2013 Ford F-150
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford F-150 has 3910 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 48.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: the rear end locks up when going around a corner. in a full cab and a 6.5 foot bed. *tr. ⚠️ 40 fire reports filed.
3910
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
48.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
TRANSMISSION
1324 complaints- • THE REAR END LOCKS UP WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. IN A FULL CAB AND A 6.5 FOOT BED. *TR
- • SAID VEHICLE DOES NOT GET THE MILEAGE STATED ON WINDOW STICKER AND ADVERTISEMENTS. 2013 4X4 ECOBOOST STATES 15CITY/21HWY, IT DOES ONLY GET ABOUT 13-15MPG IN CITY, BUT ON HIGHWAY; AVERAGE IS ROUGHLY 17MPG, WHICH COMPARED TO THE STICKER IS A 4MPG DIFFERENCE. *TR
- • NOT GETTING STICKER MPG; TOOK VEHICLE BACK AND FORD MILHAM DEALERSHIP IN EASTON PA OFF RT 33 SAID " THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT" POWER STEERING RACK ALSO MALFUNCTIONED AT 7,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP MANAGER AGREED THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF ON A WEDNESDAY. THU
“THE REAR END LOCKS UP WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. IN A FULL CAB AND A 6.5 FOOT BED. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
563 complaints- • WHILE TRAVELING IN RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY - OUTSIDE TEMP 40 DEG F / DEWPOINT 40 (THIS IS RELEVANT - THIS ISSUE OCCURS WHENEVER TEMP & DEW POINT ARE WITHIN 10 OF EACH OTHER FOR MANY OTHERS) AT 65MPH - I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE. AFTER MY LANE CHANGE, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE & THE VEHI
- • I WAS TRAVELING AT EXACTLY 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 40 DEGREES IN MY BRAND NEW 2013 F-150 ECOBOOST. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS A LINE OF SLOWER SEMI-TRUCKS, I PUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE ENGINE REV'D AND THE STARTED VIOLENTLY SHUTTERING TO THE POINT I THOUGHT THE ENGINE MOUNTS
- • SAID VEHICLE DOES NOT GET THE MILEAGE STATED ON WINDOW STICKER AND ADVERTISEMENTS. 2013 4X4 ECOBOOST STATES 15CITY/21HWY, IT DOES ONLY GET ABOUT 13-15MPG IN CITY, BUT ON HIGHWAY; AVERAGE IS ROUGHLY 17MPG, WHICH COMPARED TO THE STICKER IS A 4MPG DIFFERENCE. *TR
“WHILE TRAVELING IN RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY - OUTSIDE TEMP 40 DEG F / DEWPOINT 40 (THIS IS RELEVANT - THIS ISSUE OCCURS WHENEVER TEMP & DEW POINT ARE WITHIN 10 OF EACH OTHER FOR MANY OTHERS) AT 65MPH - I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE. AFTER MY LANE CHANGE, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE & THE VEHI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
362 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWNHILL AND TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER WITH A 7,025 POUND HAUL, THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS RATED AT A TOWING CAPACITY OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED T
- • AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE FOR 15 MILES IN HIGHWAY AND LOCAL TRAFFIC (TEMPERATURE 50; LIGHT RAIN), I PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW FOR LH TURN. PEDAL WAS VERY FIRM AND DIFFICULT TO PRESS. BRAKES DID NOT SEEM TO FUNCTION, YET ABS "CHATTERED" AS I PRESSED HARDER... AND THE TRUCK SLOWED. THERE WERE NO MALFUNC
- • WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY, PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO SLOW FOR A BAD SECTION OF ROAD AND BRAKE PEDDLE WAS STIFF AND WOULD NOT DEPRESS. NO BRAKES. BRAKE LIGHT AND ERRORS SHOWED ON CONSOLE. NO PRIOR INDICATION THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. USED THE EMERGENCY TO SAFELY BRAKE THE CAR TO
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWNHILL AND TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER WITH A 7,025 POUND HAUL, THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS RATED AT A TOWING CAPACITY OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED T”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
319 complaints- • TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING HEAVY RAINS. TRAFFIC IN MY LANE STOPPED. I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATE BRISKLY. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUTTER AND THE ENGINE POWER DIED. IT SEEMED TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE
- • ON THIS NEW F-150 WITH ECO BOOST ENGINE ,THE ENGINE NOW HAS SHUT DOWN 2 TIMES THE LAST 2 DAYS ON JUNE 12 AND 13, 2013. THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED BOTH TIMES SINCE I WAS STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN 3 BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE. ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE ENGINE IN
- • THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THAT THIS NEW F-150 TRUCK ENGINE SUDDENLY HAS CUT OFF. I WAS AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN BELMONT, N.C ON MONDAY JUNE 17,2013. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY THEN SAID THEY PUT IN A NEW UPDATE CODE. I NOW HAVE ONLY DROVE ABOUT ANOTHER 50 MILES SINCE MONDAY. IT
“TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING HEAVY RAINS. TRAFFIC IN MY LANE STOPPED. I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATE BRISKLY. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUTTER AND THE ENGINE POWER DIED. IT SEEMED TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
299 complaints- • ECO BOOST ENGINE LOST POWER WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND PASS. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. FORD DEALER COULD NOT REPRODUCE NOW AND NO RESPONSE FROM FORD. TRAVELING SPEED 75 AND TRIED TO PASS AT 85. *TR
- • VEHICLE IS GETTING WAY BELOW ESTIMATED MPG. TRUCK IS BARELY GETTING 16 MPG WHILE THE FALSE ADVERTISEMENT SAYS THE TRUCK WILL GET 17-21 MPG. THIS IS A BRAND NEW TRUCK AND HAS THOSE FAR SHOWN FALSE ADVERTISEMENT IN GAS MILEAGE. ALONG WITH THE MPG, WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SH
- • UPON HARD ACCELERATION TO PASS ON HIGHWAY THE TRUCK LOST POWER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY FLASHED AND SHUTTERED WHEN ATTEMPTED TO GIVE TRUCK ANY ACCELERATION. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING ON SHOULDER TO GET TO SAFE EXIT VEHICLE SEEMED TO RESET AND REGAIN ALL FUNCTIONS AND POWER. *TR
“ECO BOOST ENGINE LOST POWER WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND PASS. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. FORD DEALER COULD NOT REPRODUCE NOW AND NO RESPONSE FROM FORD. TRAVELING SPEED 75 AND TRIED TO PASS AT 85. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 3910 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: THE REAR END LOCKS UP WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. IN A FULL CAB AND A 6.5 FOOT BED. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: WHILE TRAVELING IN RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY - OUTSIDE TEMP 40 DEG F / DEWPOINT 40 (THIS IS RELEVANT - THIS ISSUE OCCURS WHENEVER TEMP & DEW POINT ARE WITHIN 10 OF EACH OTHER FOR MANY OTHERS) AT 65MPH - I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE. AFTER MY LANE CHANGE, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE & THE VEHI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWNHILL AND TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER WITH A 7,025 POUND HAUL, THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS RATED AT A TOWING CAPACITY OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING HEAVY RAINS. TRAFFIC IN MY LANE STOPPED. I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATE BRISKLY. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUTTER AND THE ENGINE POWER DIED. IT SEEMED TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford F-150 — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 3910
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 40
- Crash reports
- 77
- Injury reports
- 68
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Ford F-150