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2013 Ford F-150Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 2,994 owner complaints about the 2013 Ford F-150, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-075 the manufacturer reports only 60% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Ford F-150
26
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid2.8× the F-150 median · #2 of 42 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 60%Owner complaints2,994166 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage94kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Ford F-150 has problems

2,994 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train134644
Engine54813
Electrical system32420
Service brakes32132
Vehicle speed control3049
Steering2169
Visibility/wiper1463
Fuel/propulsion system1304
Visibility501
21 other systems33930

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2013 Ford F-150 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

79%repaired · 2020 Q3

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 19V-433 · Jun 10, 2019 · 107,857 vehicles · 85,171 repaired

Risk. Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

60%repaired · 2020 Q2

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 19V-075 · Feb 11, 2019 · 1,263,051 vehicles · 756,781 repaired

Risk. Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

78%repaired · 2018 Q1

Service brakes, hydraulic: fluid

Recall 16V-345 · May 24, 2016 · 225,012 vehicles · 176,012 repaired

Risk. Loss of brake fluid from the primary reservoir results in a complete loss of front brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

94kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 910 power train complaints. 54% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
74under 30k miles489under 100k miles421100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

73 owners mentioned a cost

$1,100median

Middle half: $800 – $1,800

Service brakes

24 owners mentioned a cost

$863median

Middle half: $488 – $1,200

Engine

23 owners mentioned a cost

$1,769median

Middle half: $1,100 – $3,572

Steering

23 owners mentioned a cost

$2,000median

Middle half: $1,750 – $2,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2013 vs. every other F-150 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the F-150 median. How we score

'73'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 Ford F-150, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Reduced power during hard accelerationPE13018 · closed Apr 7, 2014
    No recall
  2. Master Cylinder External LeakPE16003 · closed Jul 26, 2016
    Led to recall 16V-345
  3. Unexpected Transmission DownshiftRQ17010 · closed Oct 22, 2019
    Led to recall 19V-075
In owners' words

What F-150 owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

the recall on 2014 ford f150 VIN [XXX] had a recall in 2020 that was supposedly fixed with a software update the recall was Powertrain / Transmission (NHTSA ID: 24V444000 / Ford Campaign 24S37): Loss of signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module can…
Complaint 11774298 · Oct 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. While the contact's son was driving approximately 30 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and remained stuck in first or second gear. In addition, the engine revved while the accelerator pedal was not depressed, and the speedometer was inoperable. The…
Complaint 11773963 · Oct 27, 2026 · 65,000 miles
Was Driving my truck on the highway, when it slammed into 1st gear on its own, was going about 65 MPH and almost lost control of the vehicle. I have taken it immediately to a FORD dealership for repairs, and they are saying that they are unable to replicate what happened. At the time it showed a…
Complaint 11772620 · Oct 21, 2026

Own a 2013 F-150?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.