2013 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 2,234 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 44 involved a crash and 11 involved a fire. 61 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, body, roof and pillarsJan 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Campaign 24V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearSep 22, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. These vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S43.
Campaign 21V746000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJul 15, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Campaign 21V537000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearMar 12, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Campaign 20V675000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJun 10, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Campaign 19V435000 on NHTSA.gov
Wheels, hubAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 17E048000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineDec 2, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 13S04-S1.
Campaign 15V812000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, doorMar 24, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S11.
Campaign 15V171000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemMay 29, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist.
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist it will require extra steering effort at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, its steering rack assembly will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S06.
Campaign 14V286000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkagesJun 26, 2013
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured November 29, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, with sufficient door openings and closings, the child safety locks may change from an activated position to a deactivated position without notice.
If the child lock is deactivated, the door could be unlocked and opened from the inside which could lead to personal injury to an unrestrained child.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the safety locks. If necessary, the locks will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S07. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 13V270000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineMay 31, 2013
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.
Campaign 13V227000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyMar 27, 2013
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and model year 2013 Explorer vehicles manufactured July 19, 2011, through March 15, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the fuel tanks may have a marginally sealed seam in the side of the tank. As a result, the fuel tanks may not provide the expected strength in the event of an impact. The tanks may also leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tanks and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2013. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S03. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 13V109000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
2,234 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Engine, Visibility/wiper, Jan 13, 2023
The sunroof motor burned out due to water intrusion from clogged drains. Water also pooled in the passenger side floorboard and soaked the carpet from faulty drains. Cracks in the manufacturer's seam sealer at welds cracked at the back tailgate and leaked all down into the carpet and floorboard below the cargo area. This is a huge issue for those of us to are extremely sensitive to mold and mildew. It can also cause severe corrosion to other components of the car. I have reported it to the company and the dealer and they say that it is not their issue. In fact, they accused me of trying to weld or caulk the cracks. The vehicle has been inspected by Ford mechanics. There were no warnings of any kind. I discovered the burnt sunroof motor due to the sunroof not closing. Had to scramble to find someone to remedy the problem. I've investigated these issues and there are several customers with these exact same problems on Ford vehicles from 2011 - 2019. There should be several recalls concerning these issues.
Steering, Jan 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the power steering assist failure warning message appeared on the instrument panel and the vehicle lost power steering assist functionality. On both occasions, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and resume normal driving. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) which she linked to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Engine, Jan 4, 2023
WATER PUMP! WATER PUMP! WATER PUMP! The same exact issue with every other Ford Explorer that they knew about when coming off the assembly lines and not doing anything to be held accountable. As the Millions of Americans get screwed over because we have to now pay Minimum $2K to have it repaired. Canada has them as a recall, why not USA ? Absolutely Ridiculous on FORD to get away with this.
Steering, Jan 2, 2023
Vehicle Lost Power Steering while driving to drop my kids off at school, lets talk about heart dropping! Became extremely hard to turn the wheel! Thankfully made it home, where it just sits with the service power steering light on along with service Advancetrac. Called the ford dealership in ottawa kansas where we bought this Car February 2019, they said there was no recalls, completely no help. Just let us know it would cost close to $4,000 to fix! As in other complaints it sounds alot like recall from 2014 14V-286, however when I put my vin in shows up as no recalls found for the 2013 ford explorer. The amount of complaints for the steering on this vehicle, please open a investigation in this. Before someone gets seriously hurt.
Steering, Dec 29, 2022
So my 2013 Ford Explorer XLT Steering locked up while I was driving lucky I did not crash but did had to use a lot of force to turn wheel to get to side of the road had car towed to ford dealership they said sorry it's not a recall but yet I've seen and read a lot of complaints but nothing as far as a recall I ended up paying a lot of money to fix it please someone put a recall on that Steering before someone gets hurt and so I can get my money back
Steering, Dec 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure nearly caused a collision. The local dealer and a second dealer, Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln (1316 Price Ln, Clinton, MO 64735) were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Steering, Dec 22, 2022
Power steering went out. POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. error is on car.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle overheated. The check engine warning light and the coolant temperature warning light were illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle until the engine cooled down. The contact continued to drive. Additionally, the contact noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the contact was not offered assistance because the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,500.
Steering, Dec 15, 2022
Vehicle lost power steering while driving. Vehicle indicates power steering assist fault. Vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership. My 17 year old son was driving the vehicle at the time of the malfunction with several passengers in the vehicle. Thankfully he was able to maintain control of the vehicle, but a power steering failure and lower experienced driver could have easily resulted in an motor vehicle accident and injuries. The dealership has confirmed that this was the failure of the steering gear, a known issue with many 2013 Ford Explorers. A search of my VIN indicates that it was not part of a recall, but vehicle presents with the same problems as described in NHTSA Recall 14V-286 issued in 2014. There were no previous indicators of this failure prior to the time of the event.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. and the vehicle lost motive power shortly after. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine and water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and was then towed back to the residence. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was offered a trade-in. The approximate failure mileage was 118,500.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. Additionally, coolant was discovered leaking from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Power train, Nov 22, 2022
The PTU (Power Transfer Unit) was engineered without a drain plug and described by Ford as "Maintenance Free" for the life of the vehicle. Due to the close proximity of the PTU to hot exhaust components, small fluid capacity, and no recommendation by Ford to be serviced for the life of the vehicle, my PTU started failing within warranty under 50,000 miles. The propane smell within the cab of the vehicle is a tell tale of the PTU fluid breaking down under severe heat conditions, spewing out of the vent and flashing on the surrounding exhaust components. This was not diagnosed at that time by my local Ford dealer, so the problem continued until the PTU finally failed out of warranty at approximately 71,000 miles. Research confirmed that this PTU design failure has been recognized by Ford and that it can lead to a complete failure while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control and risk to lives. Recognition by Ford of this problem in the 2013 model year Explorer is self evident, as later model years incorporated air dams to direct air to flow over the PTU to help with cooling, and incorporated drain plugs and recommended service intervals to properly service the PTU. There have been thousands of premature PTU failures in Ford vehicles, but Ford has not yet issued a recall or replacement PUT's with a drain plug for serviceability for my 2013 model year. My PTU had to be replaced at my cost with another non-serviceable PTU, that will no doubt fail prematurely. I am concerned that my vehicle could pose risk to my family's safety in the future, because the repair that was done by my Ford dealer is not a long term, complete solution.
Steering, Nov 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds when the power steering would suddenly fail to make it difficult to maneuver the vehicle and or seize complete movement. The contact stated that when the failure occurred they would park the vehicle and maneuver the steering wheel until they were able to gain control. The contact had made an appointment with the dealer but not taken the vehicle to be diagnosed as of yet. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while having routine maintenance performed on the vehicle, the mechanic noticed there was no coolant in the reservoir and the water pump was leaking. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Steering, Nov 8, 2022
I was driving the kids to school and the power steering assist light came on and then the steering went and the vehicle became very hard to steer. I called Ford twice and spoke to two different representatives who said because my vehicle was not built between May 17, 2010 and February 28, 2012 there was nothing they could do, upon looking at the over 1500 complaints on this website over 620 are for this same issue with 2013 explorers built just outside of the above dates. Does there have to be injury, fatality or fire before this is addressed.
Engine, Nov 7, 2022
Water pump leak after 123000 miles. Antifreeze got in engine and may have damaged the engine. No warning given. Found anti freeze under vehicle in garage. Ford website expects water pump to last 150K miles. Had to have vehicle towed to repair shop. Estimate around $3k to repair. Read on Ford forums of many folks having similar experience. Why no recall on these issues?
Steering, Electrical system, Nov 7, 2022
Every now and then, the "Power Steering Assist Fault" light would come one, usually once I parked or when I first started the car. When I would turn off the car and restart, the light would no longer be on and there were no power steering problems. This went on for a month or two. It seemed like it was just a faulty warning light. Then one day while at my daughters school, thankfully, I was parked, my "Power Steering Assist Fault" light came on and power steering no longer works. The car is extremely difficult to turn and is not safe to drive.
Other or unspecified, Nov 5, 2022
I have owned this car since 2013 - since it was new. For the 2nd time, I am getting messages saying "switch to park" when I put the car in park. The first time was in 2017 after about 48000 miles. When I took it to the dealer they replaced a part of the transmission. Now again it is happening in 2022 at almost 72000 miles. Obviously the replacement part is just as bad as the original - probably worse since the 2nd time it only lasted about 24000 miles. I now have had to pay to replace a part of the transmission 2 times. Is this a message I could have ignored? Is it only a faulty sensor? Or is the transmission really not in park? Who knows what else it wrong with the transmission. If you google "switch to park ford explorer" you will see that there are many many others with the same problem. Even the dealer's service person when I brought it in to be fixed a 2nd time said they see this problem a lot. I have bought and driven Fords for the last 40 years - usually past 100000 miles each - and have never had this problem occur.
Steering, Nov 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH, the steering wheel became significantly difficult to steer. Additionally, there was an abnormally strong burning odor coming through the A/C vents. The contact stated that she lost control of the steering wheel and the vehicle veered towards the opposite lane of traffic. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped. The contact then contacted the Highway Patrol who drove the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that the power steering assist fault message was displayed with another unknown message. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was then towed to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering motor and electrical wiring had experienced an electrical short. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. A case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Oct 27, 2022
This vehicle has had recurring instances of failed power steering. It will happen at low speeds where the power steering malfunctions and does not work until the car is shut off and turned back on. This can be especially dangerous when driving near other people or cars when we experience loss of control. Thankfully no collisions have occurred yet but it’s is an issue that has been recurring. There was a recall set out for electrical power steering failure - #14V286000. Unfortunately this recall only affects 2011-2013 FORD Explorers up until Feb 28, 2012 while this one was made Mar 7, 2012 (just a week outside of the recall). This was frustrating because the vehicle is experiencing every symptom that the recall #14V286000 states it fixes.
Steering, Oct 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel failed to operate as needed. The power steering assist message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact notified the dealer of the failure and was informed that there was no open recall on the vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed him that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Steering, Lane departure, Oct 24, 2022
Driving on I95 South in Daytona Beach, Florida during crowded weekend event traffic, the lane assist malfunctioned, would not turn on and then immediately experienced power steering failure. Both warning and failure lights illuminated on the dashboard. The power steering is electric and turning the wheel was near impossible. I had 4 occupants in the vehicle and almost caused a very severe accident crossing lanes of traffic to attempt to reach the shoulder. It is near impossible to turn the wheel and although the car is driveable, its not steerable. Found out that the NHSTA campaign # 14V286000 describes the same issue as I have. Ford recall #14S06 is that recall but the issue I now have is my vehicle was built 1 day after the recall parameters. The car is sitting unable to be safely operated, and I'm asking for NHSTA to extend the dates of original recall from February to March to include this vehicle in the existing recall for the necessary repairs.
Steering, Oct 15, 2022
The 2013 Ford Explorer power steering stopped working at 89,100 miles. The mechanic we took it to said this should be a recall. Mechanic provided me with recall 14S06, which describes my problem. I called ford and the vin didn’t come up as in this recall. I think it needs to be added to the recall, Mechanic says steering rack needs to be replaced. Lots of people have same problem it’s not safe and too expensive. We bought this car brand new and it can’t even steer after less than 90k miles. I hope others complain
Engine, Oct 8, 2022
The water pump failed and left my family stranded in northern New Mexico. This issue overheats the engine making the vehicle un-drivable. Super dangerous and apparently very common in ford explorers.
Steering, Sep 30, 2022
The contact's wife owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was pulling into the driveway, the steering wheel locked inadvertently. A message indicating a power steering system failure was displayed. The contact's wife parked and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted upon starting the vehicle the next day. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.