Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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 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 contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that he was unable to turn the steering to the left or right without extra effort. The contact stated that he noticed several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the service advancetrac message was displayed with the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after letting the vehicle run for approximately 30 minutes and then turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering functionality returned. The contact stated that the failure had become more consistent during the colder weather. The contact stated that during the summertime he had not experienced the loss of power steering functionality. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the warning message "Service Advance Trac" and "Hill Control Defect" illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel lost power steering functionality. The contact turned off the vehicle and upon restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel regained functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the steering gear and the rack and pinion assembly were replaced. Additionally, an unknown software was reprogrammed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the failure could not be replicated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving at 25 MPH. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in an unknown recall associated with the failure. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the power steering fault, service power, downhill assist fault warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the turn signals failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to call NHTSA. The contact stated that the manufacturer confirmed the vehicle was not included in a recall. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while making a right turn the traction control and hill descent warnings would illuminate. During the failure the turn signal became inoperable and the driver had to manually hold the turn signal in order for the signal to operate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the failure was due to a failed steering angle sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. Also while driving a squilling type noise was present coming from under the vehicle due to a damaged exhaust manifold. The manufacturer was also notified of the failures but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 45-50 MPH, the vehicle jerked and the steering wheel lost power steering. The messages indicating traction control, power steering, turn signals, advance tract, and Hill Control failures were displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle and restarted it after 5 minutes. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,665.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering would lock up without warning. The contact stated that excessive force would be needed to steer the vehicle due to the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective steering linkage. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer then referred him to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel was turned; however, the steering wheel failed to respond as intended. In addition, the power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with rack and pinion failure. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 38,057.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while exiting the driveway, the steering wheel moved voluntarily and failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel then seized. The message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed on the screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. In addition, the steering failure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Steering complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2013 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 216 complaints about the steering of the 2013 Ford F-150, 7% of the model year's 2,990 complaints. The component named most often is column (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford F-150 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering 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 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to steering 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.