Problems · NHTSA complaints

2013 Ford E-150 problems

Owners filed 19 complaints about the 2013 Ford E-150 with NHTSA between Jul 2014 and Dec 2019. The most-cited component is power train (7).

Complaints
19
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train7
  2. Engine6
  3. Electrical system2
  4. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  5. Structure2
  6. Vehicle speed control1
  7. Fuel/propulsion system1
  8. Steering1
  9. Air bags1
  10. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  11. Service brakes1
  12. Other / unknown4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20141
20151
20164
20173
20187
20193

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

7 reports
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 110,000 MILES, KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COVERED UNDER FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 13-4-23, FOR MY OTHER FORD E150 2012 ECONOLINE VAN VIN# [XXX], THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON BOTH VEHICLES ONE WAS COVERED THE 2013 IS NOT, BUT SAME FAILURE MODE. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO REPLACE THE KNOWN FAULTY TRANSMISSION. WOULD NOT HONOR THE TSB BECAUSE IT DID NOT EXTEND TO THE 2013 VEHICLE, *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2019Power trainODI 11287944

Engine

6 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH CAR LOOSES POWER, GOES INTO LIMP HOME MODE, ORANGE WRENCH WARNING INDICATOR APPEARS ON DASH PANEL. VERY DANGEROUS IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS WHERE THERE IS ROOM OR TIME TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. PULL OFF ROAD, TURNED OFF ENGINE, AND THEN RESTARTED AND RAN FINE. SEEMS TO HAPPEN UNEXPECTEDLY EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. NO ENGINE MALFUNCTION CODES CAN BE FOUND ON ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2018EngineODI 11074936

Electrical system

2 reports
“RECALL 19S07 THE 1ST TIME WAS DRIVING 72MPH DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND THE TRUCK DOWNSHIFTED CAUSING US TO BE JOLTED AND AN 18 WHEELER TO ALMOST REAR END US. RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER FROM FORD (LITERALLY 2 WEEKS AFTER IT 1ST HAPPENED) FOR A SENSOR TO BE RESET BC OF TRUCK SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTING WHILE IN MOTION. AFTER DEALERSHIP FINISHED TRUCK STILL WAS DOWNSHIFTING WHILE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY OR STREET AT ANY SPEED. TOOK TRUCK BACK AND THEY RESET AGAIN. TRUCK STILL CONTINUES TO DOWNSHIFT WHILE IN MOTION. WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AGAIN IN HIGHWAY. IT IS HARD TO STEER AND CONTROL WHEN IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART ENGINE TO BE ABLE TO GO AGAIN. FORD IS SAYING WE HAVE TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSIS, BUT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK IS WHAT IT IS BEING RECALLED FOR. THEIR REMEDY OF REPROGRAMING THE SENSOR IS NOT WORKING AND DRIVING THE TRUCK IS DANGEROUS. WE NEED HELP PLEASE! THEY WON'T FIX THEIR FAULTY PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11191301

Electronic stability control (esc)

2 reports
“12-25-2016 AFTER DROOPING OFF MAID AND GARDENER HERE IN HUATULCO MEXICO MY POWER STEERING QUIT. SINCE GOING SO SLOW DOWN HILL ON VILLAGE STREET I THOUGHT THAT MOTOR HAD QUIT. REALIZED THAT MOTOR WAS RUNNING. THEN NOTICED DASH WARNING THAT SAID HILL DESCENT CONTROL FAULT, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT, SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK . CALLED DEALER THAT WE BOUGHT TRUCK FROM THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A COMPUTER UPDATE NEEDED FOR TRUCK. NOT TO HAPPY SINCE I HAD TOLD DEALER WHEN TRUCK WAS IN SHOP THAT WE DRIVE 2850 MILES TO OUR HOME IN HUATULCO MEXICO EACH YEAR AND THAT I WAS IN HUTULCO. HAD LOCAL DEALER LOOK AT. LOCAL DEALER NOW TELLS ME THAT TRUCK NEEDS POWER STEERING COLUMN AND THAT HE DID PUT IN SERVICE UPDATE ALSO BLINKER WILL NOT STAY ON UNLESS HELD DOWN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2016Steering, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10938696

Structure

2 reports1 crash
“I OPENED THE SUN/MOON ROOF AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE AND AFTER A COUPLE OF ATTEMPTS IT STUCK IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION. THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT TWO PINS OR BRACKETS OR CLIPS HAD BROKEN OFF THE TRACK MECHANISM THAT THE SUN/MOON ROOF SLIDES WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING WHEN IT FAILED AND REMAINED IN THE OPEN POSITION. NUMEROUS REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON F-150 SUN/MOON ROOFS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE TWO PLASTIC PINS THAT BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK OFF RESULTING IN THE SUNROOF FAILING. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS IS AN OCCUPANT SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE SUDDEN EXPOSURE TO OUTSIDE ELEMENTS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO CLOSE THE SUNROOF. THE FORD DEALERS REPAIR COST WAS NEARLY $2000 FOR A REPLACEMENT OF THE SUNROOF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2016Structure, Unknown or otherODI 10927074

Vehicle speed control

1 report
“I WAS DRIVING 65 ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY TRUCK DOWNSHIFT TO 3RD GEAR THEN BACK TO 5TH GEAR THEN FIRST GEAR. LOCKING MY WHEELS. TIRES SCREECHING. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TURN MY TRUCK OFF, OPEN THE DOOR TO TRY TO RESET THE VEHICLE. IVE READ THREADS OF PEOPLE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND TURNING OFF THE TRUCK, OPENING THE DOOR RESETS THE VEHICLE.. PO722-00 CODE OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR CIRCUIT NO SINGLE - PENDING DTC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2018Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11115513
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.