2013 Ford Explorer Engine Problems
- 160
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 160 stored complaint records:
- 0 indicate a crash
- 7 indicate injury
- 2 indicate fire
What owners report
- exhaust fumes · 15 records
- failure mileage · 14 records
- exhaust smell · 13 records
- throttle body · 9 records
- notified failure · 9 records
- carbon monoxide · 9 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 1–30k mi | 48 |
| 30–60k mi | 40 |
| 60–100k mi | 39 |
| 100–150k mi | 11 |
| 150–400k mi | 1 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Electrical System · Engine · Steering
On 2 separate occasions the truck loses power while driving. This effects the engine, power steering basically anything that uses power. This has happened while driving 65mph and 35-40mph. One time it happened on a street, the other time was while driving on the highway. This is very dangerous.
ODI 11301803
Engine
ENGINE FAIL MAKE NOISE
ODI 11292515
Engine
While driving in normal fashion in medium traffic engine all of a sudden died restarted after 5 minutes of attempts only to die again about 3 minutes later in middle of a turning lane. After being pushed to a parking lot it was discovered that head gasket was blown without any warning or signs. Had to be towed over 100 miles to my home on a roll back truck paid by car insurance
ODI 11287819
Engine
My car started to leak coolant i've had to keep topping off coolant, took it to a ford dealership, stated it was my water pump which would cost about $2000 to fix. I am only at 108k miles & i was told by ford that they do not need maintencing and would last till 150,000 miles
ODI 11278109
Engine · Vehicle Speed Control
When driving (various speeds high was 70 mph - low was 25 mph - various roadways) vehicle loses power goes down to about 5 miles per hour - check engine lights comes on-- message "see manual". Happened intermittently for 5 months initially one time- may go a month before happens again . Finally it started occurring 3 times within and hour then ok - did for that for two consecutive days before taking it to be fixed.…
ODI 11271246
Engine
Vehicle's water pump began leaking during a normal patrol shift. We have had several of these fail at various mileages and each repair that was not under warranty has cost us around $2000.00 each time. I know these are not isolated incidents and that these water pumps fail often. I recall being at a fleet conference this past august and seeing a slide during a presentation from ford and it showing the casting…
ODI 11256602
Engine
The engine began leaking coolant caused by the water pump seal failing. We have had several others that also have had water pump failures.
ODI 11254370
Electrical System · Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. The contact stated that after multiple attempts to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turnover with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to jim click ford lincoln 6244 e 22nd st, tucson, az 85711 where the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle. Once the vehicle was returned to the contact, the vehicle operated as intended. The contact…
ODI 11307275
Engine
The engine began leaking coolant caused by the water pump seal failing. We have had several others that also have had water pump failures.
ODI 11254373
Engine · Vehicle Speed Control
I have a 2013 ford explorer and have been recently experiencing random, dangerous stalls due to a faulty throttle body. I have had the throttle body cleaned twice and it continues to fail, leaving our car in a "limp-home mode" in dangerous road conditions. It usually stalls when accelerating from a low idle position, such as sitting at a stoplight and then accelerating. However, it had also stalled while traveling…
ODI 11244051
Engine
Front manifold crack that is allowing exhaust fumes to enter the vehicle.
ODI 11243215
Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. While pulling into a parking space and making a right turn, the engine suddenly shut off. After restarting the engine, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure, the power steering suddenly became inoperable and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not…
ODI 11231223
Engine
While driving, engine stalls, with inability to accelerate, requiring vehicle to be stopped, turned off and restarted. A check engine light then appeared, which after taking vehicle to local dealership was determined to be a faulty throttle body which i was told has been common in ford vehicles/makes/models
ODI 11219505
Electrical System · Engine · Fuel/Propulsion System
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…
ODI 11209395
Engine
We have noticed a car exhaust odor in our vehicle while at a standstill. The odor comes and goes and we are not sure what is causing it. It seems that car exhaust is coming into the vehicle through the car's ventilation system. The dealer ship could not find the issue. The vehicle did have the ford carbon monoxide customer satisfaction program completed.
ODI 11206859
Engine
Vehicle loses power when accelerating up hill or on flat surface. Take off power is dimished and vehicle will sometimes die unexpectedly when accelerating.
ODI 11243578
Engine · Fuel System, Gasoline
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. While the vehicle was idling or being driven, the contact noticed an abnormal sulfur odor inside and outside of the vehicle. Also, the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact called tamiami ford ([redacted] n, naples, fl 34104, [redacted]) and scheduled a service appointment. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired in december of 2017 per nhtsa campaign…
ODI 11172823
Engine
Exhaust fumes inside vehicle causing nausea and headaches. Happening consistantly for the last 3yrs
ODI 11154784
Body · Engine
Initial complaint to ford dealership re: exhaust odors in cabin, possibly related to use of air conditioning (inspected 5/4/16, mileage 47,450, no repairs completed). Performance recall 17no3 completed 10/22/18. Exhaust odors worse after recall. Ford dealership inspected again on 10/30/18. Recommended using recirculation of cabin air at all times. Air conditioning has since stopped working. Per dealership rear a/c…
3 injuries
ODI 11257832
Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, exhaust fume odor was detected inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact rolled the windows down and heard an abnormal noise emerging from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer quirk ford (540 southern artery, quincy, ma 02169) where they determine that the exhaust manifold was fractured…
ODI 11144725
Body · Engine
We recently began smelling a pungent 'sulfur' or 'rotten egg' like smell that comes and goes in the interior cabin of our explorer while driving the vehicle. Typically this seems to occur while or just after driving at freeway speeds/accelerating. We believe this is in line with other instances people have had in explorers of possible exhaust leaks into the interior cabin space of the vehicle. We have 83,000 miles…
ODI 11144783
Engine
Three times in the last 2 weeks i've had either gasoline or exhaust fumes inside of the vehicle. I was accelerating on either a city street or highway uphill and the a/c was on.
ODI 11131758
Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. On several occasions, while driving, excessive exhaust fumes and a fuel odor entered the vehicle. The contact suffered headaches and dizziness due to the exhaust fumes. Medical attention was not received. The vehicle was taken to kenny ross ford south (located at [redacted], castle shannon, pa 15234, [redacted]) where the mechanic stated there was a definite odor in the…
1 injury
ODI 11166191
Electrical System · Engine · Fuel/Propulsion System
My explorer has an issue when stopped and in drive with the ac on the car pulls/lunges foward as if i hit the gas/ also when im parked and the air con is running at some point the engine goes down below 500 rpms then kicks up to 700 to compensate then kicks down to below 500 , over and over again. If rev the engine a bit, then it goes back down to normal idle and its fine for maybe 10 minutes then does it all over…
ODI 11084485
Engine
Twice bring to the dealership about carbon monoxide leak in cabin? Making sick nauzia feeling i'll? Now look like my lungs are swallowing? Please tell me what to do
ODI 11165305