Most common 2013 Ford F-250 SD problems
Share of the 21 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-250 SD complaints by model year
Best F-250 SD years: 2013, 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2019, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2016. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 Ford F-250 SD:
Vehicle Commanded Engine Shutdown
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this RQ to investigate allegations that the scope and remedy of safety recall 13V-535 were inadequate. Recall 13V-535 was limited to a relatively small population of Ambulance Package vehicles and ODI received complaints of pickup trucks and Fire Engine Prep Package vehicles being affected by the same defect.
What 2013 Ford F-250 SD owners say
Engine & cooling
Radiator failure, high pressure coolant leak which is not discernible by common indicators. Radiator cracked and all coolant was lost while vehicle was being operated, when cooling system not under load there was no significant visible leak. This poses a risk of catastrophic engine failure, posing a significant danger to the public in that said vehicle could loose power while being operated under severe conditions. This make and model of vehicle is commonly used for commerce and public safety. Design of radiator is defective and prone to failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Ford f-250 SD. When the vehicle was started, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the heating assembly failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Suspension
I was driving my truck between 60-70 MPH down highway 4 around a slight curve. That's when whole front of truck went into a a uncontrollable wobble, steering wheel was also shacking left to right had to slow to 30-40 MPH to bring back under control. Brought to all star Ford antioch ca the tech said front end felt loose that drove with me. They could not find anything wrong so they said they called Ford, Ford told them to do a road force balance. They say that they service manager drove my truck to and from his house two times 100 mile round trip and felt nothing wrong. They gave my my truck said it was good. As I was driving home the front end still felt loose but no wobble, good enough. Six days later the death wobble came back, same as before. …
My vehicle has 'experienced the 'f250 death wobble' on several occasions and it is a scary feeling when it happens. Th death wobble usually happens when you are traveling at highway speeds any you hit a rough patch or bump in the road. During the 'death wobble the truck bounces all over the road and the front suspension gets light and it is hard to maintain the vehicle in the proper lane . For these reasons, I refuse to allow my wife to drive this truck. Seeing how this is a common hot button issue on the f250 forum, I am surprised that Ford has not been forced to recall these vehicles and to fix these known issues before someone is involved in a fatal accident as a result of the ' f250 death wobble!'
Fuel & propulsion system
As I pulled out of the dealer after taking it in for a replacement mirror and washer nozzles,I got onto the freeway and at about 60 MPH my my truck lost power,service engine light came on,the warning sign on the dash indicated that the truck did not have any fuel pressure and speed dropped to about 30 MPH.as I was able to pull of the freeway before causing an accident,I parked the truck, contacted the dealer to see what exactly was done to my truck besides the work that needed to be done.I then was able to get back to the dealer through the streets because it was only limited to a certain speed.after the dealer took 2 weeks to inspect the truck they concluded that the truck broke down due to bad diesel fuel and possible water and rust in the fuel components.the truck is equipped with a fuel water separator and water warning systems when it needs to be drained and maintained.never had …
2013 Ford f-250 super duty. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle electrical system issues. The consumer stated the radio would sometimes come on with the key and would only work on one am channel and on fm channel and it would not turn off. The only way to turn off the radio, was to turn the engine off and re-start it. The stereo system had a bad reception. The fuel gauge was stuck on 1/4 tank and he took several tries shutting the vehicle on and off to get it to work the door alarm worked intermittently. The dash lights come on and go off intermittently at night, the cruise control lights illuminated, the def notice dash display came on last week and alerted the consumer he had 500 miles left until he needed to fill up again.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Ford F-250 SD a good car?
Based on 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 F-250 SD rates better than average: 86% fewer complaints than a typical year of the F-250 SD at the same age. It is one of the best F-250 SD years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford F-250 SD?
The engine & cooling — 8 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the suspension (5) and fuel & propulsion system (4).
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford F-250 SD have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2013 Ford F-250 SD. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F-250 SD?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2016. See the full Ford F-250 SD years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford F-250 SD problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 42,000 miles; 76% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.