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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
42,932 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Ford Explorer electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 3 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #88

Mar 142019

Explorer

  • 69,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Paint bubbling on aluminum surfaces hood and door skins, referred back to dealer who repaints and reoccurs until out of warrantee. Steering failure intermittent accutrac control requiring towing and computer reset. Can fail while driving resulting in no or difficult steering. Multiple times reset no charge. Estimate to repair $2500

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #87

Sep 162019

Explorer

  • 0 miles
Smell of smoke, and tapping noise prior to fire. Smoke came from near the center console between driver and passenger seat. Fire started. Made a complaint prior about smell of smoke and noise.

- Hollywood, SC, USA

problem #86

Jul 152019

Explorer

  • 99,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. While the vehicle was parked in the garage, multiple warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel and flashed different colors. Also, the information screen on the right side of the dashboard turned black. There were no warning indicators illuminated. On September 6, 2019, the ignition failed to start. The contact also stated that the door latches would open and close multiple times. The vehicle was unable to be driven and was towed to jim click Ford Lincoln (located at 6244 E 22nd St, tucson, AZ 85711, (866) 787-4416). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 99,000.

- Benson, AZ, USA

problem #85

May 302019

Explorer

  • 158,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the ignition switch failed three months ago. Also, while in a parking lot driving 12 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and failed to shift out of gears. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000.

- Highland Village, TX, USA

problem #84

Jun 292019

Explorer

  • miles
The steering became so bad it was not safe to drive and could easily have caused a bad accident. I did not let my wife drive it. Local auto repair shop said it is an electrical issue in the steering so I drove it unsafely to Ford dealer who told us it is an issue with the steering gear. This should not happen in a 2013 vehicle with a little over 100K miles

- Millersburg, OH, USA

problem #83

May 012019

Explorer

  • 50,000 miles
The "door ajar" warning continues to appear after driver door is shut. Once the car is in motion and comes to a stop, the warning will audibly beep and display a message to shift to park, thus distracting the driver. The warning prevents the dome lights was shutting off until the car is in motion. All of which is a drain on the car battery. Issue appears to be a faulty car door sensor. I've cleaned it, but it only offered a temporary fix.

- Olathe, KS, USA

problem #82

May 282019

Explorer

  • 93,906 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This dealing with the my sync (myford touch). The system will will cause the screen to go black, it also will cause the A/C & heater, navigation, and radio to stop working. This happens while the vehicle is moving. To restore the system you have to pull over and reboot the system by turning off the vehicle. I just recieved a customer satisfaction program alert for Ford on 5/25/2019. Dealer will not repair because they clam that the program has expired. But I can have the repair done for the cost $1200

- Shreveport, LA, USA

problem #81

Jun 232019

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
When I shift it to park. It doesn't recognize it and when you turn of the car. A sign comes up on the dash screen saying 'shift into park'. and it drains your battery because the system is waiting for you to shift it. Also you can't use the factory remote start.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #80

Jun 012019

Explorer

  • miles
The back up camera just started working sometimes and sometimes when we go in reverse it will come on then go away and says to contact dealership. This issue just started.

- Huntington, WV, USA

problem #79

May 082019

Explorer

  • 127,000 miles
Vehicle experiencing intermittent engine shut off under all driving conditons which exhibits a serious and dangerous situation when the vehicle abrubtly loses total power while driving. This has recently been an issue in the past two weeks while my wife and kids were driving on the freeway at 70 mph in traffic. Vehicle started back up once the ignition was turned completely off and waited a few minutes to start the vehicle back up. This scenario occurred on the freeway, in town driving and while stopped at traffic light. Contacted local Ford dealership and all they said was to bring it in. I had a mechanic check it out and he was unable to retrieve any engine codes while running an ECU scan. There are several complaints noted online with other Ford Explorer owners who have attributed it to a "terrain management" fault. This is the same diagnosis my local mechanic came up with. This results in the engine control module to receive a throttle position in the wide open indication causing the vehicle to shut off. The vehicle is currently being operated in oahu, Hawaii. I am currently deployed to the middle East so I am very concerned for the safety of my family while this is the only mode of transportation available to them.

- Apo, AP, USA

problem #78

Nov 012018

Explorer

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. During inclement weather (heavy rain), water affected the electronic components in the vehicle. Bowditch Ford (757-595-2211, located at 11291 jefferson ave, newport news, va 23601) kept the vehicle for several days for diagnostic testing. The dealer did not provide an update on the status and the vehicle was not repaired. A second dealer (hall Ford newport news, (877) 398-2216, located at 12896 jefferson ave, newport news, va 23608) diagnosed that the water short circuited the switches and the sun roof motor failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

- New Port News, VA, USA

problem #77

Apr 162019

Explorer

  • 106,000 miles
Power steering assist fault. Causing loss of power steering almost causing a accident was able to pull to side of road unable to steer the vehicle. Others have had this and some recalled but not all. This recall needs to be extended before someone dies. City street. I can't imagine being on a freeway in phoenix when this happened.

- Payson, AZ, USA

problem #76

Apr 162019

Explorer

  • 106,000 miles
Power steering assist came on as I was driving and lost steering. Very dangerous

- Payson, AZ, USA

problem #75

Mar 162019

Explorer

  • 91,887 miles
Power steering down. Warning massage said 'power steering assist fault' 'service advance trac' 'terrain management system fault'. it is too hard to steer. Control module internal failure, codes U3000-49, U3000-96, U3000-71.

- Ridgewood, NJ, USA

problem #74

Jan 032019

Explorer

  • 81,500 miles
While driving my vehicle at a slow speed my steering wheel locked up.

- Wildwood, FL, USA

problem #73

Nov 022018

Explorer

  • 80,000 miles
When turning on the vehicle a system error comes up 'power steering assist failer' and 'auto traction system needs servicing'and my traction control and ABS lights tinted in as well. I've tried turning my vehicle in and off again and even trying to move the vehicle and I have no power steering at all. There was a factory recall for my make and year model vehicle in 2014 but I do not know if it was corrected as I lurched the vehicle used from a Ford dealer in 2017.

- Friendsville, TN, USA

problem #72

Oct 052018

Explorer

  • 70,000 miles
I have had intermittent power steering loss. At low speed, I received a power steering fault and lost all power steering in the vehicle while making a turn. Luckily I was not driving at high speed with family in car.

- Enfield, CT, USA

problem #71

Jul 072018

Explorer

  • miles
I have a door ajar light that will not turn off first it was just the driver side now it is affecting both the driver side and passenger side. The doors will not lock when in motion and the interior lights will not turn off.

- Hayes, VA, USA

problem #70

Jul 072017

Explorer

  • 80,000 miles
Having a issue headlights going off. Mostly one bub at a time but not always the same bub or both buds go off but always turn back on once I place switch back in off position and turn them back on. After being pulled over by locat shierff is when I first noticed the issue for my headlight being out. Trouble had gotten worst of time. I spoke to a local state trooper and I was told that it is known issue with newer Ford headlights. I went dealership and I explained to them it seem like a electrical power issue. I was that the harness over time gets moisture in it and had to grease to keep it from happening. He said it will be over $1000 to get it fix with the symptoms I provided him. On long straight trip at a stead speed the light do not go out, but driving around town it happens now on a regular.

- Ocala, FL, USA

problem #69

Jul 142017

Explorer

  • 80,000 miles
Randomly honks with and with fob in or near car and without the car running. Check engine light comes on after getting fuel, and sometimes it does not stop the gas when pumping.... send a code for sensor in fuel compartment.... door panels crack

- Orange, TX, USA

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