YearToAvoid

2013 Ford F-150 HVAC Problems

NHTSA lists 21 HVAC complaints for the 2013 Ford F-150, about 1% of its 2,981 total complaints for the year. The dominant issue is the rear window defroster causing the rear window to shatter, at a median mileage of 74,500. No related recalls are listed.

HVAC complaints
21
1% of 2,981
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
74,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical HVAC symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the rear window shattering or cracking shortly after activating the rear defroster, often accompanied by a loud banging or popping sound.
  • Some describe the shattering happening while parked, idling, or driving at low speed, with no impact or warning beforehand.
  • Several owners had dealers or glass shops attribute the failure to the rear defroster heating element overheating the glass.
  • One owner reported the heater unexpectedly kicking out of recirculation mode after several minutes, pulling outside exhaust fumes into the cabin.
  • Failures were reported across a range of mileages, with one incident occurring as early as 3,000 miles and others near or above 100,000 miles.

When 2013 Ford F-150 HVAC complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 1, 2015, latest Mar 10, 2023.

2013 Ford F-150 hvac complaints: complaints filed per month3Apr 2015Jan 2017Mar 2017Oct 2018Jan 2019Nov 2019Oct 2021Dec 2022
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2015 to Mar 2023; peak Dec 2018 (3).

HVAC recalls for the 2013 Ford F-150

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

HVAC complaints by F-150 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20051 (0%)
  2. 20061 (0%)
  3. 20071 (0%)
  4. 20084 (1%)
  5. 20090 (0%)
  6. 201030 (4%)
  7. 201123 (1%)
  8. 201217 (1%)
  9. 201321 (1%)
  10. 201422 (1%)
  11. 20151 (0%)
  12. 201610 (0%)
  13. 20174 (0%)
  14. 20187 (0%)
  15. 20193 (0%)
  16. 20202 (0%)
  17. 20211 (0%)
  18. 20220 (0%)
  19. 20233 (1%)
  20. 20240 (0%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Ford F-150 have an HVAC recall?
No. NHTSA's data for this page lists no related recalls for the 2013 F-150 HVAC system.
How common are HVAC complaints on the 2013 F-150?
NHTSA shows 21 HVAC complaints for the 2013 F-150, about 1% of the 2,981 total complaints filed for that model year.
What is the main HVAC problem reported on the 2013 F-150?
The majority of sample complaints describe the rear window shattering after the rear defroster is activated, with a median failure mileage of 74,500.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these HVAC complaints?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries among the 21 HVAC complaints for the 2013 F-150.
How does the 2013 F-150 compare to other years for HVAC complaints?
The 2013 F-150 had 21 HVAC complaints (1% share), similar to 2011 (23, 1%), 2012 (17, 1%), and 2014 (22, 1%), but fewer than 2010's 30 complaints (4% share).

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.