FORD F-550 · model year

2013 FORD F-550

6 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013FORDF-550 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2013 F-550 is engine with 2 filings, followed by steering (1) and wheels (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2013 F-550, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE2
STEERING1
WHEELS1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (1)

14V49800013/08/2014

EQUIPMENT

PJ's Truck Bodies & Equipment Co., (PJ's) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis modified by PJ's and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket coveri

Recent Complaints

20250603FireENGINE

At 05:58 this morning the garage received a phone call from Roadside assistance regarding a vehicle fire on the unit. Spoke with the operator to verify his safety and inquire as to what happened. He stated he was driving down highway 99 at approx.70mph when he heard a loud pop, reduce engine power light came on, low fuel pressure light came on, smelled diesel, then unit caught fire before he could get pulled off.

20241226ENGINE

Operator was driving the vehicle when they smelled fuel. Operator immediately pulled over and found fuel leaking from the secondary fuel filter. I also have a video of the leaking filter but can not attach here.

20230619UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Entry/exit steps failed. While exiting the coach, the entry/exit steps collapsed. I almost fell out of the coach while exiting.

20151223FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

REPLACE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES?

Mileage: 33,000

20130930WHEELS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD F550 WITH RICKSON WHEELS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, PART OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE WELDING OF THE WHEEL WAS IMPROPERLY CONSTRUCTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE WHEELS WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

Mileage: 8,000

20130509STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD THOR DAYBREAK RV EQUIPPED WITH A 2013 FORD MH STRIPPED CHASSIS (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WANDER OUT OF THE TRAVELED LANE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DROVE WITH CAUTION AT A LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A LOOSE STEERING SHIFT CLAMP BOLT. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REALIGNED AND THE BOLT WAS TIGHTENED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100.

Mileage: 1,100

Compare 2013FORDF-550 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 FORD F-550 have?
The 2013 FORD F-550 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2013 FORD F-550?
Yes, the 2013 FORD F-550 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 FORD F-550?
The most-complained component for the 2013 FORD F-550 is ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and WHEELS.
Is the 2013 FORD F-550 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.