What 2,796 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford F-150 Supercab Diesel

Driving on the freeway in traffic, driving approximately 10mph. Started to see smoke come from hood, checked gauges and all gauges were normal, no warning lights on. Pulled over and turned off vehicle and flames started from under the hood. Entire vehicle burned.

NHTSA ODI 11667263

I have always owned a ford truck. I recently have poured over $7k recently on typical maintenance and normal wear repairs. Not a big deal since I love my truck and I take good care of it. I have a 2013 F150 4x4 and my vin is part of the “customer satisfaction” recall. I purchased my truck used from an actual dealership (Mercedes Benz) but I also paid $3,000 at that time for a Premier Protection plan. (Used only once for the water pump). In the past 3.5 years I’ve had this truck I have only driven it 30k miles and it currently has 116k miles on it. It is very well maintained and serviced. Recently the truck went into limp mode while I was driving on the freeway and I almost flipped the vehicle with my toddler also in the vehicle and it was raining. It was the most scariest experience I’ve ever had driving. I want this issue resolved and Ford needs to stand by its product. This is ridiculous. The wrench light of death illuminated when this incident occurred. I called the local dealer and they laughed at me over the phone and basically told me it’s not a safety issue and it’s expired. This is not acceptable and I will be contacting the local news media outlets and I will be reaching out as far as taking legal recourse over what is clearly a massive safety issue. I purchased vehicle in 2021 and vehicle just started having the issue two years after the fix for free from dealer expired.

NHTSA ODI 11654271

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

Transmission failure, leaded frame model. Truck down shift from 6th to 1st gear and or locks up in 3rd or 5th gear won’t shift up or down. Going 75mph to 1st gear through the truck into a drift and spin. Avoid cars and side wall on pure luck do low traffic. Had kids in the vehicle at the time. Problem has been reproduced by a ford dealer and private mechanics. Components been replaced and still continue to have problems on the 4th transmission in less then 6 month. By inspected by a mechanic no warning on the down shift no light no indication of failure. Throws a system check light but no other lights and light goes off after truck has been turned off and on a agin.

NHTSA ODI 11597705

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving in a parking lot, she depressed the brake pedal and it became stiff. The vehicle failed to slow down as intended. The vehicle collided with a parked car. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The contact then began driving at approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and he observed a grinding noise emanating from the front driver side of the vehicle. The brake pedal then became stiff and did not slow down as intended. The vehicle was placed in the park position on multiple occasions to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the check valve was clogged and the brake vacuum booster pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11584746

Hello, A few weeks ago while I was heading down highway 49 in Tuolumne County, the spindle that holds the front wheel on my truck broke, sending my front left wheel down the opposite direction and my truck crashing down into the asphalt to a sudden stop. Thankfully I was able to maintain control enough of the truck to keep it from running off the road and flipping over. So many things made this a very lucky occurrence for me, because I was heading down the highway to Mariposa and many curves that had it happened there, would have sent me off the cliffs many hundreds of feet down. As I was being driven by the tow truck driver talking about my accident, we realized he had never seen this ever happen before. I was also told by the mechanic that something like this "just does not happen and should never happen". I could have had my entire family with me and we could have all perished because of a failure that "is not supposed to happen". I have also read there is a huge recall for this part on these trucks, although my truck does not fall under the recall and this is why I am asking for your help. I have saved all the broken parts, have photos of them all and of the truck broken on the side of the road. I feel this issue should be brought to the attention of FORD, but they will not talk to me about it, which is why I am reaching out to you. I also have a bit of PTSD, because I am scared to drive my truck because I am worried the new replaced part, could have a similar defect, so I will not allow passengers to ride with me until it is confirmed safe to drive. The problem was not reproduced by anyone. The vehicle was not inspected, although the CHP was on scene, but I have not checked to see if a report was filed There was absolutely no advanced warning of any kind. The wheel just suddenly broke off. Is this something you can address and help me with?

NHTSA ODI 11549064

The truck slammed into 1st gear going 55 mph on the interstate. Through investigation a speed sensor warning was the culprit. Not being able to have truck service for a month due to Ford Dealers being backed up Cavalier Ford sent a mobile mechanic out to me. He spent about 10 minutes on my truck handed me the keys and told me he did something with the computer mo parts are needed. He never test drove it to ensure the problem was corrected. When I went to drive the truck, the wrench light was still on and was worse than before. Actually stuck in first gear. After going around and around I was informed by Fors Customer Service they did their part, anything else I wanted done would be my responsibility financially because of the mileage. I didn't not think recalls had a mileage limit but they are insistent after 150k they were no longer responsible. Cavalier Ford marked the recall as complete but it wasn't. My case number with Ford is CAS44213098 transmission fluid leaking recall was not on there but I am leaking that as well. I don't want something for free, I just want them to correct their defects

NHTSA ODI 11537707

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F150. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle downshifted on its own and the instrument panel was no longer illuminated. The vehicle decreased in speed causing the contact to strike the front windshield with the head. The contact was able to over on the side of the road and shut down the vehicle. When to contact restarted the vehicle, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to dealer that stated that the vehicle was experiencing similar failure as NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V433000 (Power Train) but that the vehicle was passed the mileage and that the dealer would not cover the repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11537460

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the passenger noticed smoke underneath the hood. The driver pulled over, opened the hood, and noticed smoke and fire between the fire wall and engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact and other motorists extinguished the fire. The fire department was on the scene. A police report was filed. The driver and passenger sustained burns, but no medical attention was provided. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to his family residence. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 182,000.

NHTSA ODI 11535026

Brakes began to pulse when pressure applied to pedal. Complete loss of brake crashed in parking lot wall. Was knocked unconscious. The brake system has been professionally serviced. Cant find any reason for loss of brakes. This vehicle has been parked since incident. Because it will keep

NHTSA ODI 11519245

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was failing to start as needed with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump fuse needed to be replaced. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a local dealer for repair. The vehicle had not yet been taken to a local dealer for repair. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and was rear-ended. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11510881

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 65-67 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly downshifted from 6th to 1st gear and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bag warning light, the power train and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, The speedometer and the odometer ceased to work. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. A police report was filed. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that he was a certified mechanic and had diagnosed that the lead frame assembly needed to be replaced. The contact stated that he had received a notice of Ford Campaign Number: 19N01. The local dealer and other unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they did not have the parts. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. A case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,248.

NHTSA ODI 11510679

While driving the truck at highway speeds the back wheels locked up over revving the engine. Ford is claiming destroyed engine is not related to the recall even though it was caused by the recall

NHTSA ODI 11510399

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH from a complete stop and making a left turn in a parking lot, the steering wheel seized inadvertently, and the vehicle veered into a handicap sign pole. The messages "Service Power Steering", "Power Steering Assist Fault", and "Service Advancetrac" were displayed. The air bags had not deployed. The contact had not sustained any injuries. The Police patrol that was parked nearby the contact verified that he had not sustained any injuries. There was no police report filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion had seized while driving. Additionally, it was diagnosed that the electric steering motor had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V316000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The contact stated that they are waiting for the repair for the dent in the fender caused by the accident.

NHTSA ODI 11495317

I have had numerous brake issues on my 2013 Ford F-150 SuperCrew. One repair was done in the warranty period and 2-3 were not. This vehicle had less than 81,000 miles on it when all of this work was done. It was recently repaired and still isn’t solved. I’ve had two major accidents where my vehicle rear ended other vehicles because of its failure to immediately stop on braking. The dealership can’t solve the problem or don’t know how and I’m afraid to continue to drive this unsafe vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11492734

9/16/22 My wife was driving about 50 mph when the transmission suddenly shifted into 1st gear causing the rear end of the truck to slide sideways and hit a curb. The force of the collision with the curb caused the right rear tire to blow out and my wife was left with bruises from the seatbelt. The was no warning prior to the incident. The truck was at the dealership on 7/13/22 for a recall for this same problem, they flashed the PCM and said that would fix the problem. I have since brought it back to the dealership they said the lead frame speed sensor in the transmission needs to be replaced and that is not covered by the recall and would cost over $2000. I also called Ford to report the incident Case # [XXX]. Ford stated this was normal wear and tear and they would not cover the repair. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11491664

sept 11 I was leaving a parking garage, I backed out of my parking space, drove toward the first turn when the sole came off my shoe blocked the gas pedal wide open sending my truck into a support column on the lower level. The damage was extensive but my airbags did not deploy, the seat belt left bruise and and some soreness but to date no other injuries. My insurance told me today they are gonna 'total' the vehicle. 2013 Ford F150 Supercrew Cab

NHTSA ODI 11485858

Slowing down to make a left turn. Brakes failed very difficult to press brake pad and Power transmission system was not responding properly causing my truck brakes to fail, transmission was slipping and the rear tires to slide. End result was a Crash into a pole at a corner. My truck was totaled by the insurance company costing me over $9,000 to replace the truck after the insurance payment. Recall for Master Cylinder and Power train issued after my crash on 2/2/2018.

NHTSA ODI 11481626

I have a serious issue with my 2013 Ford F150 Limited. I almost had a horrible accident on I295 because of brake failure. Seems the brake fluid is leaking out and I didnt know this until I tried to brake and the pedal went all the way to the floor. Then the "brake fluid low" light came on. Upon Inspection after all the drama, got truck in a safe place, I checked and saw there was no fluid in reservoir. I filled it and pumped brakes a few times and pedal keeps going to floor then eventually it gained pressure..when I checked reservoir again, half of the new fluid was gone and truck was hard to stop again, So I had to tow it home. After taking to a shop I was told the fluid was leaking from master cylinder to the brake booster!! I then searched the internet, and discovered this is a common problem and Ford has a recall for this same exact issue my truck is having..Recall # 16V345000. Ford # 16S24. I then went to dealership to see if I can get fixed and was informed my VIN is not on the recall list and they wont fix. I called ford customer service and was told the same and also to contact NHTSA. So that is what i'm doing now.

NHTSA ODI 11466539

The lower left hand corner of the passenger side rear window started to smoke and burn from the rear window defrost mechanism. Smoke was seen and the rear window defrost was turned off. The window then shattered. I had a child sitting in front of this area but no injury was sustained. I have not had the vehicle serviced for this issue at this time.

NHTSA ODI 11459694

I'm not lying when I say the vehicle started going faster and faster when I didn't hit the gas pedal. The brakes wouldn't work!

NHTSA ODI 11453568

I know how to drive it is not cool to be in trouble for not being able to control a truck that malfunction

NHTSA ODI 11453569

Vehicle accelerated without driver pressing gas pedal and RPM gauge jumped up to 5 (which is red zone). Brake pedal went to the floor when brakes were applied instead of causing the vehicle to stop. Emergency brake was used, and driver lost control of the vehicle resulting in a terrible accident. The crash caused injuries to driver and the death of a bicyclist.

NHTSA ODI 11442730

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after his wife had driven the vehicle for an hour, she had shut off the vehicle; once she returned to the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic determined that burnt wiring in the fuse box had prevented the vehicle from starting. The contact also spoke to the manufacturer and they referred him to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.

NHTSA ODI 11436035