Model year guide

2013 Ford Explorer

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2013 Ford Explorer is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 2,621 on record.

2013 Ford Explorer — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2013 Ford Explorer at a glance

Safety recalls12
Owner complaints2,230
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined20 mpg
Typical price$24,512

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2013 Ford Explorer recalls 12

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #19V435000 · 10/06/2019

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.

Fix: 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 numbe…

Wheels:hub NHTSA Campaign #17E048000 · 28/08/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.

Fix: Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Structure:body:door NHTSA Campaign #15V171000 · 24/03/2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S11.

Fuel System, Gasoline NHTSA Campaign #15V812000 · 02/12/2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 13S04-S1.

Steering:electric Power Assist System NHTSA Campaign #14V286000 · 29/05/2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, its steering rack assembly will be replaced, free of char…

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly NHTSA Campaign #13V109000 · 27/03/2013

Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and model year 2013 Explorer vehicles manufactured July 19, 2011, through March 15, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the fuel tanks may have a marginally sealed seam in the side of the tank. As a result, the fuel tanks may not provide the expected strength in the event of an impact. The tanks may also leak.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tanks and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2013. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S03. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

Fuel System, Gasoline NHTSA Campaign #13V227000 · 31/05/2013

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.

Latches/locks/linkages NHTSA Campaign #13V270000 · 26/06/2013

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured November 29, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, with sufficient door openings and closings, the child safety locks may change from an activated position to a deactivated position without notice.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the safety locks. If necessary, the locks will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S07. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #21V746000 · 22/09/2021

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 …

Fix: 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…

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #21V537000 · 15/07/2021

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 …

Fix: 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 …

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #20V675000 · 12/03/2021

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 unde…

Fix: 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 …

Structure:body:roof And Pillars NHTSA Campaign #24V031000 · 19/01/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford c…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2013 Ford Explorer common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 2,230 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Steering
Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Visibility/wiper
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

2013 Ford Explorer safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2013 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2013 Ford Explorer MPG & running costs

Combined20 mpg
City17 mpg
Highway24 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,125

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2013 Ford Explorer worth?

Low
$18,400
Typical price
$24,512
High
$29,700

From 2,600 comparable 2013 Ford Explorer listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2013 Ford Explorer costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,625
Depreciation (5 yrs)$17,400
Total$33,025
Per mile$0.44

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($24,512) with the same model 5 model-years older ($7,129), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2013 Ford Explorer trims & engines on record

Trims
XLT · Limited · Base · Sport · Police
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl 290 hp · 3.5L 6-cyl 365 hp · 2.0L 4-cyl 240 hp · 3.7L 6-cyl 304 hp

2013 Ford Explorer vehicles on record

Other Ford Explorer model years

2013 Ford Explorer — frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Ford Explorer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls for the 2013 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Explorer?

Based on 2,230 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are steering, electrical system, structure.

What is the 2013 Ford Explorer safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2013 Ford Explorer an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2013 Ford Explorer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2013 Ford Explorer at about 20 mpg combined (17 city / 24 highway).

How much is a 2013 Ford Explorer worth?

Comparable 2013 Ford Explorer listings run roughly $18,400–$29,700, typically around $24,512 (from 2,600 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.