2013 Ford F-250 SD
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford F-250 SD has 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: radiator failure due to poor design. leaking at the plastic seams under drain petcock. thousands if not hundreds of thousands of these units are failing years before they should. some consumers spend 50k+ on these trucks and yet are forced to repair the leaking radiator at a substantial cost out of .
32
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
8 complaints- • RADIATOR FAILURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN. LEAKING AT THE PLASTIC SEAMS UNDER DRAIN PETCOCK. THOUSANDS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE UNITS ARE FAILING YEARS BEFORE THEY SHOULD. SOME CONSUMERS SPEND 50K+ ON THESE TRUCKS AND YET ARE FORCED TO REPAIR THE LEAKING RADIATOR AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST OUT OF
- • THE INNER CORE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS BAD WHICH WHEN MOVED UP OR DOWN BY MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSES THE DASH LIGHTS ,GPS, RADIO AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PART TO STOP WORKING , ALSO IF YOU HAVE A MEMORY ADJUST SEAT IT WILL START GOING FORWARD AND BACK SPORADICALLY WHICH IN TU
- • RADIATOR FAILURE, HIGH PRESSURE COOLANT LEAK WHICH IS NOT DISCERNIBLE BY COMMON INDICATORS. RADIATOR CRACKED AND ALL COOLANT WAS LOST WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, WHEN COOLING SYSTEM NOT UNDER LOAD THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE LEAK. THIS POSES A RISK OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, POSING A
“RADIATOR FAILURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN. LEAKING AT THE PLASTIC SEAMS UNDER DRAIN PETCOCK. THOUSANDS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE UNITS ARE FAILING YEARS BEFORE THEY SHOULD. SOME CONSUMERS SPEND 50K+ ON THESE TRUCKS AND YET ARE FORCED TO REPAIR THE LEAKING RADIATOR AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST OUT OF ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SUSPENSION
5 complaints- • I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HIT BUMP IN ROAD. THE TRUCK WENT INTO A MASSIVE VIBRATION ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST 35 MPH VIBRATION STOPPED AND CONTINUED ON DOWN HIGHWAY! TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRACK BAR HAD LOOSE BUSHINGS!! THEY W
- • I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK BETWEEN 60-70 MPH DOWN HIGHWAY 4 AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE. THAT'S WHEN WHOLE FRONT OF TRUCK WENT INTO A A UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE, STEERING WHEEL WAS ALSO SHACKING LEFT TO RIGHT HAD TO SLOW TO 30-40 MPH TO BRING BACK UNDER CONTROL. BROUGHT TO ALL STAR FORD ANTIOCH CA THE TECH SAID
- • 2013 FORD S.D 4X4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SHAKING AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE. *LD *JS
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HIT BUMP IN ROAD. THE TRUCK WENT INTO A MASSIVE VIBRATION ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST 35 MPH VIBRATION STOPPED AND CONTINUED ON DOWN HIGHWAY! TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRACK BAR HAD LOOSE BUSHINGS!! THEY W”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
4 complaints- • HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. BROUGHT TO FORD SERVICE 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME THEY QUOTED ME 11,145 TO FIX SAYING WATER WAS IN FUEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SENT BY AN ENGINEER, WHICH HE SENT FUEL TO INDEPENDENT LAB. FUEL RESULTS CAME BACK N
- • 2013 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADIO WOULD SOMETIMES COME ON WITH THE KEY AND WOULD ONLY WORK ON ONE AM CHANNEL AND ON FM CHANNEL AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF THE RADIO, WAS TO TURN TH
- • AS I PULLED OUT OF THE DEALER AFTER TAKING IT IN FOR A REPLACEMENT MIRROR AND WASHER NOZZLES,I GOT ONTO THE FREEWAY AND AT ABOUT 60 MPH MY MY TRUCK LOST POWER,SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON,THE WARNING SIGN ON THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE TRUCK DID NOT HAVE ANY FUEL PRESSURE AND SPEED DROPPED TO ABOUT
“HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. BROUGHT TO FORD SERVICE 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME THEY QUOTED ME 11,145 TO FIX SAYING WATER WAS IN FUEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SENT BY AN ENGINEER, WHICH HE SENT FUEL TO INDEPENDENT LAB. FUEL RESULTS CAME BACK N”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
3 complaints- • THE INNER CORE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS BAD WHICH WHEN MOVED UP OR DOWN BY MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSES THE DASH LIGHTS ,GPS, RADIO AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PART TO STOP WORKING , ALSO IF YOU HAVE A MEMORY ADJUST SEAT IT WILL START GOING FORWARD AND BACK SPORADICALLY WHICH IN TU
- • 2013 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADIO WOULD SOMETIMES COME ON WITH THE KEY AND WOULD ONLY WORK ON ONE AM CHANNEL AND ON FM CHANNEL AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF THE RADIO, WAS TO TURN TH
- • I HAVE A 2013 F-250 SD. HERE IS THE PROBLEM, RANDOMLY WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD GO DEAD. IN ADDITION, ALL THE ALERT LIGHTS (CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, ETC.) LIGHT UP. FURTHERMORE, THE MESSAGE DISPLAY READS "SERVICEADVANCETRAC". IF THE TRUCK IS TURNED OFF WHILE IN THIS S
“THE INNER CORE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS BAD WHICH WHEN MOVED UP OR DOWN BY MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSES THE DASH LIGHTS ,GPS, RADIO AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PART TO STOP WORKING , ALSO IF YOU HAVE A MEMORY ADJUST SEAT IT WILL START GOING FORWARD AND BACK SPORADICALLY WHICH IN TU”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
3 complaints- • I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HIT BUMP IN ROAD. THE TRUCK WENT INTO A MASSIVE VIBRATION ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST 35 MPH VIBRATION STOPPED AND CONTINUED ON DOWN HIGHWAY! TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRACK BAR HAD LOOSE BUSHINGS!! THEY W
- • I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK BETWEEN 60-70 MPH DOWN HIGHWAY 4 AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE. THAT'S WHEN WHOLE FRONT OF TRUCK WENT INTO A A UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE, STEERING WHEEL WAS ALSO SHACKING LEFT TO RIGHT HAD TO SLOW TO 30-40 MPH TO BRING BACK UNDER CONTROL. BROUGHT TO ALL STAR FORD ANTIOCH CA THE TECH SAID
- • I AM EXPERIENCING WHAT IS CALLED THE FORD DEATH WOBBLE. HITTING A ROUGH SPOT, OR A TAR LINE WILL CAUSE VIOLENT STEERING WOBBLE.MUST SLOW DOWN BELOW 40 MPH TO STOP THE PROBLEM.
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HIT BUMP IN ROAD. THE TRUCK WENT INTO A MASSIVE VIBRATION ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST 35 MPH VIBRATION STOPPED AND CONTINUED ON DOWN HIGHWAY! TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRACK BAR HAD LOOSE BUSHINGS!! THEY W”
— 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 32 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: RADIATOR FAILURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN. LEAKING AT THE PLASTIC SEAMS UNDER DRAIN PETCOCK. THOUSANDS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE UNITS ARE FAILING YEARS BEFORE THEY SHOULD. SOME CONSUMERS SPEND 50K+ ON THESE TRUCKS AND YET ARE FORCED TO REPAIR THE LEAKING RADIATOR AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST OUT OF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SUSPENSION: I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND HIT BUMP IN ROAD. THE TRUCK WENT INTO A MASSIVE VIBRATION ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST 35 MPH VIBRATION STOPPED AND CONTINUED ON DOWN HIGHWAY! TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRACK BAR HAD LOOSE BUSHINGS!! THEY W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. BROUGHT TO FORD SERVICE 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME THEY QUOTED ME 11,145 TO FIX SAYING WATER WAS IN FUEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SENT BY AN ENGINEER, WHICH HE SENT FUEL TO INDEPENDENT LAB. FUEL RESULTS CAME BACK N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: THE INNER CORE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS BAD WHICH WHEN MOVED UP OR DOWN BY MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSES THE DASH LIGHTS ,GPS, RADIO AND ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PART TO STOP WORKING , ALSO IF YOU HAVE A MEMORY ADJUST SEAT IT WILL START GOING FORWARD AND BACK SPORADICALLY WHICH IN TU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford F-250 SD — 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
- 32
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 2
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Ford F-250 SD