169 complaints reported

2013 Ford Explorer Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
169
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
7

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2014

ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, I HAVE SMELLED EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE MY VEHICLE UPON ACCELERATION. IT HAS GAVE ME A HEADACHE AND HAS MADE ME FEEL NAUSEOUS. MY CHILDREN HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS I HAVE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2014
Oct 2014

EXHAUST SMELL COMING THROUGH AC VENTS WHILE DRIVING. ALL SPEEDS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2013
Oct 2014

I PURCHASED A USED 2013 FORD EXPLORER ONE WEEK AGO. WHEN PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE REALLY BAD AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO COAST INTO MY NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY AND THROUGH MY YARD. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. MIND YOU, MY HUSBAND EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING WHEN HE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP BUT WHEN HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, EVERYTHING SEEMED OK. THINKING IT WAS RELATED TO MY HUSBAND'S EXPERIENCE, I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK UNTIL I TRIED LEAVING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY. AGAIN, THE VEHICLE SHOOK REALLY BAD AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I AGAIN COASTED INTO MY NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY AND THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO TOW IT IN TO SERVICE. IT IS GOING ON DAY 3 OF THE WORK WEEK AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT LOOKED AT IT. REALLY NOT A GOOD SIGN SEEING AS THOUGH WE LITERALLY JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I'M GLAD IT HAPPENED LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2014
Oct 2014

WHILE WAITING IN LINE AT THE LOCAL CAR WASH THE ENGINE IN MY 2013 FORD EXPLORER SPORT BEGAN TO REV UP, THEN LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND NO VISIBLE INDICATIONS OR WARNINGS WERE DISPLAYED TO GIVE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED AND I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF LINE AND INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ONCE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IT STARTED UP AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2014
Aug 2014

MY AIR CONDITIONER JUST STOPS WORKING WILL DRIVING. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP OVER 5 TIMES. THEY SAY IT WORKS FINE EACH TIME I GO. FINALLY ONE DAY WHEN IT WAS OUT I DROVE UP TO FORD AND MADE THE SERVICE MANAGER GO FOR A RIDE WITH ME. HE AGREED THE AC WAS NOT WORKING. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND BEING FIXED, HOPEFULLY! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2014
Jul 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2014
Jul 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ACCELERATING, EXHAUST FUMES EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR EXTRACTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2013
Jun 2014

THIS HAPPENS VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME I ENTER A HIGHWAY. EXHAUST SMELL LEAKS INTO THE CABIN FROM WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE REAR EXHAUST. I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK IN MANY TIMES BUT FORD DEALERS CANNOT SEEM TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO CLEAR THE SMELL AND FUMES IS ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN AND AIR OUT THE TRUCK. PLEASE SEE THE FORD FORUMS FOR OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=323597. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2014
Apr 2014

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (4/13) WE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN DURING HARD ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURS WHEN PASSING, TOWING AND DRIVING UP STEEPER GRADES. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL DEALER AND WERE TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. TODAY THE CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND I AM BEING TOLD AGAIN THAT THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, THIS AFTER I TOOK A TECHNICIAN FOR A RIDE AND SHOWED HIM HOW TO REPRODUCE IT. A DIFFERENT TECHNICIAN CALLED AND ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I RUN THE A/C AND WHAT THE SMELL WAS. AFTER READING ABOUT MANY SIMILAR ISSUE MY NEXT STEP WILL BE TO CONTACT FORD DIRECTLY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2014
Apr 2014 Injury

VEHICLE IS SHOWING 75 TO 100 PPM OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE CABIN. FIRE DEPT CO2 METER SHOWED THIS IN THE VEHICLE. WAS TOLD NOT TO OPERATE VEHICLE DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF CO2. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2014
Mar 2014

WHILE ENGAGING PASSING GEAR AT ROAD SPEEDS, CABIN FILLED WITH EXHAUST FUMES. THIS HAS CONTINUED FROM THAT TIME UNTIL PRESENT. VEHICLE HOW HAS 33000 MILES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER - [XXX] - ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITH NO RESULTS IN STOPPING THE PROBLEM. THE LAST VISIT AFTER KEEPING OUR VEHICLE FOR 1.5 WEEKS , WE WERE TOLD THAT FORD COULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE FACTORY WOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE UNDER ADVISEMENT - WHATEVER THAT MEANS. MEANWHILE THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO WORSEN WHILE EXHAUST FUMES NOW ENTER THE VEHICLE AT ALL STAGES OF OPERATION. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY SEVERAL MECHANICS AND OTHER DEALERS NO TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH OUR GRAND BABIES. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS HEALTH CONCERN FOR OUR FAMILY AS THIS IS MY WIFE'S ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. SHE FREQUENTLY SUFFERS HEADACHES AFTER TRIPS IN THE VEHICLE TO NEIGHBORING CITIES TO SHOP!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2012
Feb 2014

EXHAUST SMELL, OR ACRID BURNING SMELL IN CABIN OFF AND ON SINCE NEW, AND ESPECIALLY DURING HIGHER SPEED ACCELERATION... SUSPECT EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING CABIN... *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2012
Sep 2013

WHEN ACCELERATING, WITH ENGINE RPMS RISING ABOVE ~3500 RPM, A NOXIOUS SULFUR-LIKE ODOR IS ADMITTED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN THROUGH THE CLIMATE CONTROL VENTS. THE ODOR OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION OR WHENEVER ENGINE SPEED EXCEEDS 3500 RPM, AS WHEN ON A STEEP INCLINE. ODOR IS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF VENTILATION MODE (RECIRCULATION OR FRESH-AIR), AND TYPE OF FUEL USED (OCTANE RATINGS FROM 85 UP TO 91), OR WHERE FUEL WAS PURCHASED (INCLUDING SEVEN DIFFERENT STATES IN MULTIPLE CITIES). ALL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR, INCLUDING OFFICIAL TSB BULLETIN PUBLISHED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY (TSB 12-12-4), BY FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER PERSONNEL HAVE FAILED. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2012
Jul 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. UPDTED 09/30/13*LJ

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2012
Jun 2013 Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONTACT IN THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. ONE PASSENGER BECAME VIOLENTLY ILL AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEALS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE EXHAUST FUMES WERE LEAKING INTO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2012
May 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE HOSE FROM THE TURBO CHARGER HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 399.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2013
May 2013

A FOUL EXHAUST LIKE SMELL ENTERS THE CABIN UPON ACCELERATION. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THE CONDITION CONTINUES. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2012
Jan 2013

THIS 2013 EXPLORER XLT 4WD WITH 345 MILES ON IT AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AT MID-DAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2013
Aug 2012

WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE QUICKLY WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON (DOES NOT MATTER IF IT'S ON FRESH AIR INTAKE OR RECIRCULATING), THERE IS A DEFINITE ODOR OF GASOLINE EXHAUST IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM CAN BE DUPLICATED AT ANY SPEED, FROM A DEAD STOP OR ACCELERATING DURING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND TWO TECHNICAL BULLETINS WERE ADDRESSED (ONE FOR A VIBRATION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHICH WAS REPAIRED AND THE OTHER FOR THE EXHAUST ODOR IN THE CABIN). UPON COMPLETION OF THE FACTORY WARRANTIED TECHNICAL BULLETINS, THE ODOR REMAINED. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTATION, THE WRONG ODOR WAS ADDRESSED (RADIATOR FLUID, NOT GASOLINE EXHAUST). THE ODOR IS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF BURNING 87 OCTANE OR E-85 FUEL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2012

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Ford Explorer has 169 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.