Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH the wrench symbol illuminated and the vehicle lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode. The contact coasted to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The failure occurred a total of three times; however, during the third failure, the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the output speed sensor module had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact of an undisclosed Customer Satisfaction Program however, the 10-year limitation had been exceeded. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the contact noticed a failure with the accelerator pedal wherein the accelerator pedal failed to engage properly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed but was not disclosed. The dealer replaced the throttle body. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated he was concerned that the vehicle was unsafe and could cause severe injuries if the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and failed to accelerate as needed while the accelerator pedal was being depressed. The contact also heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed with wheel speed sensor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal failed to respond as needed. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal twice which disengaged the accelerator pedal. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
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.
I was driving on interstate approximatly 70 mph when it downshifted into second gear and and almost got rearended by a semi truck that was following behind my truck and luckily was able to swerve to miss hitting us. I Believe it is the 6r80 transmission conductor plate that is the cause of the issue
Date: July 5, 2021, roughly 5 pm Location: Interstate 40, heading west. Just east of the first exit for Shawnee OK I was driving with traffic, cruise set at 80 mph. Changed to left lane to pass a travel trailer and noticed traffic was getting heavier up ahead. I tapped the brake to cancel the cruise control, and the engine raced out of control. It was as if the accelerator was pressed to the floor. I used both feet on the brake to attempt to slow the pickup, was able to change back to the right lane, and managed to drive onto the shoulder and slam the truck into park. The racing engine never let up until the key was turned off. I did see that the cruise dash light was indicating that the cruise was off before I changed lanes. It is my belief that tapping the brake initiated the problem. Fortunately, no one was hurt, there was no accident. …
The Output Speed Sensor has been failing multiple times since I had the recall remedied in September 2021. The codes p0720, p0721 and p0722 have been present, and it hadn't been to much of an issue until it downshifted to first gear while going 60+ mph, causing me to temporarily lose control. Because of the downshift the engine redlined causing the 8th valve to fail. The dealership says I need a new engine and refuses to fix the transmission because my truck has a salvage title. They also claim that they can't confirm that the transmission caused the engine to blow. They have since been giving me the run around. The salvage title was present when they did the remedy in September but now it is an issue and to my understanding they cannot refuse to fix a recall because of a salvage or branded title. …
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. …
2013 Ford F150 in the past week has experienced sudden downshift with speedometer dropping to 0 with electronics failing in the vehicle while being operated. I started to research and there was not an official recall but instead treated as a Customer satisfaction program 19N01. I have never received any emails thru the ford app, although my email is registered, never had this brought to my attention by any of the Ford dealers while they were performing routine maintenance. I immediately took the truck to the dealer where it was purchased at Preston Ford, Denton MD. I have been advised that there was a warranty extension done until 10 tears or 150,000 miles. My vehicle currently has 155K miles. I was advised on 12/5 that they will not cover the normally $1200 repair because of the mileage, even though I wasn't provided an explanation why I was not notified. …
Acceleration complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2013 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 302 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2013 Ford F-150, 10% of the model year's 2,990 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford F-150 acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2013 Ford F-150, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford F-150 acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries and 1 death to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.