this happens, it causes 14 quarts of automatic transmission fluid to be pumped out onto the roadway from the front of the vehicle and on the tires and roadway. Several things can happen when this happens. 1. Loss of control resulting in a crash. 2. Vehicle stopping on roadway and unable to continue. 3. Roadway gets covered with oil may cause other vehicles to crash. 4. Enviornmental issues. I am reporting this because it is a problem…
Ford dealership Jack Kissee in Claremore, OK is telling me my truck is 6k miles out of warranty for Recall 19N01. I have owned my 2013 F150 for less than 2 years with no knowledge of any previous recalls or repairs needed by Ford. This has not been an ongoing issue and has only happened within the last 1,000 miles I have put on my truck. Wrench light and icon pop up on the dash and puts the truck into limp mode until I can get pulled over and get the truck shut off. Safety risk to everyone on the rode. Please let me know if there is a way this Recall 19N01 can be covered. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while hauling a trailer, the brake pedal independently went to the floorboard. The ABS and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a master cylinder leak into the brake booster. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic)…
Odometer Fraud. The contact's client purchased a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 58,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 163,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while in reverse, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The brake and parking brake warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. The contact stated that there was no brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir. The contact stated that brake fluid was added to the reservoir; however, two hours later the brake reservoir was empty again. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…
Driving to work this morning after remote starting my truck due to cold weather. 10 minutes into driving, the driver side of the 3-piece power slide rear glass shattered with no impact or any other damage. Online searching indicates it is a frequent problem and likely caused by the rear glass defroster.
2013 Ford F-150: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Ford F-150 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 2,796 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford F-150; the most common categories were power train (1212, 43.3%), engine (531, 19%), service brakes (349, 12.5%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 74 complaints mention a crash, 31 mention a fire, 60 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford F-150?
Across 2,796 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (43.3% of complaints), engine (19% of complaints), service brakes (12.5% of complaints), electrical system (10.9% of complaints), vehicle speed control (9.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Ford F-150. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
337 of the 2,796 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-150 (12.1%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Transmission shifts down into first gear with no warning at all speeds. This puts the truck into limp mode, no power, no speedometer or gages- Causes truck to come to a sudden stop due to loss of power." (NHTSA complaint 11651881, March 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Ford F-150?
241 of the 2,796 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-150 (8.6%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "This is on my 2013 Ford F150 XLT 5.0 Engine with 6R80 Transmission: While driving on a highway or city streets, the vehicle will drop down gears, a wrench light on dash will display, the airbag light will illuminate, the speedometer will quit working and the…" (NHTSA complaint 11638562, January 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2013 Ford F-150?
127 of the 2,796 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-150 (4.5%) describe brakes feeling soft, failing, grinding or squealing. One owner wrote: "Master Cylinder leaked into brake booster causing complete brake failure. Had to use downshifting and emergency brake to stop. Contact Ford and they said not on recall list. Have a nice day." (NHTSA complaint 11590155, May 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
106 of the 2,796 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-150 (3.8%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "The transmission shifts down to 1st gear while at highway speeds. The transmission does not shift to 1st gear every time the vehicle comes to a complete stop. The transmission hard shifts at unusual times. Mechanic has downloaded an OSS fault." (NHTSA complaint 11603856, July 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Ford F-150 idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
86 of the 2,796 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-150 (3.1%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "I was traveling 55 mph on highway when without any warning or hesitation the truck on its own down shifted to 2nd gear, resulting in the rear end of truck to swing all the way around turning me a whole 45 degrees!" (NHTSA complaint 11654235, April 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own F-150
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 October 25, 2026. Model year 2013 only; combines NHTSA's entries for F-150 REGULAR CAB, F-150 SUPER CREW and F-150 SUPERCAB.