2013 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact loss control of the steering wheel and the vehicle drove off the road. The contact drove onto the curb where the vehicle come to a complete stop. The contact shut off the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that the rack and pinion and the bushing on the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion while starting the vehicle, the contact smelled an abnormal gasoline odor inside the vehicle. The contact examined the vehicle and noticed a fuel leak. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and stated that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed by an independent mechanic, she was informed the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. Additionally, the suspension was compressed onto the tire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Driving on freeway interchange from one freeway to another am alarm went off that my steering had faulted out. The steering wheel was almost impossible to turn and I nearly hit the retaining wall. Vehicle was almost uncontrollable.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving, the power steering and advanced tract warning lights illuminated. The steering wheel failed to move. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Vehicle has lost ability to steer and several warning light illuminated indicating power steering problem. Diagnosis revealed the problem is a failed rack and pinion.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while it was raining, water was leaking into the vehicle through the front windshield. While making a turn, water entered the vehicle, and the front seat passenger became wet. The seat was damaged by the water. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact ordered a power window switch online. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that his daughter smelled a strong odor of fuel around the vehicle and in the residence while the vehicle was parked in the garage. There was fuel on top of the tank. The contact stated that after raising the vehicle up on a lift, it was determined that there was a leak coming from the fuel tank. There was no indication of fuel on the ground. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V812000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact called the dealer and was informed that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim detached and was flapping in the wind. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the clips to repair the vehicle were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I came out of Lowes and got into my vehicle and when I tried to back it out, I could not turn my wheels and the message on the instrument panel stated, "Power Steering Assist Fault". I shut of my engine and restarted the Explorer and after a few seconds I was able to steer my vehicle. I am afraid to drive the Explorer because I have two car seats in the car that carry two children. My Explorer was made in the Chicago plant in March of 2013, but my vin number appears not to be included in the ones to be covered.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving, the speedometer failed to provide the vehicle's speed. Additionally, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the power steering assist message was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel inadvertently lost power steering assist functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and as he restarted it, the steering wheel regained power steering assist functionality. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle; however, the failure reoccurred upon starting the vehicle the next day. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring intermittently while driving. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair since the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated they had taken their vehicle to a local dealer for a crack in the water pump which the dealer repaired, After the repair, the contact noticed a burning abnormal odor when turning on their heat from their a/c unit, which caused the contact and his passenger to become light-headed and dizzy. The contact drove to a local hospital where it was confirmed that the reason for the symptoms was due to high level of carbon monoxide levels. The contact called the local dealer about the abnormal odor but the dealer informed the contact they would not be able to fix the issue and inform the contact to reach out to the manufacturer for the failure. The contact decided to take the vehicle's independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as small oil leaks around the engine that contribute to the odor coming into the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to regain steering functionality. The contact stated that the All-Terrain System and Forward Collision warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact indicated that while driving over a bump in the roadway, there was a clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not determined. VIN tool confirms parts are not available. The failure mileage was 112,000.

The Power steering failed on my 2013 Explorer XLT. I Brought my vehicle to my local Ford dealership service center: Corwin Ford Reno 3600 Kietzke Ln, Reno, NV. 775-329-8800. The service representative told me that the vehicles core steering had an internal failure and that it would take up to 2 months to get the parts and cost $3,173.39 to affect the steering repair. I asked and was told that Ford has over 1,300 of these specific steering units on back order. This tells me that they not only burned through their reserve supply of that part, but that they also have a demand for 1,300 more ! This is an obvious safety issue which has rendered my Explorer un-drivable. If the failure had occurred at high speed the consequences could have been grave! Apparently, I'm not the only one experiencing this specific issue. In my opinion, the steering was inadequately engineered, resulting in premature failure. My Explorer is my wife's daily driver. It has never been taken "off road" or subjected to any other duress. It is strictly a city/highway vehicle. After contacting Ford (Case No. CAS-34220695-K8P5P6 CRM:0222477) and voicing my concern, All that they offered was to expedite the parts request. I am 63 years old and have owned 16 automobiles, 9 have been Fords. Never have any of them required any service to the steering mechanism, much less a total failure of that system. Ford has an obvious problem with this part and I should not be required to pay over $3,000.00 to correct their engineering shortcumming. I respectfully request that you intervene on my behalf and attempt to resolve the issue. There are no open recalls or warranties on this vehicle at this time.

Right rear brake caliper has failed twice. Tire shop diagnosed problem both times. We’ve replaced the caliper and brakes on the car the first time and are in the process of getting parts to fix again Started hearing loud popping noise from front end and now we have a grinding noise when turning steering wheel. When driving the vehicle the steering catches when turning right or left causing it to feel like it isn’t stable. The car feels like it wanders on straight stretches and you have to fight the steering. Husband diagnosed rack and pinion. Problem now is we can’t get parts

Electric power steering inop. POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT displayed.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering assist before the driver lost control of the vehicle. The traction control warning light was illuminated along with the service power steering message displayed. The driver sustained injuries to her arm however, no medical attention was provided. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 188,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and with an abnormal sound. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was able to drive to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. 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 approximately 130,000. Vehicle has been sold.*JB

Power steering assist fault. Lost power steering while driving.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault message displayed, and the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA campaign 14V286000 (Steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 134,000. THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DO TO NOT BEING MANUFACTURED AT A PARTICULAR PLANT.

1. Water Pump leaking, Explorer ran hot, needs new water pump and transmission cooling line. 2. Steering suspension has a left and right popping sound, while turning steering wheel. 3. Steering knuckle has play in it while parked and engine is off.

I drive a 2013 Ford Explorer Limited 4WD. While driving to the store last week I entered a roundabout when suddenly the wrench icon showed on my dash with a message display that read, "terrain management fault." The car would not accelerate even when I pressed the pedal all the way to the ground. My momentum took me out of the roundabout where I pulled over in a parking lot. As I put the car in park It begin to shake in idle. I turned the engine off and waited a few seconds then tuned it back on. The car drove just fine after that for about two days then this incident happened again twice in one day. I took the vehicle to the local ford dealership and they said they could not get the issue to present again so there was nothing that they could do. I took the car back home and it has happened a few more times. This is a total of about 7 times in the past 3 weeks and Ford cannot help remedy this issue. These incidents have put my family in dangerous situations. When researching online I found multiple accounts of this same issue. According to online forums it looks like it may be a problem with the throttle body.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V746000 (Suspension) the vehicle experienced rear-end stability issues causing the vehicle to fishtail while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 111,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact was able to drive to her residence. The contact's uncle drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic since it was difficult to steer the vehicle. The mechanic diagnosed the failure as a power steering failure and informed the contact that there was a recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the independent mechanic. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the power steering assist failed, and the steering wheel was stiff and became difficult to turn. The power steering assist and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for diagnosis. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,410.

The steering got harder to steer and it is almost impossible to turn when you are pulling out

See the Recall report.

Driving it and lost power steering and the wheel got very hard and almost crashed my Explorer

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The steering wheel locked up when the warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the driver pulled over to the side of the road. The driver was waiting on the two trucks to arrive to tow the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

I noticed a "clunking" in my steering, when i turn steering wheel. so husband put it up on jack stand to see if anything was loose. While up on jack stands and turning the wheel, it done a "shutter" feeling. when pulling back and forth on tire, it moved fine. I made appointment with local Ford dealer and they inspected the front end and steering rack. I paid 100.00 for the diagnose. They told me I needed to replace steering rack. costing up to 2500.00 If the price hadnt been bad enough news, they told me it was not recalled, but complaints were high. Also, told me that they can not get parts to fix it for a month or so??? which means, I am paying for a car that i can not drive. Something needs to be done!! As i read through all the complaints on here about steering rack issues, they need to watch over our saftey and others. Im not happy with this situation.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and while pulling out of the driveway, the power steering assist and traction control message displayed on the instrument panel and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering control module and steering gear was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 142,000.

Vehicle will continue to run after key is in off position and removed. Vehicle can be driven with no key in the ignition. Also said starting system fault after battery was disonnected and reconnected.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while in his driveway the steering became inoperable. The power steering message was displayed. The contact called the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 78,662.

Was pulling out of my driveway and when I went to go forward the steering became hard so I had to get help to push it back into my driveway

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the power assist steering fault message displayed on the instrument panel and the power steering malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn in either direction. The traction control message was also displayed and the vehicle loss functionality. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 177,000.

I recently had a deeply concerning issue occur with my 2013 Ford Explorer. While I was driving on the freeway my passenger side windshield trim flew off my car (No previous damage to the trim, it was not lifting before the incident).... almost hitting the vehicle behind me. In my eyes this should be a safety concern for the company and replaced by the manufacturer for the safety of their consumers (I reached out to Ford corporate, but they said nothing could be done). This is dangerous for the people driving around vehicles having this issue as a large piece of windshield trim can hit their windshield going 60 mph on a freeway or cause someone to swerve to not get hit by a flying object on the freeway. Upon reading up on the issue this is not uncommon so something should be done before someone is harmed.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she noticed a strong odor of gasoline outside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel delivery module was fractured, causing the fuel to leak underneath the vehicle. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V812000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The dealer was made of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Was driving my 2013 Ford Explorer and the service steering light came on. Pulled in parking lot and turned car off. Turned it back on and then I had do steering. Had to have car towed. Was told I needed a new steering rack. This was a recall on my year 2013 explorer but my car is out of the manufacture date. Major safety issue

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while she was reversing out of a parking space, the steering wheel inadvertently failed to respond and became increasingly difficult to maneuver. The warning message "Power Steering Assist Fault" appeared on the instrument panel. The traction control warning light was also illuminated. The contact stated he was able to forcefully maneuver the steering wheel and drove the vehicle to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair as the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 118,729.

Power Steering Assist Fault comes up when I crank my car. The wheel locks up and I cannot turn it. If I turn the car off and back on, then it works fine.

My steering wheel is making squeaking noises when turning the wheel back and forth has not seized up on me yet but I don’t want to get to that point.my suv only has 36,000 miles on it not to happy with Ford right now!

power steering just died could not control car

My body seams sealer next to the lift gate hinge is cracked ans leaks water into rear of car and mold grew on carpet. Call all local dealers and body shops. None know how to fix

While driving this 2013 Ford Explorer, it almost ran off the road twice on the embankment close to a shallow ditch. I was going maybe 25 mph. I tried to hold the steering to turn the vehicle but it would not turn. This was a very scary experience which I have never in the past experience nothing like this. I was somewhat able to apply the brakes which the vehicle eventually stopped on the opposite side of the road embankment. Thankfully no other vehicles were approaching from the opposite direction. When the steering become very, very difficult to maneuver three warning lights appear indicating Service Advancetrac, Terrain Management and Power Steering Assist Fault. Please assist in getting this matter and concern address urgently. Thanks in advance

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the fuel delivery module was leaking. The contact stated that the "check fuel delivery system" message was displayed on the instrument panel. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V227000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was diagnosed but not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired before under the recall as a one-time free repair. The failure mileage was approximately 82,736.

A significant clunk noise is present any time the steering wheel is used but worse when in reverse. The clunking is present when parked and the steering wheel is moved and while driving. If turning, the clunk is present and there is an involuntary slight but forceful pull of the wheel that has nearly caused an accident. Frequent instances with unusual handling and feels very unsafe, and after being evaluated at a local mechanic it was mentioned that there is a possible misaligned affecting the rear wheel and slight axel off set. It has been stated that if a fracture or bend is present that over time it will significantly diminishes steering control, and put my family at risk for an accident. My local Ford dealership, Bluebonnet Ford of New Braunfels Texas, refuses to assist despite the recent recall due to my VIN not being included in the recent release. I need assistance immediately to keep myself and children safe. I have poured thousands of dollars into this vehicle after sensor failure and AC/hose failure which was essential poisoning my family for months.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while pulling out of a parking lot, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that as she continued to drive the vehicle, the steering wheel became increasingly difficult to maneuver. The contact also stated the turn signal button would not stay down after being disengaged. The contact stated the warning messages "Service Power Steering Now" and "Service Power Steering System" appeared on the instrument panel with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated at some point she lost control of the vehicle and almost crashed into a telephone pole. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering electrical system needed to be replaced. The failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) due to the date that the vehicle was manufactured. The approximate failure mileage was 146,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and the front passenger’s side of the vehicle crashed into the shoulder lane wall. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags had not deployed. No injuries were sustained; however, medical attention was sought. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the axle on the front passenger’s side wheel was cracked and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine mounts also needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.