2013 Ford F-150 Brakes Problems

Brake master cylinder failed at only 98000 miles

NHTSA ID

11756470

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

Right front brake continuously freezes up making impossible to drive safely. ABS does not show any default or warnings. Truck shakes all over. Had rotors, calibers, and brake pads replied, but right side brake continues to freeze up. Brake lines checked and show no signs of collapse.

NHTSA ID

11754600

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

Sudden and catastrophic master cylinder failure. Complete loss of brakes at speed

NHTSA ID

11751407

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

Brakes seem to be staying engaged when driving this has been for about 1 yr. Now all of a sudden, my truck wouldn't stop. Thankfully, I was pulling in to my own driveway, but now I'm not sure what to do about the situation. I jave seen a lot of complaints on 2013 F150 with ecoboost 3.5l and I don't think it's right that only certain vins are recalled when obviously A LOT of others should be included.

NHTSA ID

11750452

Incident

Jul 14, 2026

The brakes on my Ford f150 failed and I took it to a shop and found out that the master cylinder had failed and all the brake fluid was being pumped into the brake booster.I had the master cylinder and the booster replaced for $ 926.00 dollars. There was a recall for this problem but it ended with trucks that were made thru August 31,2013 my truck was made September 12 ,2013 only 12 days after the recall ended. My truck experienced the same failure as the trucks that were recalled

NHTSA ID

11749739

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and the vehicle unintendedly decelerated. The orange wrench symbol was displayed. The contact pulled over for five minutes, and the computer was reset. After the vehicle was restarted, the vehicle operated normally. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the failure was associated with the wheel speed sensor. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

NHTSA ID

11746248

Incident

May 28, 2026

Mileage

141,000 mi

The brakes aren’t working properly due to loss of vacuum. This happens anytime I’m stopping at a red light or parking which can result in me hitting someone or another vehicle. This has been confirmed by Firestone Compete Auto Care but they were unable to fix it. Ford says this TSB applies to the same year but not to the plant this car was manufactured. There were no warning messages.

NHTSA ID

11734417

Incident

Apr 24, 2026

while applying the brake i had complete brake failure. I learned the brake booter and master cylinder were leaking as describe in the recall.

NHTSA ID

11717492

Incident

Feb 7, 2026

Vacuumed pump replacement oil leakVacume Brake fluid leaked into power booster Complete brake failure . Complete Brake failure while pulling 6000 lb trailer Family in vehicle . Coolant leaks, water pump,heater hoses, exaust turbos ,and blow off valve.

NHTSA ID

11715825

Incident

Jul 9, 2025

Put the truck in reverse [from park] and when I braked the pedal went to the floor and took many seconds to stop the vehicle. Checked the brake fluid, very low, filled it, pumped the brakes until it was no longer to the floor, checked the fluid again and filled it again. Parked it then tested it 20 minutes later, brakes were to the floor. Took it to mechanic who added brake fluid and looked everywhere underneath for leaking, found no brake fluid leak anywhere. Checked online for recall on defective braking system and found this. Reference MFR Campaign Number: 16S24, Defect Summary: Loss of brake fluid from the primary reservoir results in a complete loss of front brake function, increasing the risk of a crash. That's the problem. I have an appointment 11/3/25 with Russ Milne Ford who says they will replace the brake booster, fill the brake fluid & replace the master cylinder, if necessary, as per usual with this recall.

NHTSA ID

11695893

Incident

Oct 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while hauling a trailer, the brake pedal independently went to the floorboard. The ABS and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a master cylinder leak into the brake booster. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11673904

Incident

Jul 12, 2025

Mileage

110,000 mi

The contact owned a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the son was driving approximately 93 MPH, and while approaching a stop light, the vehicle continued to drive into an intersection and crashed into a commercial Semi truck. During the crash, the three front-seat occupants sustained fatal injuries. The rear driver-side passenger sustained head trauma and was rushed to the hospital. A police report was filed and indicated a possible brake malfunction had occurred before the crash. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. The exact cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact was later informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. Also, the vehicle was inspected and determined that the brake booster was corroded. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11672185

Incident

Sep 12, 2022

Mileage

100,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while in reverse, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The brake and parking brake warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. The contact stated that there was no brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir. The contact stated that brake fluid was added to the reservoir; however, two hours later the brake reservoir was empty again. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

NHTSA ID

11668893

Incident

Jun 19, 2025

Mileage

117,000 mi

Complete, instant brake failure at only 105871 miles. My wife was backing out of the drive @5 mph, brake pedal pushed clear to floor with no warning. 3-4 minutes later, the brake warning light came on. No warning light ahead of time. Reservoir was very low, I added 12 oz. DOT3 fluid…..brakes seemed ok. Got up the next morning , brake low fluid light is on and all 12 oz of brake fluid are gone, not a drip anywhere to be seen. Called the dealer….basically because our VIN has not been listed in any recall, we are out of luck on any help with repairs. Incident occurred in our drive, my wife was very lucky. Ford has a serious problem. We are the original owner, 2013 with 105871 miles. Vehicle is very excellent condition. If this would have happened on the highway, serious injury or death to us or others would have been very likely. Taking to the dealer on Monday June 9 for a diagnosis and a serious talk. Hopefully after a confirmation of master cylinder failure and leakage into the brake booster (which Ford knows is an issue), they will be able to repair under an expired recall that should have included our 2013 with the 3.5 eco boost engine. Dealer’s service dept. agreed with me over the phone but added not to get my hopes up because Ford did not list every VIN in the recall that they should have included. Interestingly, back in May, Ford notified us by mail, that as still the original owner there had been issues with the master cylinder and booster. If we had a repair done, they would reimburse up to 700.00 if we could provide proof. We have had no issues, nor any repairs, so we threw the notice away. So, a month after the notification from Ford, here we are. I would think the lawsuits are out there somewhere, I would rather not be a part of any of that….this should get Fords prompt attention from a safety standpoint. So we’ll see what happens.

NHTSA ID

11665183

Incident

Jun 4, 2025

My Vehicle has 116,000 miles and the CPU/ ABS Unit is not working. I took it to a Ford Dealership and they said the part alone is $3,000.00 . I feel although the vehicle is 12 years old it has low mileage and I feel that a part of this type should not malfunction. I would like Ford to pay for this repair and how many other F-150’s are out there experiencing this same problem? Could you please investigate this problem. I still have bakes but the ABS and Down hill slope assist is not working. All the brake lights come on ABS, Down Hill Slope Assist, and the brake line. The warning light and bells come on within a few hundred feet when moving. I had the vehicle inspected by a local Ford Dealership and they informed me the ABS unit needs replaced. This has been happening since April of this year 2025.

NHTSA ID

11664374

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop as intended while the brake pedal was depressed. The brake fluid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed on scene by an independent mechanic, and it was determined that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced due to a brake fluid leak. The vehicle was taken and to the local dealer for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ID

11663351

Incident

May 25, 2025

Mileage

105,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing out of a driveway, the brake pedal was depressed and went down to the floorboard. The contact used the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake master cylinder had leaked brake fluid into the brake booster pump. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and booster pump needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11661809

Incident

May 16, 2025

Mileage

160,000 mi

Traction Control Module failed -- (as diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer) I did a quick stop (someone cut in front of me), and felt the anti-locks 'kick in'. Later that day, the dashboard lit up with three warning lights and two messages stating that the anti-lock and brake systems needed to be serviced. I am not sure what risks are associated with this --- but... its the braking system. The repair cost estimate: Nearly $6,000.00

NHTSA ID

11660402

Incident

May 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was connected to a trailer and while the brake pedal was depressed, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the brakes responded intermittently. The contact attempted to disconnect the vehicle from the trailer and the brakes failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle hit a curve and came to a stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was diagnosed with vacuum pump failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.

NHTSA ID

11647990

Incident

Mar 9, 2025

Mileage

166,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front brakes. The contact stated that the braking system independently engaged and stopped the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had not stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a parts store and upon parking he observed that smoke was being emitted from the passenger side front wheel well. The contact stated that he observed that a flame was visible from the passenger wheel well and that store employees had extinguished the flames with hand-held fire extinguishers. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front brake line on the passenger side, both brake drums, calipers, pads, and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that later the failure recurred and he needed to replace pads, and calipers on the front passenger side. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not associated with any recalls related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ID

11646543

Incident

Jun 5, 2023

Mileage

145,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was running rough and there was a strong burning smell. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ABS fuse was overheating, was damaging the brake pads and rotors, and was causing the vehicle to overheat. The mechanic advised the contact to remove the ABS fuse, and the contact removed the fuse. The vehicle was later taken to another independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure was related to the ABS module. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ABS module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH and approaching the stop light, the vehicle in front of her vehicle stopped prematurely. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the vehicle decelerated but failed to stop as intended and crashed into the rear of the other vehicle. The contact stated that the ABS and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact hit the right leg shin area against the dashboard and sustained a punctured wound on the leg. The contact also sustained a swollen right leg and back pain. The emergency units physically examined the contact and recommended medical assistance for the right leg injury. The contact later went to urgent care but could not afford the cost of the medical care. The contact then treated the injuries at home. It was unknown whether the other driver sustained injuries. There was no property damage. A police report was filed but the contact did not have the information available. The police determined that it was a no-fault accident. The contact was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hot

NHTSA ID

11646064

Incident

Sep 3, 2022

Mileage

85,000 mi

I was recently driving on the freeway in the #1 lane when my 2013 F150 began to experience a loss of power. While traveling at 70 mph, I noticed that my transmission had shifted and was stuck in 5th gear. I continued to depress the accelerator with no response. I then felt a sudden jolt from the transmission shifting to a lower gear and continued to travel. There was no warning light indicating that the truck was experiencing a malfunction. On Nov 26th I took my truck to an authorized Ford dealership service department who performed a diagnostic test on the transmission who recommended an immediate transmission flush and service, which I scheduled immediately. While on scheduling the repairs to my vehicle I learned that there was a recall on the 2011-2013 Ford F150 trucks. I learned that NHTSA issued a recall on 2/11/2019 and 6/10/19 due to the component failure of the transmissions in those vehicles causing the loss of power while driving. Both of these recalls involved either electrical component failure or mechanical failure of the parts installed in each vehicle that involved the powertrain. I was never notified by the NHTSA or Ford Motor Corporation of the recalls on my vehicle. During a phone conversation with Ford I was told that there is no longer a recall on the 2011-2013 F150. I was also told by a representative of Ford that there is no record of Ford sending me notification of the time of the recall. Here are the recall numbers that I found: 1. 19V075000 2. 19V433000 3. 16V345000 Thank you for your consideration.

NHTSA ID

11627493

Incident

Nov 19, 2024

See complaint on File: 11623520

NHTSA ID

11623991

Incident

Nov 5, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond as intended. The brake pedal traveled to the floorboard and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact shifted the vehicle into neutral and coasted to the side of the road to stop the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the brake master cylinder had no brake fluid. The contact added brake fluid to the brake master cylinder and restarted the vehicle and resumed normal driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the brake master cylinder had no brake fluid, and that the brake fluid had leaked into the brake booster, causing the brake master cylinder and brake booster to fail. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). A case was opened, and the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ID

11623520

Incident

Nov 4, 2024

Mileage

89,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, there was intermittently an abnormal sound; while attempting to switch the vehicle into 4WD the vehicle shuddered. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver’s side wheel hub and bearing assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure still occurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure still occurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer once again where it was diagnosed and determined that the vacuum booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V345000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 148,194.

NHTSA ID

11622308

Incident

Aug 31, 2022

Mileage

148,194 mi