2013 Ford Explorer complaints

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated when he started the vehicle and shifted into drive(D), the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact turned the vehicle off and, on several times, but the power steering functionality failed to return. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence without power steering at approximately 30 MPH. The contact stated that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

On September 2, 2021, I was driving with my young son in the car. I had to pick him up from daycare due to severe weather(High winds and tornado warning in effect). I heard something hit my window, then my sons window, while driving 55 mph on the highway. I looked in the rearview and could'nt tell what it was. I dropped my son off at home with my mother and then noticed the entire A Pilar was missing on my 2013 Ford Explorer. I was shocked to say the least. I waited a few months to get this repair complete due to money restraints. Within those few months I noticed many other vehicles similar to mine by make and model were missing the same piece. Which I thought could no way be just a coincidence. I finally decided to get this eye sore fixed before it caused any more damage to my vehicle. I called my local body shop and they said that piece needs to be replaced by an auto glass shop. So then I thought, this is going to be expensive. I called my local auto body shop. Found out it would be $300 to replace both A pillars because you cant just have one. You need the pair. So I paid that and now that I know this is a known issue with my model vehicle I would expect more investigation or some sort of reimbursement for this.

The SUV will swerve into other lane when it switches gears. Replaced both struts. Odor in the cab. Coolant will not stay and after spending $1000 for repairs, it still cannot be fixed. Cracked head gasket.

Check engine light indicated Fuel injection system leaking on 2013 Ford explorer taken to Ford dealer. Investigated online 2013 Ford explorer have fuel injection leaking problems reported for 2013 Ford explorers

The windshield pillar trim flew off the vehicle traveling 60mph down a highway. It was sudden and loud which was extremely distracting. The windshield pillar trim caused the vehicle behind to swerve. Part of the weather stripping which was attached to windshield pillar trim remained halfway on the vehicle flapping in the wind, scratching the vehicle. Driver had to pull over and remove the flapping piece. The problem has not been reproduced nor inspected. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal scraping noise coming from the rear driver's side tire. The contact stated that he depressed the brake pedal, and the pedal went to the floorboard. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stopped and inspected the vehicle and became aware that the rear passenger’s side brake pad had separated from the caliper. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact went to an auto parts store and purchased new pads, rotors, and calipers and replaced rear brakes. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

Water pump failure, this part has been recalled on most Ford explorers but not mine and I’m unsure why. My water pump has failed and is causing additional damage to hoses and the engine due to overheating. My vehicle overheated on the interstate and was completely drained of water. I had to pay a $400 tow bill and walk over 10 miles home. The water pump started working again and then once again stopped working. This has caused a lot of problems to my safety and well-being, not to mention I have lost my job due to being late for work multiple times due to not having a reliable form of transportation. A quick Internet search has showed me this is a very common issue for my vehicle and I believe Ford should be held responsible for the faulty part.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, she heard a popping sound on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated that when she arrived at her residence, she became aware that the windshield trim panel had detached from the rear windshield and cut the rubber seal around the window. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the driver’s side windshield trim panel was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from both front wheels. The contact stated that it sounded like the tires rubbing on the wheel wells. The contact stated that the check power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the highway into a parking lot and stopped the vehicle and saw the "Service Power Steering Now" light was illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to turn to the right or the left. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact had been advised by Ford Customer Service that there was a recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn intermittently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the radio, entertainment systems, and navigation systems were inoperable during the failure. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic for the repairs due to the vehicle being vandalized and experienced the failure. The independent mechanic was informed of the rack and pinion and electric power steering. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Windshield trim broke off on right side at highway speed on interstate 78 in PA. I'm not aware of it had hit another vehicle or not, heard the noise when it flew off but didn't know what it was until I got home and seen the missing piece.

While I was driving the passenger side panel started to fly off. I pulled over to the side of the road and secured it. My husband placed black tape on it to hold it down until it gets repaired.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist with the power steering assist fault message displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle to correct the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 173,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 70 MPH, the windshield trim panel detached from the windshield. The contact’s husband veered to the side of the road momentarily. The contact’s husband was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the windshield trim panel was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the windshield trim panel on two different occasions. However, the failure persisted. The contact stated that her husband taped the windshield trim panel to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in the recall related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the sunroof failed to close securely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the sunroof motor was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The dealer replaced the sunroof motor a second time in 2019; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the sunroof motor needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that the failure was due to debris intrusion into the sunroof motor. The dealer informed the contact that the sunroof tubes needed to be kept clean to prevent debris from entering the sunroof motor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Leaking water pump at bolt

In October of 2018 while driving on the Interstate, I heard a noise in the area of the passenger windshield. I slowed down as I looked at the windshield and the pillar trim came loose and flew off the car. Fortunately, there was no one behind me and it went into the ditch at the side of the highway. I pulled off as soon as I could and checked the driver side trim, it seemed to be loose as well. I was able to secure it and went to my local dealership where they ordered replacement parts. The repair was $506.54. The same thing happened in December of 2021. So now I have paid twice to have this repair made which, in my opinion, should be a recall. I believe a consumer has a reasonable expectation that parts should remain on the vehicle. Yes, anyone could be hit and harmed by flying car parts. The problem was inspected and repaired by the Don Vance Ford Dealership (both times). There was no warning other that a rattling noise as the pieces came loose.

Windshield trim falling apart and separating from windshield. Noticed this happening approx 2 years ago and has become extremely bad now. I have called local dealership and glass company for replacement part but was told by both there isn't a replacement part and windshield would have to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

At any speed the Explorer would go into "limp Mode"....NO THROTTLE...Terrian Management Error would appear and the wrench sign,,,,,dash lights and terrain knob light would go off....at highway speeds, with no warning, this could be a deadly situation.....taken to our local Ford dealership.....they had no idea what happened....COULD DO NOTHING...after some research we decided to have them replace the THROTTLE BODY, at our "out of pocket" expense.....driven the car three times with no problems.....but after the first time it happened, to my wife, we went like 2 months without a problem...then it happened again...three more times before we took it in......YouTube is full of folks having the same problem....Explorers and F-150 trucks......you can stop and turn the car off...wait about 20 secs and restart...everything was back to normal...TIL THE NEXT TIME.....my Wife refuses to drive the car again til it is FIXED.....I drive it twice a week only....2013 Ford Explorer LTD....V6

While driving on the highway, the windshield driver's side upper pillar molding detached and flew off hitting the side of the rear of my vehicle. I was unaware of what had happened in the moment but was just knew there was a loud bang as if some type of debris hit my vehicle. I later noticed the lower molding had been damaged as well but was still attached to the vehicle. My safety was at risk in that I was startled by the bang and others could have been harmed by the flying trim. A call to the dealer confirmed there were issues with the trim piece but it was not under warranty and no recalls had been issued at the time. It was not physically inspected by anyone at the time. Due to cost, I ordered and installed a replacement upper trim piece but the lower trim remains damaged. No warnings or symptoms were present. It appears the passenger side remains in tact however does not seem as secure as it should.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed in 20-degree weather, the engine was smoking and then overheated. The contact checked under the hood and noticed that the coolant level was low. The contact had previously added additional coolant. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer who informed her about a diagnostic test, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The individual has a 2013 Ford Explorer with two active recalls for rear toe link fracture and reached out to Alton Blakely dealership in Somerset, Kentucky, to have it repaired. However, the dealership refused to repair the vehicle and directed the individual to find another dealership. The reason given was that in the past, they have conducted the repair and left the vehicle in worse shape than before, with the vehicle unable to be appropriately aligned, leading to uneven wear on the tires. The individual is looking to draft a complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the dealership's refusal to repair the vehicle, despite it being a recall repair.

The windshield cover on the driver side flew off while I was driving down the interstate.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 3 MPH, and leaving his driveway, the power steering failed to operate as needed. The contact stopped and turned off and then restarted the vehicle. The vehicle resumed power steering functionality. The contact stated that the "power steering assist" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the power steering assist failure was intermittent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while pulling out a parking lot, the vehicle lost power steering functionality with the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed. On another occasion, the contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the wheel hub needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) or 17E048000 (Wheels, Suspension). The failure mileage was 155,000.

Faulty water pumps causing leakage and eventually seize the engine

Driving down the road and the driver's side windshield trim detached and flew off into traffic at highway speed. The shock of it flying off and into traffic makes it a safety risk. Repair shop person informed me it was a common issue. There was no message indication it was going to detach. Replacement was $200.

The trim piece on the windshield post along the side of the windshield fell off while traveling on a highway. It flew into the air and may have struck another vehicle. We replaced that piece on the drivers side of our car but a few months ago the trim on the passenger side flew off while traveling. This causes a safety problem to other drivers and could cause an accident. The first piece of trim was replaced. The problem has not been reviewed by the manufacturer, police or a insurance representative. There was no warning that this problem was about to occur.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image in the opposite direction of the location. Additionally, the rear-view camera also displayed lines across the image. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the rear-view camera needed to be replaced. The manufacturer advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

2011-2019 Ford Explorer Windshield-Outer Trim Molding Passenger Side With Clips7- molding detached - randomly while driving on the interstate - had to purchase new molding and trim - recently saw the info on the news and felt the need to report - it was scary when it detached and startled me - HAVE RECEIPTS AND PICTURES I SENT TO PARTS COMPANY TO OBTAIN THE RIGHT PART

On July 12, 2021 on I-20 about 25 miles from Atlanta, the front windshield driver's side molding flew off without previous warning. This is on a 2013 Ford Explorer. This was a piece about 3" wide and 2 feet long that flew into the lane behind me and could create a safety issue for drivers behind me. I saw on the newspaper today that 16- other people have report. I did have it replaced at aElders Body Shop at my expense ($307) and they also refastened the right piece which was loose.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side windshield trim detached. Additionally, the driver's side door handle had also detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000.

I've had to replace the windshield trim panel piece three times because they keep flying off.

Rubber weatherstripping around windshield glass is coming off and hitting the windshield. I had the car inspected by Safelite Auto Glass and they said the windshield needs to come out so they can replace all the surrounding parts that are coming off and they will also have to replace the windshield, since it will probably break when they take it out. It will cost $759.67 to repair. Insurance will only cover it if there is a chip in the windshield the size of a dollar bill. I understand you are already investigating this problem and I need to know if you are going to recall my car before something worse happens. I don't want to have an accident because windshield parts are flying off my car and hitting others.

Passenger side windshield trim panel flew off and hit another vehicle after it bounced off the road. I replaced the trim parts for about $65. It appears that the seal and then the plastic retaining clips failed to secure the trim panel.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was a loud sound outside the vehicle, and an airborne object was seen on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated it was later discovered that the driver’s side front windshield trim panel had detached from the vehicle. The contact purchased the replacement part from the dealer and the dealer replaced the part. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Windshield left pillar seal came loose at highway speed.started flapping and making loud noise.distraced me for few minutes till discovered source. No accident .seal stayed on car . Only came half way loose.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the front windshield detached from the vehicle. The contact was able to stop on the side of the road safely. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic stated that the clips holding the glass were not functioning correctly. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 91,000. The VIN was not available.

Drivers side windshield trim panel detached and flew off which driving.

MY WINDSHIELD TRIM ON BOTH SIDES OF MY WINDSHIELD KEEP FLYING OFF!!!! FORD DEALERS SAY THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BUT YET I DRIVE AROUND TOWN AND SEE PLENTY OF FORD EXPLORERS WITH THEM MISSING!!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS. IVE BOUGHT REPLACEMENT PARTS THAT WILL NOT EVEN STAY ON!!

Reverse Parking Camera goes blank when backing up intermitently or does not work unless you shut the vehicle down multiple times

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel suddenly became very difficult to turn in either direction, with a creaking sound coming from the steering column. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column and rack and pinion were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 120,000.

The windshield trim panels flew off while driving on the highway.

Three times, we have had to replace the front windshield pillar trim…twice is flew off during driving on the Interstate. It seems the weatherstripping peels back first and started flapping in the wind, and then the pillar trim rips off.

Our Ford Explorer has had some of the trim around the windshield panels detach while driving on the interstate. The first time it happened, it was severe, making a noise on our windshield and flying off towards the car behind us. We actually had to pull over to check to see if the windshield was still intact enough to continue driving. We went to the next exit, got some glue and gasket trimming and tried to repair/fix the part that was gone. We continued to worry about traveling on highways because that is when more and more of it seemed to detach or come loose. Windshield/glass replacement people said they couldn't replace those gaskets. The replacement had to come from the dealer. The dealer wouldn't replace the gasket or trimmings. They said there was no replacement part by FORD that would do that. Our insurance would NOT help us and declared they couldn't do anything unless the windshield itself came off or was broken. We have continued to just glue and try to repair these parts that are coming off. We are thankful that NHTSA is investigating this in other Explorers. It is a dangerous situation that we have sought help for- but to no avail. Pic 1 &2 shows the side that has no gasket left at all and trim is loose. Pic 3-7 shows the remaining gasket & trim is loose, flapping, and glued down in some places to keep it intact.

I saw issues with trim coming off of Ford Explorers. This has happened to us now, twice. There is a rubber section adjacent to the windshield that flew off of our car while driving down the highway. There had been no known issues with it at the time it happened. We had it repaired only to have it happen again within 6 months of replacing the original trim.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the backup camera failed to work as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved DTC codes: B141B and BNR B141C. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.

Power steering assist fault multiple times over the past six months. Problem went away after shutting vehicle off and restarting. Yesterday the PS assist failed again while driving and light came on. Took the vehicle to Palm Coast Ford in Palm Coast, FL where I was told the PS system needs replaced at $2200. Vehicle shows no recalls even though the problem is clearly common among owners. Parts on order and will be repaired next week at my expense. How does the manufacturer get away without paying for such a common problem with so many complaints filed on this site?