2013 Ford Explorer transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the PTU. The contact was also informed that the rear differential needed to be refilled. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 93,000.

NHTSA complaint #11686411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My water pump started having a small leak about 2 weeks ago to where I had to put water in to get to work and then again to get home. I contacted Ford to inquire about a cost for this repair and was told they had to diagnose first. Then on Friday Aug 1st my children and I were driving on the interstate and had just gotten off at our exit and the car died in the middle of busy traffic. After waiting for the car to cool, the water was added and I took the car to a Ford dealership. If I had been on the interstate when this happened we would’ve been in a serious if not deadly accident. The leak needs looked into to see if it’s a faulty pump. I’m now looking at a complete engine repair over a leak. Also the back passenger door frame is a blind spot for us who are 5’5.

NHTSA complaint #11678224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

When Driving I started noticing that my steering wheel what getting harder to turn and it felt like it was lagging control. I could still turn and maneuver the steering wheel but the control overall was defiantly not safe. I stopped in at our mechanic and they test drove it. He stated that yes something was definably wrong with the steering system and he said it was hopefully the u-joint for control arm. We made any appointment for the next following week. I drove my explorer with extreme caution and the steering issue just got worse. I noticed that I now have a griding noise coming from my steering when I turn. This is a safety issue because it just going to seize up and I will not have any control over my vehicle. When I did finally did get my explorer into the mechanic the next following week he stated that I needed a new rack and pinion. I only have 140000 miles on my explorer. The cost was astronomical!!! $1700 for the rack and Pinon $600 in labor and a wheel alignment. and don't forget tax. That was a shocker!! I cant afford that kind of out of pocket expense. My vehicle vin does not fall into the recalled safety notice however this seems to be a big issues with the 2013 Ford Explores. My safely overall is the main issued!! I expect ford to follow through in how they manufacture its vehicles and maintenance products. Please include all explorers in the recall!!!!

NHTSA complaint #11676345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and stalled. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering gear rack and pinion 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 and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 183,340.

NHTSA complaint #11675575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I have an electric power steering pump, it’s not working at all. It’s showing it’s part of a recall but mine is just shy of the date. But I have spoken with many ford dealers and they have told me to report this to here, cause it should be a part of it as well. It’s a very hefty expense to repair this. But no one should be driving one with power steering assist fault and traction control fault on dash. And cannot even turn the wheel. This is an accident waiting to happen.

NHTSA complaint #11654112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My vehicle a 2013 ford explorer has a power steering assist fault rendering my vehicle un usable which i just bought through carvana this last summer has had a multitude of issues including a piller trim flying off the same day I bought it and the warranty carvana gave me provided no where close to me to have repaired plus my backup camera stopped working within 2 months of buying it and now the power steering assist fault has ultimately stopped me from being able to drive the car and I see that ford stopped allowing the recal of this issue to be fixed since 177,000 vehicles are affected by this problem I just think this wrong

NHTSA complaint #11622114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while shifting into the park position, the "change to parking mode" warning message was displayed. The vehicle failed to detect that the vehicle was in the park gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was advised to call the manufacturer. A local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

NHTSA complaint #11620249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Unknown. Vehicle disengaged from park to neutral while in garage after vehicle was shutoff (approximately 3-5 minutes ). Vehicle rolled out of garage crossed the street and stopped in neighbors yard. No damage occurred. Incident happened within the last hour, so nothing has been inspected as of yet. I have been hearing an electronic hum with the sound of moving parts in the driver side rear end after I place the transmisson shift to park and then turn the key to the off position. I'd estimate that has been happening sporadically for the last year. If the electronic parking module or it's component is located in the driver rear end of a 2013 Ford Explorer I would think that may the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11599521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but did not diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who added transmission fluid and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. 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 65,000.

NHTSA complaint #11583373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA complaint #11575581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My vehicle was purchased new from Ford dealer with factory tow option, which comes with an undercarriage cover with integrated air scoop to help cool engine & transmission while towing. This cover (Ford # BB5Z-9910494-A) is designed with quarter tern thumb screws to hold it on to the undercarriage. While driving on highway, this part fell off and was not recovered. Now my vehicle is at risk of serious damage to either transmission or engine, or both in not having this key part. The weak design for fastening this metal part to the vehicle is a serious safety hazard, and Ford should provide a resigned replacement part through recall.

NHTSA complaint #11573861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The power transfer unit defective and I almost lost control of my vehicle without warning The vehicle has been inspected

NHTSA complaint #11571918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the engine shut off inadvertently. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The power train warning light was illuminated. There was no further information provided. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

NHTSA complaint #11549399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My 2013 Ford Explorer had coolant leaking below (No check engine light present). If I didn't notice the coolant on the garage floor, I would've never known of any issue. After taking it in to the dealership, they said the issue was defective Water pump (Actual Replacement Pump Cost: $155.64) that is leaking coolant and failing to properly cool the engine. Due to the design flaw of the engine, the water pump is internally positioned in the engine requiring disassembly of the entire engine to access and replace the faulty pump. Since this is a labor intensive requirement, the $155 part required $1,814.95 in labor costs associated with the replacement. This is uncalled for. Not to mention, the parts that were removed in the engine also were required to be replaced based on manufacture requirement (additional $802 in gaskets/seals/bolts/etc. If the water pump was not replaced, it would lead to complete engine failure. I had no options other to pay $2,930.22 in total parts/labor costs to replace a $155 Water pump. Shame on Ford.

NHTSA complaint #11548178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

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.

NHTSA complaint #11540034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

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.

NHTSA complaint #11535109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

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.

NHTSA complaint #11534044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission has failed at 136,000 miles. All maintenance is up to date and has been performed by the dealership. When i pulled out on a main road the car would not accelerate almost causing an accident. I took it to our local mechanic and they had two mechanic's check it and stated the transmission failed. Check engine light show catalytic converter failure, Terraine maintenance failure and solenoid shift failure that came out of the middle of now where .

NHTSA complaint #11525994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Water pump failure, this part has been recalled on most Ford explorers but not mine and I’m unsure why. My water pump has failed and is causing additional damage to hoses and the engine due to overheating. My vehicle overheated on the interstate and was completely drained of water. I had to pay a $400 tow bill and walk over 10 miles home. The water pump started working again and then once again stopped working. This has caused a lot of problems to my safety and well-being, not to mention I have lost my job due to being late for work multiple times due to not having a reliable form of transportation. A quick Internet search has showed me this is a very common issue for my vehicle and I believe Ford should be held responsible for the faulty part.

NHTSA complaint #11508979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

at any speed the Explorer would go into "limp Mode"....NO THROTTLE...Terrian Management Error would appear and the wrench sign,,,,,dash lights and terrain knob light would go off....at highway speeds, with no warning, this could be a deadly situation.....taken to our local Ford dealership.....they had no idea what happened....COULD DO NOTHING...after some research we decided to have them replace the THROTTLE BODY, at our "out of pocket" expense.....driven the car three times with no problems.....but after the first time it happened, to my wife, we went like 2 months without a problem...then it happened again...three more times before we took it in......YouTube is full of folks having the same problem....Explorers and F-150 trucks......you can stop and turn the car off...wait about 20 secs and restart...everything was back to normal...TIL THE NEXT TIME.....my Wife refuses to drive the car again til it is FIXED.....I drive it twice a week only....2013 Ford Explorer LTD....V6

NHTSA complaint #11506507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Faulty water pumps causing leakage and eventually seize the engine

NHTSA complaint #11505652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

This winter I began starting my vehicle and letting it warm up before driving it. After letting it run approximately 10 to 15 minutes, I opened my door and to get in and there was a very strong exhaust smell inside. I would have to roll my windows down to clear the cabin of the fumes. This happened every single time I would let it sit and warm up. There is also something happening with what I believe is my drive-train. There is a lot of different noises (squealing/whining, grinding (metal to metal), clanking and thumping) when I give it gas after sitting at a light. As soon as I step on the gas pedal it makes all the above noises and jerks, then acts like it doesn't want to go. It finally kicks in then goes. Once it kicks in, it drives just fine. The noise sounds like its coming from the undercarriage and sometimes the rear end. I am not driving the vehicle now, it is parked in my driveway, so I am currently without transportation. There is also a very loud popping noise coming from the front end. I was told this could be ball joints or possibly stabilizers.

NHTSA complaint #11502298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The PTU (Power Transfer Unit) was engineered without a drain plug and described by Ford as "Maintenance Free" for the life of the vehicle. Due to the close proximity of the PTU to hot exhaust components, small fluid capacity, and no recommendation by Ford to be serviced for the life of the vehicle, my PTU started failing within warranty under 50,000 miles. The propane smell within the cab of the vehicle is a tell tale of the PTU fluid breaking down under severe heat conditions, spewing out of the vent and flashing on the surrounding exhaust components. This was not diagnosed at that time by my local Ford dealer, so the problem continued until the PTU finally failed out of warranty at approximately 71,000 miles. Research confirmed that this PTU design failure has been recognized by Ford and that it can lead to a complete failure while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control and risk to lives. Recognition by Ford of this problem in the 2013 model year Explorer is self evident, as later model years incorporated air dams to direct air to flow over the PTU to help with cooling, and incorporated drain plugs and recommended service intervals to properly service the PTU. There have been thousands of premature PTU failures in Ford vehicles, but Ford has not yet issued a recall or replacement PUT's with a drain plug for serviceability for my 2013 model year. My PTU had to be replaced at my cost with another non-serviceable PTU, that will no doubt fail prematurely. I am concerned that my vehicle could pose risk to my family's safety in the future, because the repair that was done by my Ford dealer is not a long term, complete solution.

NHTSA complaint #11494620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

As stated in the 2 of the articles in this year make and model range 2013-2018 Ford explorer. The car has been up to date with maintenance, after a couple thousand miles after the oil changed was. I then took the car to a mechanic shop and was told the water pump and thermostat were failing. I stopped driving the car and decided to take it to a ford dealer. After visiting Palmetto Ford in Miami. I was told the car did not have an open recall for this vin and they did not cover it. It is evident that the problem has been present in many ford explorers in this year and has been a safety concern since the car overheats while on the road. I will need to have a recall placed on my vin number so that i can take this to a ford dealer and get it resolved asap so that i can get back to my normal living as I do not have a transportation and happen to be losing time from work and spending money in rides. My vin number is provided in this report Vin: [XXX] 2013 Ford Explorer Limited Recall 16v925000 (engine and engine cooling) https://www.bing.com/search?q=2013+ford+explorer+water+pump+recall&cvid=744c57e549d049c2bbcd35d89655cedd&aqs=edge.0.0l3.8405j0j1&pglt=41&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=U531 https://www.carproblemzoo.com/ford/explorer/water-pump-problems.php#:~:text=The%20contact%20reference%20manufacturer%20recall%20number%3A%2016s46%20campaign,not%20assist.%20The%20failure%20mileage%20was%20approximately%2065%2C000. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11484748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. Upon inspection underneath the vehicle, the contact noticed that the link shaft bracket and CV axle had broken in half. Additionally, the vehicle rolled away while the gear shifter was in park(P). The contact activated the parking brake to stop the vehicle from rolling away. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V692000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown. Consumer was left with loss of power and a loud metal hitting metal sound the tripod spider joint/ bearing had broke because it was not properly supported due to bracket failure the recall for this part is for models starting with 2014 Ford Explorer mine is a 2013 mine was built at the same plant as the recall for 2014 and up the exact problems the recall list is what happened even down to the roll away even through its in park it will still roll unless the parking brake is applied.

NHTSA complaint #11469112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I was driving on the interstate and all of a sudden the vehicle lost power. It slowed down and I had to pull off the interstate. I thought it was because I broke for the speed limit change to fast. This was before July. It happened another time and I noticed the dashboard and it showed a big wrench symbol. Pryor to the mishap I saw nothing on the dashboard, no warning at all. I checked the internet and it was stating that there were a recall on this problem. I have not received any paperwork.

NHTSA complaint #11425663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 10 mph, the vehicle lost power steering functionality while driving. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and regained normal steering functionality. The failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed that the battery, alternator, and transmission needed to be replaced. The battery and alternator were replaced. The dealer also performed three recall repairs for the door, rear toe link, and exhaust. and the battery and alternator were replaced. The failure recurred and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for transmission repair. The vehicle remained at the mechanic's. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA complaint #11422346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I STARTED MY CAR AFTER WORK (THIS IS AFTER A 12 HR SIT TIME) AND SEEN I HAD A FAULT ON MY DASHBOARD, POWER STEERING ASSIST AND SERVICE ADVANCE FAULTS. SO IN SHORT, I DO NOT HAVE POWER STEERING, NOR DO I HAVE MY 4WD, AND FOR SOME REASON MY TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK FOR STEADY ON. THE TURN SIGNAL WORKS FOR LANE CHANGES BUT NOT FOR STEADY ON TURNING.

NHTSA complaint #11394597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

FOUR 2013 FORD EXPLORER RAN HOT WHILE I WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. WE THOUGHT IT WAS LOW ON ANTIFREEZE SO WE ADDED SOME. OUT OF PRECAUTION, WE BEGAN MONITORING THE ANTIFREEZE LEVEL AND NOTICE THAT THE LEVEL WOULD DROP, OVER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, ENOUGH WHICH REQUIRED US TO HAVE TO ADD MORE ANTIFREEZE. MY WIFE CALLED FORD'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO DETERMINE/CONFIRM THE PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WATER PUMP WAS MAY BE DEFECTIVE. ON OUR WAY TO THE APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND HAD TO BE TOWED THE REST OF THE WAY. UPON INSPECTION, WE WERE TOLD THAT ANTIFREEZE HAD LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE, AND FURTHER, THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BECAUSE OF A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN.

NHTSA complaint #11376033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.