2013 Ford EXPLORER - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2013 Ford Explorer has an impressive overall safety rating of 5 out of 5, which indicates it is one of the safest vehicles in its class. It excels in all crash test categories, scoring 5 stars for both front and side crash ratings. Additionally, it comes equipped with electronic stability control as a standard feature, which enhances the vehicle's handling and helps prevent skidding or loss of control in emergency situations.

The Ford Explorer also offers optional forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems, further enhancing its safety features by alerting the driver to potential hazards on the road. In terms of recalls and complaints, the vehicle has 11 recalls and 1797 complaints reported, which is something to consider but does not overshadow the high safety rating and advanced safety features of the car. Overall, the 2013 Ford Explorer is a strong choice for those looking for a safe and reliable SUV.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

1,797

Recall Count

11

Investigation Count

6

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2013 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2013 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Optional
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

Optional

2013 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2013 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2013 Score 2022 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 5 Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 4 Not Rated
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 Not Rated

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2013 Score 2022 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated 5 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2013 Score 2022 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5

Complaints for the 2013 Ford EXPLORER

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"last year i had to replace my front rack and pinion costing me a couple thousands of dollars. while driving the power steering went making it very difficult to steer and have good control of the vehicle. no safety lights or warnings came on at this time. one year later just a few days ago the same exact thing happened. no warning, no lights. i called my local ford dealer because i researched and seen a recall for power steering issues. the dealership told me my vehicle was not included in the recall. i am worried that this is not only an issue that i have but others on the road driving these lemons. i have had nothing but issues with this vehicle. it is unsafe at this point. i am unaware of what determines recall eligibility but the model i am driving most certainly needs to be included. i cannot afford to replace another rack. this vehicle is not even paid off yet. so frustrating and concerning. ford needs to step it up before someone really gets hurts."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2024-01-02
Complaint:
"the electronic power steering system seems to be failing causing extremely hard steering. this seems to be a common issue among the explorer family. it is not causing any warning lights or check engine lights to appear on the dash. this could potential cause crashes due to intermitent failures. i have had it inspected by a local mechanic who stated this is a common problem that was recalled on some explorers but mine did not qualify. mechanic stated the repairs could be extremely pricey."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2024-02-01
Complaint:
"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."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-01-08
Complaint:
"power steering failure. i noticed appeared on the instrument panel briefly before the vehicle power steering seized. i was unable to move the steering wheel in any direction without significant force. i was not driving thankfully or else this may have resulted in a serious accident due to inability to steer vehicle on public road."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2025-12-01
Complaint:
"i was driving and the steering wheel seized up and locked while i was turning to the left. the car continued to turn left despite my best efforts to straighten the wheel or turn it in any other direction. i just slammed on the brakes to stop from hitting someone or something. eventually, the steering wheel loosened and i was able to park. during the parking, the steering wheel continued to stay tight and was difficult/almost impossible to turn. i called a tow truck and got the vehicle taken to my local ford dealership. i looked online to see what the issue might be and that's when i noticed many complaints/concerns about power steering in 2013 ford explorers. this is what i found: "ford recalled certain model year 2011-2013 ford explorers, saying these vehicles “may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting a shut down of the power steering assist.” this is the exact problem that i have but i never received a recall notification. i contacted ford and they said my car wasn't made in the same plant that the recall vehicles were made. however, other articles point out that it was widespread and continuous. "ford motor co. announced three safety recalls in north america, including nearly 775,000 explorer suvs for an issue that may result in loss of steering control and thus increase the risk of a crash." the recall number was 14s06 but i am being told i don't qualify for the recall despite having a ford explorer within that exact year and the exact same issues and problem. i am very disappointed that ford is unwilling to acknowledge the issue or help to remedy it. i contacted dealerships and ford customer service and both said there are no recalls on file. i hope this issue can be made aware (it already has if it is a recall of 775,000 vehicles) and addressed. luckily, no one was hurt but this could have been very bad and ford should take ownership."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2025-03-01
Complaint:
"electrical rack and pinion - locked up steering wheel. wife driving car could have been hurt. was inspected by independent service person. no warning !!"
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2024-02-08
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the electronic power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. after restarting the vehicle, the failure was self-corrected, and the vehicle operated normally. the failure was intermittent but eventually, the failure became a persistent failure. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not yet repaired. the manufacturer was 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 120,000."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-01-06
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. the contact stated while driving 40 mph, the steering wheel was loose and the traction control was inadvertently deactivated. the failure caused the vehicle to vibrate abnormally. the traction control warning light was illuminated, and the service advance trac system message was displayed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who recalibrated the steering wheel; however, the failure recurred. 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 contact related the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the vin was not included in the recall repair. the failure mileage was approximately 153,000."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-01-12
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. the contact stated that upon start the vehicle and while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. there was no warning light illuminated. in addition, the contact also stated that an abnormal clicking sound was coming from the steering wheel while driving. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that a new steering gear system was needed to repair the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 14v286000 (steering). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2020-01-07
Complaint:
"the electric power assist for the steering quit working. this would be dangerous if driven"
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-01-12

Recalls for the 2013 Ford EXPLORER

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 explorer vehicles. the rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension."
Consequence:
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2019-06-10
Recall:
"ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin. these vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (cabj) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link."
Consequence:
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S43.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2021-09-22
Recall:
"ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link."
Consequence:
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2021-07-15
Recall:
"ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16v-245 or 19v-435. the outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture."
Consequence:
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2020-10-30

FORD Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

FORD ranks 1 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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