What 2,796 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford F-150 (regular Cab) Gas

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while hauling a trailer, the brake pedal independently went to the floorboard. The ABS and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a master cylinder leak into the brake booster. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11673904

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while in reverse, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The brake and parking brake warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. The contact stated that there was no brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir. The contact stated that brake fluid was added to the reservoir; however, two hours later the brake reservoir was empty again. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

NHTSA ODI 11668893

Complete, instant brake failure at only 105871 miles. My wife was backing out of the drive @5 mph, brake pedal pushed clear to floor with no warning. 3-4 minutes later, the brake warning light came on. No warning light ahead of time. Reservoir was very low, I added 12 oz. DOT3 fluid…..brakes seemed ok. Got up the next morning , brake low fluid light is on and all 12 oz of brake fluid are gone, not a drip anywhere to be seen. Called the dealer….basically because our VIN has not been listed in any recall, we are out of luck on any help with repairs. Incident occurred in our drive, my wife was very lucky. Ford has a serious problem. We are the original owner, 2013 with 105871 miles. Vehicle is very excellent condition. If this would have happened on the highway, serious injury or death to us or others would have been very likely. Taking to the dealer on Monday June 9 for a diagnosis and a serious talk. Hopefully after a confirmation of master cylinder failure and leakage into the brake booster (which Ford knows is an issue), they will be able to repair under an expired recall that should have included our 2013 with the 3.5 eco boost engine. Dealer’s service dept. agreed with me over the phone but added not to get my hopes up because Ford did not list every VIN in the recall that they should have included. Interestingly, back in May, Ford notified us by mail, that as still the original owner there had been issues with the master cylinder and booster. If we had a repair done, they would reimburse up to 700.00 if we could provide proof. We have had no issues, nor any repairs, so we threw the notice away. So, a month after the notification from Ford, here we are. I would think the lawsuits are out there somewhere, I would rather not be a part of any of that….this should get Fords prompt attention from a safety standpoint. So we’ll see what happens.

NHTSA ODI 11665183

My Vehicle has 116,000 miles and the CPU/ ABS Unit is not working. I took it to a Ford Dealership and they said the part alone is $3,000.00 . I feel although the vehicle is 12 years old it has low mileage and I feel that a part of this type should not malfunction. I would like Ford to pay for this repair and how many other F-150’s are out there experiencing this same problem? Could you please investigate this problem. I still have bakes but the ABS and Down hill slope assist is not working. All the brake lights come on ABS, Down Hill Slope Assist, and the brake line. The warning light and bells come on within a few hundred feet when moving. I had the vehicle inspected by a local Ford Dealership and they informed me the ABS unit needs replaced. This has been happening since April of this year 2025.

NHTSA ODI 11664374

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop as intended while the brake pedal was depressed. The brake fluid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed on scene by an independent mechanic, and it was determined that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced due to a brake fluid leak. The vehicle was taken and to the local dealer for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11663351

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing out of a driveway, the brake pedal was depressed and went down to the floorboard. The contact used the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake master cylinder had leaked brake fluid into the brake booster pump. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and booster pump needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11661809

Traction Control Module failed -- (as diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer) I did a quick stop (someone cut in front of me), and felt the anti-locks 'kick in'. Later that day, the dashboard lit up with three warning lights and two messages stating that the anti-lock and brake systems needed to be serviced. I am not sure what risks are associated with this --- but... its the braking system. The repair cost estimate: Nearly $6,000.00

NHTSA ODI 11660402

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was connected to a trailer and while the brake pedal was depressed, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the brakes responded intermittently. The contact attempted to disconnect the vehicle from the trailer and the brakes failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle hit a curve and came to a stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was diagnosed with vacuum pump failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.

NHTSA ODI 11647990

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front brakes. The contact stated that the braking system independently engaged and stopped the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had not stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a parts store and upon parking he observed that smoke was being emitted from the passenger side front wheel well. The contact stated that he observed that a flame was visible from the passenger wheel well and that store employees had extinguished the flames with hand-held fire extinguishers. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front brake line on the passenger side, both brake drums, calipers, pads, and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that later the failure recurred and he needed to replace pads, and calipers on the front passenger side. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not associated with any recalls related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11646543

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was running rough and there was a strong burning smell. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ABS fuse was overheating, was damaging the brake pads and rotors, and was causing the vehicle to overheat. The mechanic advised the contact to remove the ABS fuse, and the contact removed the fuse. The vehicle was later taken to another independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure was related to the ABS module. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ABS module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH and approaching the stop light, the vehicle in front of her vehicle stopped prematurely. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the vehicle decelerated but failed to stop as intended and crashed into the rear of the other vehicle. The contact stated that the ABS and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the right leg shin area against the dashboard and sustained a punctured wound on the leg. The contact also sustained a swollen right leg and back pain. The emergency units physically examined the contact and recommended medical assistance for the right leg injury. The contact later went to urgent care but could not afford the cost of the medical care. The contact then treated the injuries at home. It was unknown whether the other driver sustained injuries. There was no property damage. A police report was filed but the contact did not have the information available. The police determined that it was a no-fault accident. The contact was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11646064

I was recently driving on the freeway in the #1 lane when my 2013 F150 began to experience a loss of power. While traveling at 70 mph, I noticed that my transmission had shifted and was stuck in 5th gear. I continued to depress the accelerator with no response. I then felt a sudden jolt from the transmission shifting to a lower gear and continued to travel. There was no warning light indicating that the truck was experiencing a malfunction. On Nov 26th I took my truck to an authorized Ford dealership service department who performed a diagnostic test on the transmission who recommended an immediate transmission flush and service, which I scheduled immediately. While on scheduling the repairs to my vehicle I learned that there was a recall on the 2011-2013 Ford F150 trucks. I learned that NHTSA issued a recall on 2/11/2019 and 6/10/19 due to the component failure of the transmissions in those vehicles causing the loss of power while driving. Both of these recalls involved either electrical component failure or mechanical failure of the parts installed in each vehicle that involved the powertrain. I was never notified by the NHTSA or Ford Motor Corporation of the recalls on my vehicle. During a phone conversation with Ford I was told that there is no longer a recall on the 2011-2013 F150. I was also told by a representative of Ford that there is no record of Ford sending me notification of the time of the recall. Here are the recall numbers that I found: 1. 19V075000 2. 19V433000 3. 16V345000 Thank you for your consideration.

NHTSA ODI 11627493

See complaint on File: 11623520

NHTSA ODI 11623991

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond as intended. The brake pedal traveled to the floorboard and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact shifted the vehicle into neutral and coasted to the side of the road to stop the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the brake master cylinder had no brake fluid. The contact added brake fluid to the brake master cylinder and restarted the vehicle and resumed normal driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the brake master cylinder had no brake fluid, and that the brake fluid had leaked into the brake booster, causing the brake master cylinder and brake booster to fail. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). A case was opened, and the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11623520

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, there was intermittently an abnormal sound; while attempting to switch the vehicle into 4WD the vehicle shuddered. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver’s side wheel hub and bearing assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure still occurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure still occurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer once again where it was diagnosed and determined that the vacuum booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 148,194.

NHTSA ODI 11622308

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the brake warning light illuminated, and the vehicle made an abnormal beeping sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 106,334.

NHTSA ODI 11611179

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle slightly hesitated to stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence, where it was noticed that the brake fluid level was low. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11605151

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. While the contact's wife was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently downshifted to first gear with the transmission warning light illuminated. The contact's wife was nearly rear-ended due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a defective wheel speed sensor. The contact stated that the vehicle was under an Extended Warranty and a software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11596851

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shifted gear unintendedly. The check engine warning light illuminated and the Service Vehicle Soon warning light was also illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by two separate independent mechanics and the contact was informed that the wheel speed sensor was not working properly. The contact was informed that he could replace the transmission with a used transmission or a rebuilt transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V444000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11596859

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the brakes applied independently. The vehicle slowed down to 5 MPH. The contact stated that the wrench symbol was illuminated. The speedometer became inoperable and there were dots on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center, where it was determined that the failure was due to the speed sensor valve. The vehicle was repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who advised that there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11596932

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and attempting to shift out of first gear, the vehicle failed to respond. The power train warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the speedometer was inoperable. The contact was able to drive to the nearby independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the output wheel speed sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that it was a known failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 133,800.

NHTSA ODI 11595708

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while in reverse, the brakes failed to operate as designed. The parking brakes functioned as designed but there was no pressure on the brake pedal. The contact believed that the failure was associated with a faulty brake master cylinder which failed to allow pressure in the braking system. The local dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11595025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while coming to a stop, she became aware that the brakes was not functioning properly. The contact had to depress down on the brake pedal with excessive force for the brakes to activate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the diagnostic test result was undisclosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11594778

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle downshifted to 1st gear and made an abnormal clunking sound. The speedometer was at ZERO (0). The check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The contact who is an auto technician diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the output speed sensor had failed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact of the repairs needed to correct the failure. The dealer informed the contact that Ford Campaign Number: 19N01 repair needed to be performed on the vehicle in addition to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train); however, the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 116,465.

NHTSA ODI 11593624

Master Cylinder leaked into brake booster causing complete brake failure. Had to use downshifting and emergency brake to stop. Contact Ford and they said not on recall list. Have a nice day.

NHTSA ODI 11590155

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the failure occurred while it was raining. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the brake pedal had to be depressed several times before the brakes responded as needed. In addition, the low brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed brake master cylinder. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) in November 2016, which included the replacement of the brake master cylinder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,837.

NHTSA ODI 11588412