FordE-2502013Overview/ford/e-250/2013/base/
250 platform

2013 Ford E-250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 E.

Body VAN

The 2013 Ford E-250 is a full-size van riding on the 250 platform, serviced with 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil. This model year accumulated 19 owner complaints—centered on the Power Train—and six recalls, placing it in the middle-to-upper range of the model’s historical reliability spread. Against the 1990–2023 timeline that spans from a low of one complaint to the 1998 peak of twenty-eight, the 2013 edition sits as a moderately troubled vintage that warrants careful inspection rather than the confidence reserved for the earliest, quietest years.

Model year20172016201520142013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque140-150 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT225-75R16EOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height63.8 in
Wheelbase104.3 in
Curb weight3858 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140-150 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 10.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity13.9
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity8 Pints
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-20 · API

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket258.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle98.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket98.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts140-150 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.043-0.047 in
Spark Plug Torque10.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-195 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)55-60
RPM55-60 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na ohms
Engine Oil Pressure20-45 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs / 45 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle195 ft-lbs / 166 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.511 in / 1.354 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
117 ft. lbs. Step 2: 32 ft. lbs., Step 3: 10517 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: loosen one turn 37 ft. lbs. step 3: 9089 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166 ft. lbs., step 2: loosen one turn 37 ft. lbs., step 3: 9066 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts with the specified engine oil.

130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5915 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1install 8 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.5 ft. lbs., Step 2: 181.5 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAir Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Air Conditioning Refrigerant Line (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (repack)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 150,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2013 Ford E-250 sits near the tail end of this generation's active recall period, with 10 recalls — a figure that had been declining steadily from a peak of 30 in 2006 but had not yet reached the near-zero levels seen by 2016. Complaints, however, ticked up to 11, matching the highest levels in the dataset (tied with 2005 and 2006) and rising from 8 in 2012 before dropping back to 7 in 2014, making 2013 a modest outlier on the complaint front. The complaint concentration is split evenly between Power Train and Engine (4 each), with one crash complaint reported and zero fire complaints; the federal data does not specify root causes for these issues. TSB coverage at 29 is consistent with surrounding years (26–29), indicating no unusual surge in service advisories. In the context of the generation arc, 2013 represents a year where Ford's recall remediation was winding down but complaint volume had not yet settled — a transition point rather than a clear improvement. **Takeaway:** 2013 is a passable but not standout year; if you're shopping this generation, the 2014 or later models with fewer complaints and comparable or fewer recalls offer a marginally cleaner ownership profile for minimal additional cost.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
23
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
19
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 19 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train4
Engine4
Unknown Or Other3
Power Train,Electrical System,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control1
Power Train,Engine1
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Steering,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V097000Fuel System, Other:StorageReported 04/03/2014

Landi Renzo USA is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, and E-350 vehicles modified January 2, 2011, through February 24, 2014 to operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). In the affected vehicles… Remedy: Landi Renzo USA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the side arm brackets, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2014. Owners may…

14V584000Equipment Adaptive/MobilityReported 23/09/2014

National Van Builders, Inc. (National Van) is recalling certain 2007-2014 Ford E-150 and E-250 vehicles manufactured February 26, 2007, to August 19, 2014, and equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010… Remedy: National Van will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 23 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 530402024-10-10Unknown Or OtherWhile performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
SSM 518492023-08-08Power TrainVarious 2013-2019 vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)…
SSM 481302019-08-09VisibilitySome 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific E. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 E take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 E have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.