TO HELP DIFFERENTIATE ENGINE OIL LEAKS FROM OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES, A NEW WHITE-COLORED FLUORESCENT ENGINE OIL DYE IS AVAILABLE. WORKSHOP MANUAL (WSM), SECTION 303-00 HAS BEEN REVISED TO REFERENCE THE NEW WHITE-COLORED DYE. THE NEW WHITE FLUORESCENT DYE PROVIDES A DISTINCT WHITE GLOW TO IDENTIFY ENGINE OIL LEAKS. THE NEW WHITE FLUORESCENT DYE REQUIRES A PURE UV DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION LAMP. THE WHITE-COLORED FLUORESCENT DYE AND PURE UV LAMP ARE NOW IN THE ROTUNDA CATALOG. DYE AND LAMP PART NUMBERS. GASOLINE ONLY DYE: 1 OUNCE BOTTLE 164-TP-33200601. DIESEL ONLY DYE: 8 OUNCE BOTTLE: 164-TP-3320-0008. PURE UV DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION LAMP 164-TP8695 OR 164-R3748.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Ford E-150 engine problems
moderate 5 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 5 engine complaints filed for the 2013 Ford E-150, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 4 model years of Ford E-150 we track for engine problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 5.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
FORD: SOME MODEL VEHICLES MANUAL FOR POWERTRAIN CONTROL/EMISSION DIAGNOSTIC (PC/ED) HAS BEEN UPDATED REGARDING IMPROVED COOLING FAN CIRCUIT DUE TO A LACK OF AIR CONDITIONING, A MALFUNCTIONING INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND OVERHEATING.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Spark plugs ejected from my van.
Truck shook an stop running
Driving on a city street the truck started shaking and loss all acceleration, it showed a wrench on the dash screen, coasted to a safe place and turned truck off. It restarted fine. Approx 30 mins later on the highway it did the same thing, started shaking, no acceleration and the wrench showed up. Again coasted to a safe spot and restarted.
While driving on highway at 55 MPH car looses power, goes into limp home mode, orange wrench warning indicator appears on dash panel. Very dangerous in high traffic areas where there is room or time to pull to side of road. Pull off road, turned off engine, and then restarted and ran fine. Seems to happen unexpectedly every 3 to 4 months. No engine malfunction codes can be found on onboard…
Vehicle was leaking antifreeze and taken to good year. The part was not made and is not being made by any factory or by Ford. Ford is aware of the problem. The service manager in rock hill,sc said there was 20 others waiting and they needed paperwork for proof and a hundred deposit for a part that isn't even made. Good year made a temporary fix. If the fix breaks the antifreeze will leak out…
Had engine trouble with your 2013 Ford E-150?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2013 Ford E-150?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 5 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 5 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 66,750 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Ford/E-150.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.