2013 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

Power steering assist popped up on dashboard with no warning. The safety of me and my children were put at jeopardy because what if we were driving on road and the steering wheel locked up on us?

CURRENT CONDITION The rearview camera do not display an image when driver put it in reverse.

See attached document for complaint

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); over a year ago. The contact called a local dealer about the recall repair after being aware that the passenger’s side A-pillar trim was loose. The dealer informed the contact that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was unable to be repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the message stating that the engine was overheating was displayed. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road, where the vehicle shutoff. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but had the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 170,000.

The contact's father-in-law owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact's father-in-law received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V675000 (Suspension). The contact stated that while her father-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear end of the vehicle was sliding. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear toe link was fractured, the rear wheel knuckles were seized, and the rear passenger's side wheel bearing was loose; however, the dealer declined to perform the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to another dealer and file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the "Traction Control Failure" and "Power Steering Failure" messages displayed and the steering wheel became firm, almost causing a crash. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and shut off the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in the recall and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 146,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and making a left or right turn, the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

ELECTRICAL RACK AND PINION - LOCKED UP STEERING WHEEL. Wife driving car could have been hurt. Was inspected by independent service person. No warning !!

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the “Power Steering Assist” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was unable to be turned in either direction. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to regain power steering functionality. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinion and steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

We have a 2013 Ford Explorer with around 90,000 miles that we bought from my father in law for our 16 year old. He was driving home from a friends when he lost power steering. There are three alerts that came up the first was Service Power steering, in addition to: Service Advance Trac and Terrain Managment System. First I want to note there was no warning, thankfully my son was on a side road and not going down the highway at 55! Second I checked recalls because I thought maybe my father in law missed something and noticed that there were plenty of 2013 vehicles recalled for this reason but only 1/2 of them! I now see the other 1/2 of the 2013 Ford Explorers on this Forum having the same issues. Why isn't Ford doing the right thing and fixing these? This fix is going to cost us more than we want to pay for my 16 year old vehicle especially after just buying it. We thought a 2013 FORD with no rust and some what low mileage would last him through High School. Can you please tell me if FORD is looking into any type of compensation for this? Please review these complaints it's sad to think this many people are having the same issue FORD acknowledged with the other 1/2 of the 2013 FORD Explorers.

Was driving on the highway at normal speed and the windshield trim on the drivers side flew off.

I was pulling out of my driveway and as I started to turn the power assist warning light came on. I was unable to turn the steering wheel. A truck (luckily my neighbor) was heading towards me (the vehicle was still perpendicular to the oncoming truck). I turned the vehicle off and started again and the power assist warning was still on and steering wheel was still unable to move. So we pushed it back in my driveway. Two days later (this happened on Friday) on Monday I took it to the local dealership to check for a recall and they stated my vehicle was not on the list and could not provide any further service.

The whole Front control interface module has gone out along with some functions of the APM. Just stopped all of a sudden. Turned key on and nothing worked. The airbag light has come on saying solid color. The rear tailgate will not open with the electronic power buttons. This all went out at one time. Is confirmed to be the FCIM and AMP. Is a safety hazard due to airbags, not known if will work and the inability to open rear tailgate. Other failures are climate control. Is stuck on high heat defrost in middle of Wisconsin summer, but not a real safety issue but very inconvenient.

The contact’s wife owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm, and the vehicle was difficult to maneuver. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with power steering control module (PSCM) failure. The contact was informed that the PSCM needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number 14V286000 (Steering) however, the dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

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 "Service Power Steering" message displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the power steering control module needed to be reprogrammed and referred the contact to the dealer. 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 160,994.

We purchased a 2013 Ford Explorer in June of 2023. I had changed the rear wheel bearings on the vehicle and we had an alignment done at a local Firestone Auto Repair shop after the bearings were replaced. The Firestone shop did the alignment and the steering wheel felt stiff after. We drove the vehicle for two days after the alignment and around August 1, 2023 then the power steering went out on my wife when she had our infant son in the car. She said the service advance track light was flashing red and power steering light was flashing as well. She had no steering at all and luckily she was able to park the vehicle and get a ride home safely. I took the vehicle to a local Ford Dealer and they said the alignment computer showed the steering wheel was 30 degrees off. They re calibrated the alignment but could not confirm that was the reason the power steering went out but gave me a quote to repair the power steering unit. When they pulled it out of the shop, the power steering came back on. We drove the vehicle until around August 30 2023 and the power steering went out again when my wife was driving the vehicle. We had an independent shop look at it and when they hooked it up to the scan tool, it said power steering fault. When they pulled it out of the shop, the power steering came back on. We drove the vehicle until November 3, 2023 when the power steering went out again while driving and had a different Ford Dealer look at it. The diagnoses was intermittent power steering failure but it was not covered under the recall and the dealer nor Ford was provide any assistance. The diagnoses was exactly what the recall states but it was not covered. $4200 repair cost later we have an operational vehicle. Not very impressed with Ford. Reaching out to hope to get some kind of feedback and help in this matter. Three times total while owning the vehicle for six months intermittent power steering failure. Super dangerous situations luckily no one was hurt.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. 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 not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the A-pillar trim was loose. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was firm. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist due to the vehicle not having unrepaired recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. The VIN was not available.

My 2013 White Four door Ford Explorer incidents occurred twice on the highway. The end pieces of the front windshield came off while driving on Hwy. 70 in Durham/Raleigh NC and on hwy somewhere in Raleigh! There was a Sherriff behind me the first time. My concern is the wind noise in my vehicle while driving and safety of the windshield for safety inspection. Crossroads Ford in Wake Forest NC service told me that it can take up to 30-60 days to get the parts for my 2013 Ford. I am disabled and I need my vehicle to be safe for doctor visits. Can the new parts be expedited or no?

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle and flew off. The contact stated that the trims had been replaced several times. 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 not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 127,637. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start, and over time, the failure occurred more frequently before the vehicle stalled and would fail to restart. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who determined that the fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 79,000.

While driving the vehicle at 75 mph down a highway my power steering assist faulted and made the vehicle difficult to control. The vehicle had approximately 87000 miles on it during this incident. Currently the vehicle when started does not have power steering assist when started at all. There was a NHTSA recall for this very issue 14SO6. My vehicle was supposedly not affected as it was assembled at a different plant. I believe that my vehicle should be included as these same safety related issues are happening to this vehicle which is the same model year sighted in the safety recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel seized. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering function returned. The contact was able to drive to the residence; however, the failure recurred while driving out of the garage. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering became operable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced, and the power steering gear needed to be aligned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) because the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

The power steering in my 2013 Explorer went out on the road, and a light came on. My I am having my steering assembly replaced. 2800.00 plus. Please advise, as there was a recall on this model for same, though I received no info regarding the issue. My car was made in Chicago as well. The recall number was 14S06, but for some reason, my car was not covered. I filed a verbal complaint as well. Thank you. (The car is being inspected and handled at Lynch Ford, Mount Vernon, Iowa. ) My safety was at risk, and the situation was dangerous. Thankfully, I was not hurt. This took place on the 24th of July. Thank you. (Complaint---[XXX].) “INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).” The consumer stated that the manufacturer has yet to assist them with the issues.

I was driving down the interstate and heard a very loud bang, we thought someone had shot at the vehicle. It scared me and I swerved off the highway almost hitting the sidewall. The car behind me went off the road also. I went to check on them and their windshield was busted as well. It was dark out, and we knew something hit us, but we couldn't figure out what it was. When I woke up the next morning, I noticed the windshield trim was missing. It had flown off and hit the car behind me. Called the dealership and said it's a known issue but no recall on it. This could've killed me and my kids or the people behind me. The fact that it's a known issue and not rectified scares me.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the "power steering assist fault" message was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was firm however, the contact was able to steer the vehicle off the highway and stopped in a parking lot. The contact stated that the turn signals became inoperable. The contact shifted the turn signal handle and the turn signals returned to normal functionality. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to regain power steering functionality. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not 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 131,000.

While driving on the interstate around 65 mph, the windshield trim flew off of my vehicle. It appeared that a truck behind me drove over it but I am not 100% sure

I’d first like to say whoever designed this water pump seriously needs a new job. I brought my car into the shop a year ago for an AC replacement, where it was brought to my attention that there was a small water pump leak. I couldn’t afford to have it fixed and was told to keep coolant in it until I can have it fixed. I was quoted $3000 to fix it, WHILE at an event at a local ford dealership I was putting coolant in my car when a lady with the EXACT same car next to me said she just had to pay $3000 to have hers fixed the week before. This is apparently an issue that goes refuses to acknowledge or replace for their customers. $3000 for a family with 4 kids is very hard to save up, so again I just kept up with my coolant. Going down the interstate last week my engine locked up, with my wife and 4 kids in the car. The water/coolant mixed with the engine oil because of where it’s placed. $5000 fix to replace the entire motor with a used engine. We are not under warranty and our lives were at stake because of a faulty water pump that is being IGNORED by ford. Not only are we now out of a car, but we have to figure out how to come up with $5000 to fix a major problem because of fords terrible placement of a faulty water pump. Avoid these cars at all costs and don’t hold your breath to get any help from them pertaining to something that should’ve been recalled by now!

2013 Ford Explorer does not appear on VIN list for 14S06 or for 15N01. The vehicle is exhibiting a dangerous loss of steering assist and I believe this VIN should be included in the recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the driver’s side exterior A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. On another occasion, while driving approximately 70 MPH, the passenger’s side exterior A-pillar trim detached. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the driver’s and passenger’s side A-pillar trims and clips needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred approximately 10 months later while driving at an undisclosed speed, and the passenger’s side exterior A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle and flew off into traffic. The contact stated that the failure could have caused a crash. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that both exterior A-pillar trims needed to be replaced; however, the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,600.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the power steering assist function became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the passenger’s side A-pillar trim detached from the windshield. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 failure mileage was 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

I was driving when I got a warning my power steering needed serviced I was on the highway and couldn’t pull over my traction control turned off and said the advanced traction control needed serviced. I got to a sage space and pulled over. I turned off my car and turned it back on to my wheel being locked and unable to move.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. During the failure, the message "Steering Default" was displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN 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 87,000.

This weekend we were driving down the interstate and all of a sudden the windshield trim flew off. It didn’t cause any wrecks thankfully but the cars behind us did break all of a sudden and another swerved. Luckily nothing happened but it could of caused an accident.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and merging into the left lane, the vehicle pulled to the right with the traction control and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to control the vehicle but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who referred the contact to the dealer since the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) and that the warranty had expired. No additional assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NTHSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 249,000.

i was driving on the thru-way 90 and lost all power steering almost hit 3 people I was so scared I have proof of 13 people die because of this issue no steering control

On July 7, 2023 I was traveling to home from work. While driving about 50mph the car started beeping at me saying the traction control system and the intelligent awd has turned off. Then I received an error for power steering fault. After that the electronic power steering turned off making massively difficult to turn. Thankfully was able to pull off the road into a stores parking lot where I called my insurance company for a tow truck. Tow arrived and took it to a local ford dealer I go to. There they diagnosed the cars steering gear failed resulting in the above events. If the recall was applied to my vehicle and taken care of my safety would have never been put at risk.

Power steering issues light came on right before it happened

The safety failure involved the Electric Power Steering Rack on my 2013 Ford Explorer XLT. The failure occurred while driving on the interstate at posted highway speed, 65 mph. The warning lights came on during the failure and all power steering was lost. The electronic control box on the Steering Rack has been the diagnosed failure by a Ford service center, and the entire rack requires replacement, costing approximately $4000. While the lost of power steering did not cause an accident, it certainly could have and is a definite safety concern. This steering system had a recall in 2014 for the 2013 Ford Explorer, but my car's VIN was not included in the recall for some reason. From online research, this is apparently happening to others. Please raise this for a recall immediately as this could have been catastrophic.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the power steering failed, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 190,000.

There are no warning lights on. My steering wheel is extremely hard to turn at times. I have seen recalls on this same year vehicle. The dealership has inspected my vehicle for this issue and it is the known steering issue for explorers. Where this is a failure of a known nature, my vehicle should be covered under the recall and I should not have to pay for this repair out of pocket.

Driving down the street to my house at 25mph. Suddenly there was a ticking sound coming from under the hood. I pulled into my driveway shutoff the vehicle and looked under the hood. The engine had not overheated, it hadn’t even revealed a maintenance code. I checked the oil and noticed that the color was not as dark as it should be and seemed like there was a lot of air bubbles in the oil. I allowed the vehicle to cool down an hour drained the oil and it was the consistency of chocolate milk, and coolant leaking. Took it to a Ford dealership, they say the engine is a total loss due to water pump failure even though it wasn’t run or driven any Significant distance after the water pump failed. There are no safety recalls, there was no warning, and now I’m left with only purchasing another engine or vehicle. Numerous other have reported similar experiences. This is the result of faulty design and Ford should be held accountable.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that there was water leaking onto the dashboard and the infotainment system screen through the upper passenger’s side corner of the windshield. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the exterior A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. 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 not contacted. 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 failure mileage was approximately 143,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Driver-side A-pillar trim piece broke and partially detached from vehicle while driving on an interstate (appx 70mph). Initially, one small and quick pop noise was heard, but the sound came from outside and it was assumed it was road debris. Approximately 15 seconds later, the left A-pillar trim piece suddenly partially detached from the body of the car in such a fashion that the bottom clip was broken, but still attached only by a weak bond to the rubber seal beneath the trim piece and the top of the trim piece was sticking away from the vehicle by approximately six to eight inches. We immediately pulled off to the side of the interstate and the A-pillar trim piece was debonded from the rubber seal by a gentle pull. Had this weak bond with the rubber seal not been there, the entire A-pillar trim piece could have easily completely detached and become a hazard to other vehicles traveling on the interstate, potentially flying off and hitting another vehicle or puncturing a tire. There were no previous signs of wear, damage, or malfunction to the A-pillar trim piece. This incident is not reproducible, and was not inspected by any outside party. The broken A-pillar trim piece and pictures of the failed attachments are available for inspection upon request.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was a loud squeaking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact then became aware that there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the failure was a known issue. The contact was referred to NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.