Problems · by component

2013 Ford F-150 engine problems

531 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Ford F-150 cite engine, 19% of all 2,796 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
531
19% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Truck has 91,200 miles and was well maintained. Truck has a loud rattle (like rocks in a can) on dry start up after sitting for several days. Rattle goes away after starting and is consistent with worn CAM PHASERS, as shown in many videos on the internet describing this known problem with the Ford 3.5L ecoboost engine. Ford issued a customer reimbursement program for repairing this known defect but it does not apply to this vehicle, even though it was built with the defective cam phasers and is showing signs they are destroying themselves, which can lead to catastrophic engine failure. Ford redesigned the cam phasers to a better version after learning of the originally defective design. The repair is very expensive $3k to $5k.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2025EngineODI 11679124
“While driving my vehicle speedometer goes to zero which no recognition of speed. If brought to a stop I can’t get out of first gear. Ford issued a “Customer Satisfaction Program 19N01” related to the 6R80 transmissions, Sudden Transmission Downshift. This “Customer Satisfaction” should have been a non expiring recall. The check engine sometimes flicks on but does not stay on or show a code. Issue is intermittent and lasts 10-15 min until vehicle recognizes it’s not incapable of shifting. Given this severely limiting malfunction I highly recommend the recall be extended indefinitely to make sure these vehicles are fixed properly.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11677485
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and accelerating, the vehicle started to lose motive power and unexpectedly downshifted to 1st or 2nd gear. The wrench warning light was illuminated, and the message “Service Vehicle Soon” was displayed. Additionally, instrument cluster failed to display safety information. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road, and the contact waited for a while before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and retrieved a code for the control shift sensor fault. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2025Power train, EngineODI 11675856
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that at the initial start, there was a loud rattling sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The first time the failure occurred, the rattling sound ceased after driving for a while. The failure occurred a second time but continued while driving. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the cam phasers were causing the rattling sound. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2025EngineODI 11672215
“*transmission DOWNSHIFTS while driving at normal traffic speeds *Sudden stops in traffic *WRENCH appeared on dash, lost all digital numbers, I e. Speed...as soon as downshift”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2025Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11670154
“*transmission downshifted while traveling 15 mph *Unsafe condition traveling on roadway *Temporary loss of control *WRENCH appeared, shifted hard into first gear”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2025Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11670360

Showing 6 of 531 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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