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2013 Ford F-150: engine overheating

27 of the 2,994 complaints about the 2013 Ford F-150 describe engine overheating.

owner complaints
27
of this car's complaints
1%
typical mileage
57,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 32 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Engine overheating by model year

What owners say

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Engine · SC

Known issues with design and life expectancy of the exhaust manifolds and bolts thousands of owners are replacing manifolds due to warping and shearing of bolts when exhaust overheats. I’m currently getting quotes to replace due to failure on a gently used truck. Failure happened during a highway trip of a couple hundred miles under no additional load.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · OH

Vacuumed pump replacement oil leakVacume Brake fluid leaked into power booster Complete brake failure . Complete Brake failure while pulling 6000 lb trailer Family in vehicle . Coolant leaks, water pump,heater hoses, exaust turbos ,and blow off valve.

Filed Oct 9, 2025 · Transmission · VA

This is related to an OEM Metal failure at the aluminum connection points. My 2013 Ford F-150s, experienced leakage of the high-pressure transmission cooler line. The leakage was due to corrosion and metal fatigue. If it had failed it would have resulted in a rapid fluid loss, transmission overheating, and a complete failure. The failure was related to corrosion & metal Fatigue. The aluminum quick connect portion of the OEM lines on the driver's side began leaking due to corrosion, and vibrations. There have been numerous reports of a broken line causing a rapid and complete loss of transmission fluid. Without sufficient fluid, the transmission failed leading to trucks stopping in heavy traffic. Due to reports of these catastrophic failures, I checked my lines and noted leaks. I proactively had the local Ford dealer perform the repairs. I have the parts in my possession.

Filed Mar 3, 2025 · Brakes · 85,000 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

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 federal safety agency Hot

Filed Aug 12, 2024 · Transmission · 248,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted from fifth gear to first gear. The contact stated that the RPM increased to 6,500 RPM. The contact stated that while continuing to drive to the intended destination, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact stopped and parked the vehicle. The contact stated that upon inspecting the engine, the coolant had splashed all over the engine and was leaking onto the ground underneath the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact researched and discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V444000 (Power Train); however, neither the VIN nor the model year was included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to report the failure to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was 248,000.

Filed Mar 25, 2024 · Transmission · MT

Driving at 65 mph in 6th gear on the highway the transmission downshifted to first. It was as if I had slammed on the brakes, the downshift was completely unexpected and nearly caused me to lose control of the vehicle. After regaining control over the vehicle and getting pulled off the highway into a safe turnout. The transmission had not overheated it was at its normal operating range. I allowed the pickup to sit for a few minutes. I checked the transmission fluid and it was at operating level and was not burnt nor did it have metal flakes in it. After allowing the pickup to sit for about 10 minutes I pulled back onto the highway and attempted to get back up to 65 mph, 1st gear didn’t shift to 2nd until just below 7000 rpm. 2nd to 3rd gear was also nearly 7000 rpm until the shift. The dash read 4th but the truck quit powering the rear wheels, as if the transmission were in neutral. The truck then flashed the orange wrench on the dash and was stuck in 3rd until I pulled over and parked and shut the pickup off for a few minutes. The problem repeated itself after attempting to get on the highway after letting the pickup sit for a few minutes. Prior to this incident there had been a very random and slight shift delay between 3rd and 4th and the trans would downshift from 6th or 5th to 3rd sometimes and there would be a delay in power for a couple of seconds before shifting to 4th then 5th to 6th

Filed May 31, 2023 · Engine · 76,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after having a routine oil change, while driving 35 MPH, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated, and the wrench symbol displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuse for the battery needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the fuse had overheated, and the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

Filed Jan 11, 2023 · Engine · FL

Vehicle coolant leaks in large quantities from rubber seals in a tee connection fitting near the water pump. This type of coolant leak could cause engine failure while in operation and an accident.

Filed Nov 12, 2022 · Acceleration, Electrical · CA

01 Apr 22, vehicle was received from Penske Ford after coolant leak to include scheduled maintenance such as engine oil and filter change, engine air filter, transfer case fluid change, drive belt, front differential fluid change and lastly the transmission fluid and filter change. Mileage in was at 156877 and mileage out from the services was 156879. Approximately 6,000 miles added from the mileage counter, the vehicle experienced sudden downshift with speedometer dropping to zero and passenger airbag caution illuminated on the dashboard. Upon reading the code via the OBD2 code reader, the following DTC were noted: p0720 output shaft speed sensor circuit; p0722 Output Shaft speed sensor circuit no signal; U0401:00-0B Invalid Data received from ECM/PCM A; B00A0:68-8B - Occupant Classification System; U0401:68-0B Invalid data received from ECM/PCM A; U0401:00-0A. Safety risk was the sudden down shift while going at normal speed or flow of traffic. Sudden downshift can result into a rear end collision. The vehicle has not been inspected since the malfunction however, through research of TSB 19N01 and contacting the dealership, it was determined that the extended warranty did not apply due to the mileage exceeded the 150,000 therefore I ended up buying and fixing my own vehicle with current mileage of 163421.4 at completion. This vehicle was also recalled for 19NS19 because of 6R80 transmission. I am unsure if this warrants another recall however, it is my belief that it should be looked at again.

Filed Oct 24, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · 87,000 miles · WA

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V075000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted into first gear and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant leaking into the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Filed Jan 22, 2021 · Engine · LA

Driver side tubo/supercharger coolant leaks

Filed Oct 26, 2020 · Engine · 39,422 miles · FL · fire

This is for an aftermarket coil pak manufacture by well vehicle electronics, springfield mo. The pak shorted caught on fire, and damaged by truck (f150) ecu costing me over $1300.00 to repair. I have sent the coil pak back to the manufacture but their analysis was it was damaged by the ignition. These coil packs are the ignition, the only thing from the truck is the 12 volts, the the pulse to fire it. I'm filling this report to you as I'm seeking damages to their defected coil. That overheated, causing the coil wire to short and catch fire. I have the sparkplug and it was checked and it is not shorted.

Questions about the 2013 Ford F-150 overheating

Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2013 Ford F-150?

27 of 2,994 owner complaints about the 2013 Ford F-150 (1%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 1997.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Ford F-150?

There are 0 recalls and 32 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2013 Ford F-150

Check engine light 338Loss of power 257Won't shift 195Stalling 157Brake failure 128Jerking 104Power steering loss 95Airbag light 73Engine failure 63Fuel pump 59Transmission failure 51Hesitation 49Shudder 47Won't start 46Harsh shifting 42Grinding brakes 40Adaptive cruise 34Misfire 34Fire or smoke 29Steering lock-up 28Slipping 24Knocking 19Door locks 17No deployment 16Backup camera 16ABS 13Spongy pedal 13Screen failure 12Sudden acceleration 12Sunroof shattered 10Wipers 9Battery drain 8Fuel gauge 7Steering noise 7Tire blowout 7Warning lights 6Headlights 5Key fob 5

All model years of the Ford F-150

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