10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
8 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
21 / 0
Average Mileage:
36,237 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2013 Ford Explorer:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #319

Oct 012024

Explorer

  • miles
Check engine light goes on and off. May stay on a day or 2 but goes back off. When I get it checked no mechanic seems to know why. Same with the check charging system light that comes on. Also, the trim on the outside kept coming out, hitting my passenger side window and cracking it. It has completely come off 2 days ago. Rain is getting in my car. Back tires keep losing air. There was an issue with getting an alignment due to incorrect hardware and wiring. There is a safety recall for this.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #318

Apr 012025

Explorer

  • miles
The camera in the console is reflecting everything backward. If I am backing into a parking stall, everything on my left appears on the right and vise versa. I don't rely on it but it is unsafe

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #317

May 082025

Explorer

  • miles
The backup camera works for a couple seconds then goes to a all black screen

- Danville, PA, USA

problem #316

Mar 152023

Explorer

  • miles
The backup camera on this vehicle stopped working correctly a while back. The image usually is shown mirror... so everything left-right is flipped which causes confusion for the driver. Other times the screen goes completely blank/black. Both of these create a safety issue when backing up, for cross traffic and pedestrians. This is issue just suddenly started one day. I asked the Ford dealer about it and being outside of the warranty period, there wasn't anything they could do. I can pay to replace the camera, but others reported doing that and the same problem came back later. I see now that Ford as active recalls for the same problem - but only for more recent model year vehicles.

- Mechanicsburg, PA, USA

problem #315

Mar 112025

Explorer

  • miles
Bad welding on the top left hinge of the liftgate allowed a crack to form over time. The crack exposed metal which allowed rust to form and leaks from rain water. This excess build up of water also allowed paint chipping and additional rust along the entirety of the crack and rear tray. This was discovered after some time, due to not being immediately visible from the rear of the car.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #314

Mar 022025

Explorer

  • miles
Water leaking from ceiling

- Byron, MN, USA

problem #313

Oct 152023

Explorer

  • miles
My 2013 Ford Explorer has a safety recall notice 24S02 that I received in the mail Feb 2024. Since getting the recall notice in the mail, I have tried numerous times over the past year with my Ford dealership in Glen Burnie, MD to get this recall taken care of. Every time I call, they keep saying they don-??t have the parts and I am on the list for when parts come in they will call me etc-??. Even before the recall was issued, in Oct 2023 I had the driver side molding and trim come off my vehicle. My husband and I were driving, heard something snap, had no idea what it was only when we parked the vehicle, we noticed the molding and trim on the driver side of my explorer had flown off on the road somewhere. I am thankful there were no accidents that happened. I did get the driver side molding and trim replaced and paid out of my own pocket to get this fixed. For all the parts $237.43 was the total (receipt is uploaded) and I am still waiting to be reimbursed for this since this recall. I will be uploading pictures of the molding and trim that came off my driver side (pic uploaded Oct 2023 when trim/molding came off) and when I paid for it to be fixed (receipt uploaded Oct 2023). I am also sending a recent picture of my passenger side trim (pic uploaded of passenger side gasket started to come off) because the gasket is falling apart and flying off into the air, which looks as if the trim and molding will eventually fly off as well since this is the safety recall. I need help in getting this safety recall fixed and also reimbursed for the other side molding and trim that I had to pay for. I feel as if I am getting the run around with my dealership and wanted to bring this to your attention. I am selecting the time of incident occurring [XXX] because this is the time of the 1st incident that occurred. Thank you for your time. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #312

Jan 302024

Explorer

  • miles
Rear view camera malfunction. Goes blank or gives a distorted image. Sometimes it gives a reverse image. Needs replaced. Could cause a crash or vehicular accident.

- Headland, AL, USA

problem #311

Jan 152025

Explorer

  • miles
With the vehicle on, will sometimes get simultaneous warnings for "Hill Descent Control Fault" and "Service AdvanceTrac" along with 3 warnings/flags (ABS, Service AdvanceTrac, and Service AdvanceTrac OFF). Additionally, the instrument cluster/display will occasionally (less often) reset while the vehicle is still on and driving.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #310

Apr 172024

Explorer

  • miles
Passenger side windshield pillar flew off of the vehicle while traveling on [XXX] in Williamsburg, Virginia. Pillar flew between my vehicle and other vehicles beside me and behind me. This was in mid-April 2024. The vehicle was inspected in June/July 2024 by Ford Motor Company, Cavalier Ford, Chesapeake, Virginia 23321 and I have been waiting ever since for the replacement part to come in. Also, all seals around doors and windshield have dry rotted and/or fallen off of the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Portsmouth, VA, USA

problem #309

Nov 262024

Explorer

  • miles
Our steering wheel locked when we were about to leave our destination and drive back an hour to go home.

- Grant Park, IL, USA

problem #308

Aug 022024

Explorer

  • miles
The A Pillar failed on my vehicle while driving on the interstate. When it failed, it wrapped around my side passenger mirror and broke a piece off of the body of the mirror housing. Ford not only has not repaired the A Pillar in a timely manner, but they refuse to cover the passenger side mirror that the failed product damaged. The incident happened in early August 2024. I opened an escalated ticket with Ford, who promised that a representative would contact me by phone within 1 business day and that was October 14th, and no one has contacted me to this date. I was notified of the recall back in January. Why has Ford not made any progress on making the parts available for this recall repair?

- Mebane, NC, USA

problem #307

Jul 102024

Explorer

  • miles
The side pillar of my windshield flew off on the freeway and probably hit another car this was very dangerous and now I'm missing a piece of my car. This recall need to be fixed asap

- Spring, TX, USA

problem #306

Apr 012024

Explorer

  • miles
I have been waiting patiently for the recall (24S02/24V031) to be completed for my vehicle as it has been over 6 months since I received a letter. I have called the dealership several times, and they are waiting on Ford to deliver the parts to the dealership to make the repair. I am worried that this issue may get worse if it is not completed soon. What can you help me with to get this issue resolved quickly? When there is very high wind, I am worried that the parts will come off and break my side windows.

- Winston, GA, USA

problem #305

Sep 022024

Explorer

  • miles
When I was driving suddenly vehicle shakes and gas/acceleration paddle stopped working middle of the road. I pulled my car side of the road, put it in park and turn off vehicle and start it back on gas/acceleration paddle work again. Problem is this happened several times last few weeks.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #304

Jan 012018

Explorer

  • miles
Still waiting on the recall from February 2024. Regarding exterior A-pillar trim clip attachment. Parts are barely hanging on around my windshield. I need my windshield replaced but i feel I can't until the recall trim is complete. Is there any updates or time-frame as to when this recall will be completed?

- Vernal, UT, USA

problem #303

Jan 122024

Explorer

  • miles
Both exterior trim (that are connected to the windscreen) have detached and flown off the vehicle. The first one came of during high winds while driving several months ago. The other other one subsequently cam off in a similar fashion while I was driving on the highway. I initially contacted my insurance company but the out of pocket expense was more than I could afford. I then discovered there was a recall but attempts to get it fixed at the Ford Motor Company has not been successful. They report that they have not received the parts or released by the company to deal with the recall. Can you please advise?

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #302

Jul 032024

Explorer

  • miles
Mechanic informed me that there is a recall on the rear toe link, but it is not showing up for my car. I am on my 2nd set of rear tires in two months. When driving in Rain I have almost lost control of my steering many times when I drive over even a splash of water. My local ford dealership will not honor the recall because my VIN is not on the list.

- Conneautville, PA, USA

problem #301

Oct 302022

Explorer

  • 109,925 miles
I own a 2013 Ford Explorer. While driving in the rain exiting the freeway at approximate speed of 25 MPH the steering wheel seemed to lock up and then was extremely difficult to steer, making it impossible to maneuver the vehicle causing me to hydroplane across several lanes until I crashed into a mature bush. Causing damage to my radiator. I have not taken it to the dealer and have only shopped around for independent mechanics. I am not sure of the extent of other damage. I just became aware that this is a similar problem for other owners. The car is currently undrivable and is going to cost me a large amount of money - now the registration has lapsed (cannot smog) and I have DMV fees to. This was a solo car accident and no other people were in my vehicle at the time. I saw the recall notice (recently) on NHTSA but my VIN number is not included. I have not contacted anyone yet regarding this - I am already have trouble with FORD regarding covered repairs and being charged for a rental car (that was supposed to be included) Not sure what to do! Now i am making payments on a vehicle that i cannot drive and i cannot afford to purchase another one.

- Santa Clara, CA, USA

problem #300

May 052024

Explorer

  • miles
While driving at highway speeds, I heard a rattling sound twice and then noticed something flew off of my car. I couldn't tell what at the time. When I was able to look later, the driver's side front a-pillar (which I was recently informed has a recall on it) was gone. This had then become a hazard in the road for other driver's. No remedy for the recall is available at this time. There was no warning lights or alarms at the time.

- Windsor, CO, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »