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2013 Ford F-250 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Ford F-250 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 116owner complaints
- 3crash reports
- 1fire report
- 1injury reported
116 complaints, against an average of 318 for the other 14 Ford F-250 model years.
Every Ford F-250 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Ford F-250?
The components named most often in the 116 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Ford F-250 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 116 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2013 Ford F-250 vibrate or shake while driving?13 owners · 11.2%
- Why does my 2013 Ford F-250 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?6 owners · 5.2%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Ford F-250?6 owners · 5.2%
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2013 Ford F-250?5 owners · 4.3%
- Does the 2013 Ford F-250 have emissions system or DPF problems?5 owners · 4.3%
Has the 2013 Ford F-250 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Ford F-250 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-250 owners report?
12 of the 116 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.
TRUCK HAS JUST TURNED 20,000 MILES. AFTER HAVING THE DEF SYSTEM SERVICED AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP TRUCK HAS TO GO THU THE PARTICULATE FILTER REGEN SOONER AND SOONER. NOW EVERY 75 MILES. WHICH CAUSES TRUCK TOO LOSE POWER AND PRODUCE EXCESIVE EXHAUST TEMPERATURES WHICH CAN POTENTULLY CAUSE A FIRE. FORD IS TELLING ME THE EXHAUST EMISSSION SYSTEM IS OUT OF WARANTY YET TRUCK JUST HAS 20,000 MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND A DANGER TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND ANYONE NEARBY
Component/System: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) – frontal airbags and crash sensors. Vehicle is in insurance/salvage custody and available for inspection upon request. On or about December 17, 2025, at approximately 0600, the reporting party was operating a 2013 Ford Super Duty F-250 Lariat Crew Cab 4WD (VIN [XXX] ) at an estimated speed of approximately 35 mph. Due to fog and wet roadway conditions, the vehicle left the roadway and struck a fixed object (tree). The collision resulted in severe front-end damage, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. Despite the severity of the…
Terrible exhaust fumes in the truck cab when using the heat or ac probably due to the extremely common exhaust manifold issues with these trucks. It could kill me and my child
The contact's son owns a 2013 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked while working and after returning to the vehicle and attempting to restart the vehicle, the message "Reduced Power" was displayed, and the vehicle was not able to be started. The contact's son had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed, and the fuel system and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure…
What is the “death wobble” on Ford trucks? It’s as scary as the name sounds. The death wobble is a violent shaking that happens to the front end of many Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty trucks. It typically occurs at speeds over 50 miles per hour. It can also happen after going over bumps or grooves in the road. To stop the shaking, drivers must quickly slow way down or even stop completely.
Truck has uncontrollable death wobble and is totally unsafe to drive, its a danger to be on the highway
While driving my truck it will suddenly start shaking in the front end. Steering wheel is hard to hold on to because it's shaking so hard. I was going around 60mph when it started. Felt like I was losing control of the truck. This has happened 3 times in the last 2 months. I have contacted Lance Cunningham Ford here in Knoxville, TN on 2/5/24 and made an appt with them on [XXX] to look at my truck. In a disabled veteran and this really caused some major anxiety with me and Ford needs to make it right. Death wobble as it's known as isn't safe. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF…
DRIVING MORE THAN 70 MPH THE TRUCK STARTED TO MOVE SUDDENLY AND I COULD NOT CONTROL IT UNTIL I GOT OFF THE ROAD, UNTIL I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE TRUCK BY REDUCING THE SPEED TO 20 MPH
Ford 2013 F250 Death Wobble, it is real! It is scary! It is unpredictable and extremely dangerous. Something in the design of the front end needs to be fixed ASAP. My latest experience with this happened on 7/13/23. The worst death wobble that I have ever experienced happened today on the freeway at full speed (65mph). The first time today, my truck started to violently shake, prompting me to immediately slow down from 65mph to about 30-40mph during my morning commute to work/in traffic. Then, again a minute later, but this time it was seven worst! The death wobble started again at full speed…
REDUCTANT HEATER NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY UNDER EXTENDED EMISSIONS PROGRAM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR, ALTHOUGH LARGER TRUCKS WITH SAME DRIVETRAIN WERE COVERED. IT IS COVERED UNDER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 18M01, FOR 2011-2015 F450 THROUGH F550 DIESEL TRUCKS, BUT ONLY FOR 2011 THROUGH 2012 FOR F250 AND F350 TRUCKS. THIS IS THE DEF HEATER ASSEMBLY.
HIGH PRESSURE PUMP WENT OUT CAUSING THE FUEL SYSTEM TO FELL.. RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND FUEL SYSTEM. OVER 9,000 TO FIX.. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME WHEN THE PUMP WENT OUT.. CAUSING IT TO SHUT DOWN, WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP.
TRAVELLING NORTH ON I25 IN NEW MEXICO. GOING 60 MPH PULLING A 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. LOW FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER STEERING. SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. THEN ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND COASTED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. BY THE TIME I STOPPED, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. TRIED TO RELEASE THE HOOD BUT CABLE MELTED. EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. PASSER BY LOANED ME FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT FIRE TOO HOT. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN MINUTES AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. TRUCK TOWED TO A HOLDING YARD.
2013 Ford F-250: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Ford F-250 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford F-250; the most common categories were suspension (53, 45.7%), steering (40, 34.5%), engine (16, 13.8%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 3 complaints mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 1 injury was reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford F-250?
Across 116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are suspension (45.7% of complaints), steering (34.5% of complaints), engine (13.8% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (7.8% of complaints), wheels (6.9% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Ford F-250 have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Ford F-250. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2013 Ford F-250 vibrate or shake while driving?
13 of the 116 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-250 (11.2%) describe vibration or shaking while driving. One owner wrote: "What is the “death wobble” on Ford trucks? It’s as scary as the name sounds. The death wobble is a violent shaking that happens to the front end of many Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty trucks. It typically occurs at speeds over 50 miles per hour." (NHTSA complaint 11588625, 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-250 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
6 of the 116 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-250 (5.2%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "While driving the check engine and reduced power message showed up leaving the vehicle dead on the road. within 30 seconds the truck had stalled and was not able to re-start." (NHTSA complaint 11143865, October 2018). 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-250?
6 of the 116 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-250 (5.2%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford f-250 sd. when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the heating assembly failed and needed to be replaced." (NHTSA complaint 11153722, November 2018). 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 airbag light on in my 2013 Ford F-250?
5 of the 116 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-250 (4.3%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. One owner wrote: "My air bag light keeps coming on, it resets when i turn the truck off. it then turns back after it has been running for a few minutes. looked on the internet and it states that this is f250 problem." (NHTSA complaint 11256538, September 2019). 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.
Does the 2013 Ford F-250 have emissions system or DPF problems?
5 of the 116 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Ford F-250 (4.3%) describe emissions faults such as DPF, EGR, catalytic converter, AdBlue/DEF or NOx sensor problems. One owner wrote: "Truck has just turned 20,000 miles. after having the def system serviced at the ford dealership truck has to go thu the particulate filter regen sooner and sooner. now every 75 miles." (NHTSA complaint 11714095, January 2026). 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-250
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-250 REGULAR CAB, F-250 SUPER CREW and F-250 SUPERCAB.