Should I buy a 2013 Ford F-150 with documented airbags problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented airbags issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2013 Ford F-150 airbags problems

severe Owners of the 2013 Ford F-150 have filed 23 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 50,600 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$1,100

airbags complaints on the Ford F-150, by model year
Model year	airbags complaints
2009 F-150	11
2010 F-150	16
2011 F-150	10
2012 F-150	29
2013 F-150 (this page)	23
2014 F-150	25
2015 F-150	25
2016 F-150	27
2017 F-150	20

10crashes

6injuries

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags 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.

Service Bulletin LTR3756 Feb 2016

49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin TSB160001 Feb 2016

49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

What owners are reporting 0 most recent

Had airbags trouble with your 2013 Ford F-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 airbags problem on the 2013 Ford F-150?

It's a meaningful issue. 23 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.

At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?

Across the 15 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 41,000 and 80,000 miles, with the median around 50,600. A quarter of owners report trouble before 41,000; a quarter make it past 80,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?

No active recalls currently cover airbags 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.

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/F-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.