Problems with 2013 Ford Explorer STRUCTURE

Both driver and passenger door lock/latch mechanisms failed showing car door is ajar when door is actually shut. driver door lock actuator failed around 30,000 miles and passenger lock actuator failed around 135000 miles. when driving at night, the interior lights of car cannot be turned off until speed reaches approximately 10 mph. this leads to unsafe driving conditions and limits driver visibility outside of car due to glare.

We have just become aware that exhaust gasses are leaking into the passenger compartment and apparently have been for some time, causing headaches, dizziness and eye irritation. we located a tsb from ford (tsb 16-0166) relating to the issue and became aware that ford had offered to fix the issue. both the center for auto safety and the nhtsa investigated this issue resulting in ford notifying owners of potentially affected vehicles offering to fix the issue for free. i never received a letter, and when i called the ford customer service line i was told that my vehicle's vin was not affected. with the leakage of the exhaust into the cabin i've earned the right to call bs. this is not the type of defect that will repair itself and presents a clear and present risk of serious injury or death, as evidenced by the multiple reports of crashes. this should never have been allowed to be swept under the rug and warrants a recall and inspection/repair of every vehicle in the category. date below is the date that we took it in to the ford dealership for diagnosis and repair, but the effects have been noticed for several weeks.

2013 ford explorer with hood paint bubbling and peeling. i notice a while back and thought it was just a rock that hit the hood. now it peeling really bad and cracking and peeling. there needs to be a recall cause so many clients are having the same issue.

Smell of smoke, and tapping noise prior to fire. smoke came from near the center console between driver and passenger seat. fire started. made a complaint prior about smell of smoke and noise.

I am writing this letter in regards to my 2013 ford explorer xlt. i've noticed a fast acting paint flaw that is growing in criticality, and is growing increasingly frustrating each day! when i purchased the vehicle, this was not recognizable to the eye obviously, as i wouldn't have purchased the vehicle otherwise. currently, the paint is bubbling up around the entire edge of the hood. on 7/14 one of those bubbles of paint flaked off, which will now lead to other major issues with the paint and look of, not only the hood, but essentially the entire car. at this point i've been forced to discontinue taking this vehicle through the car wash (touch or no touch), as more paint will flake off. not only that, i avoid the areas when i wash and wax the vehicle by hand. if what ford's slogan rings true (built ford tough), then i must say, that i'm perfectly fine with doing business elsewhere, as this paint job is far from tough, it's rough! i pride myself in being a hard working consumer, and when i take the plunge to spend this amount of money to purchase a product, i want to step back and be proud of it, and the hard work that it took to be in a position to make this kind of purchasing decision. i would also expect a sense of pride from the company's perspective to stand by your product, and that is precisely why i'm writing this complaint letter.

I recently have noticed water on the 3rd seat belts. took it to my mechanic who thought the water was coming from a plug in the rear. sealed it but still had issues. took the panels off in the trunk and ran the water test again. found the issue was coming from the sides of the tailgate at the top where the weld appears to be cracking letting water in on both seatbelts and into the spare tire wheel well. i have seen other comments to the same issue. happens anytime water is hitting the car like rain or car wash.

As i was driving on the highway, i heard a loud noise and thought that something hit my windshield. when i was able to stop and examine my vehicle, it became obvious that a large piece of the passenger side windshield molding broke off and the rubber stripping underneath that part came loose as well. i also found that a small piece of windshield molding broke off on the driver's side as well. i thought it might be an isolated incident, however, when we checked online for replacement parts we noticed that there were hundreds upon hundreds of purchases made for these particular parts. they are not cheap and if there are so many of these parts failing/breaking why hasn't ford done something about it before a breaking part hits another vehicle or causes an accident? i also have first-hand knowledge that a friend of mine is experiencing a very similar problem and when his rubber came loose, flapping around as mine did, it was enough of a distraction that he almost had an accident. i have two repair estimates and will be happy to provide them upon request.

I noticed the outside trim around the sides of the windshield appeared loose on the driver but mostly passenger side of my car. a few weeks later when i started driving over 10 mph down the road, i heard a noise like something beating against my windshield. i noticed the rubber seal around the windshield and between the trim and the windshield had come off and was flapping in the wind against my windshield and car. the body trim is now loose as well. i had a little water even leak into the car. it was very distracting and almost caused my wreck. i had to temporarily tape the rubber trim down as it keeps coming loose and gets worse as you drive (which you have no choice when you are not close to home or can't get your vehicle in for repairs until weeks later).

Pillars flying off car and power transfer unit not working

Steering is hard to steer. feels like you have no power steering. doesn't happen all the time just when you turn the steering wheel when driving slow. also paint on the hood peeling off. took to a garage for the steering and they say it's a known issue but no recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. while driving at an unknown speed, the windshield molding detached. the vehicle was taken to fritts ford (located at 8000 auto dr, riverside, ca 92504, (951) 687-2121) and was informed that the molding needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Interior of vehicle taking in water from rain showers (not even bad rain showers), water is coming in from the roof where the windshield meets the roof and absorbing around the sunglass holder/interior lights and dripping down onto radio/navigation system and completely soaks the floor board on the driver's side. i've had the door seal replaced recently and the dealer tells me its a different issue, without even evaluating it. at any rate this water coming into the vehicle is a huge issue especially that it's sitting in the car rotting everything out and dripping onto electrical systems threatening the integrity of any electrical or dash operations. i've researched this issue and it seems to be a widespread issue that needs to be addressed on a larger issue. this occurred after sitting in my work parking lot all day then i could also feel it when driving 35-45mph to the dealer.

My 2013 explorer had come bubbles coming up along the edge of the hood. i thought it was a body work issue but the body shop said it is actually corrosion from the aluminum hood. the corrosion is progressing and getting worse. this will eventually leave my hood structurally unsound and expose all the internal components to the elements for degradation.

My drivers side door latch failed while i was driving. the caution light came on saying drivers side door not latched and my door started to open. i pulled over and couldn't get the door to latch shut. after working with it it latched so i could get home. the next time i got into my drivers side the same thing, my door would not close. this time i was in my driveway attempting to leave and could not. the latch it still broken, a piece of the handle actually fell off. my car is in excellent condition and well taken care of , kept in a garage , low miles etc. our friend mentioned their ford having a recall on the door latch. do not understand why it wasn't implemented on all 2013 explorers.

The inside spare tire wheel well fills with water. this apparently is an engineering issue since i saw things online about it. mold is an issue with this problem growing on the wheel cover. what is being done to correct this issue

When driving down i-75 headed to work, doing 65 mph both my windshield trims flew off my car an started making a loud rattling noise. it scared the crap out of me! how has this not been recalled?

Substantial amounts of water is leaking into the interior of the vehicle when parked or in motion. water intrudes thu the front dome light, the side, the rear seat belt, and other areas. water was standing in the front passenger seat feet area and it filled the rear spare tire wheel well. had purchased extended warranty from the ford dealer when i purchased the vehicle. took it back to the dealer who cleared the two rear drains on the sun roof, but that does not solve the issue. dealer ran diagnostics in a water closet they have in their shop. diagnostic report notes "water is found coming in from the tail gate body seams" dealer explained that the seam sealer is applied at the factory during manufacturing prior to the painting. apparently this factory sealer has failed. unclear if sealer compound was defective, or was improperly applied. bottom line is the factory seal has failed, the seams are now compromised resulting in this safety issue. the 3rd party extended warranty that ford sold me is supposed to cover seals and gaskets, but apparently there is fine print deep in the bowels of the contract that excludes body issues even if the root cause is poor materials, poor quality, or workmanship by the manufacturer. dealer indicated this issue has been observed previously on this model. simple web searches show a large number of complaints for this and adjacent model years but yet recall yet for the issue. i contacted ford's support line to file a complaint. no resolution as of this writing. dealer also indicated that the repair would require a body shop.i went to the body shop owned by the dealer and received a preliminary estimate of $738. they emphasized "preliminary" as they're unsure how extensive the seam seal failure may be. this issue not only impacts the safety (water and ice in interior) but also creates a health hazard from mold, mildew, sickening smell.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. while driving various speeds, the steering wheel suddenly became very difficult to turn in either direction. the failure occurred on multiple occasions and the fuse was reinserted in order to repair the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. also, while driving, the passenger side of the vehicle wobbled and vibrated. the vehicle was taken to bill flick ford (737 north freeway service rd, huntsville, tx) where it was diagnosed that the suspension was faulty. the vehicle was repaired. furthermore, while operating the vehicle, the door ajar warning message erroneously displayed, the interior dome light remained illuminated, and the doors would not lock. the cause of the failures was not determined. the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the failure mileage was 800. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. during inclement weather (heavy rain), water affected the electronic components in the vehicle. bowditch ford (757-595-2211, located at 11291 jefferson ave, newport news, va 23601) kept the vehicle for several days for diagnostic testing. the dealer did not provide an update on the status and the vehicle was not repaired. a second dealer (hall ford newport news, (877) 398-2216, located at 12896 jefferson ave, newport news, va 23608) diagnosed that the water short circuited the switches and the sun roof motor failed and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

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 lines now need replacement, ext. cost of $2,100. cabin exhaust odors continue and inside of windshield is fogging. odors worse when stopped at stoplights. multiple occasions of co detection in cabin while in motion in rural areas. elevated cohb with various health symptoms and children now complaining of car sickness. various areas of rust also reported to dealership and new areas appearing (i.e. near drain vales of the liftgate). *dt *as

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 on our 2013 awd 3.5l explorer limited. we took our vehicle to a ford dealer under customer service satisfaction program service # 17n03, but they stated our specific vin does not apply to this service & thus would not cover that service fix for this issue.

Windshield trim randomly flew off going down the highway st 70 mph and almost caused an accident behind me.

Water leak in back of vehicle due to a defective manufacturer's welded seam. every time the vehicle comes in contact with (i.e.: rain, car wash) water leaks heavily into the vehicle through the third row seatbelt hole. the water leaks into vehicle when parked and when driving. leak was not noticed at onset or when vehicle was still under warranty.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. while driving at unknown speeds, the passenger side windshield trim detached from the vehicle. in addition, the driver side windshield trim was hanging from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer (reuther ford, 1325 mcnutt st, herculaneum, mo 63048, (636) 931-9393) where it was diagnosed that the brackets fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to nhtsa. the failure mileage was 87,000.

Noticed leak into spare tire well years ago and jones ford in n. charleston could not find a leak. 8/13/2018 took our vehicle in for the same exact problem and found the water pours down the third row seatbelts anytime it rains. there is now mold in the carpeted area below the 3rd row seats. the leak happens while the car is stationary, driving, anytime it is raining.

'door ajar' stays on causing the door locks to unlock when the car is moving. a major safety issue if children are in car.

I purchased this vehicle new from the ford dealer in 2013. first issue, front edge of hood the paint has been bubbling and coming off. rust is underneath. ford refused to do anything about it. second issue and most important, we have been losing the power steering function while driving, this has caused erratic steering as the electric power steering seems to turn on and off. the steering will bind and when you try to control the vehicle and over compensate and the electric steering re-engages, i'm all over the road. my vehicle was not part of the recall and ford refuses to do anything about the issue other than fix it for $1900-$2300.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear passenger side interior door handle was loose. additionally, the door ajar warning indicator for the driver's door illuminated. the contact called sunnyside motor co., inc. (944 main st, holden, ma 01520, (508) 829-4333) and a service appointment was scheduled. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to the local dealer. no further assistance was provided. the failure mileage was 56,000. *tt

I have a door ajar light that will not turn off first it was just the driver side now it is affecting both the driver side and passenger side. the doors will not lock when in motion and the interior lights will not turn off.

The vehicle is rolling away while in "park". it is the exact problem described for other ford vehicles but the explorer is not on the recall list. we have experienced this occurrence twice now. the first time it occurred, the vehicle rolled out of our garage and into fence and tree. the second time, it rolled out of a parked spot while my wife was in the driver seat and clearly observing the transmission was in "park".

2013 ford explorer, front (hood) is deteriorating, and holes in the metal are starting to rot thru paint is peeling and getting worse. my body and fender man tells me it can also affect the spring loaded and locking device of the hood, which in time can cause a failure of the hood being dislodged and blocking your vision. he also explained this is a problem with ford products and there really is no fix. they hoods are aluminum and are installed on a steel body. its not the paint job, its a dissimilar metal issue that only can be corrected by installing a new hood. i now understand this is a problem with a lot of ford products. help

Over the past year or so, the paint on the hood of my explorer has been bubbling and peeling along the perimeter. we brought it to our local ford dealership. they took pictures and contacted the ford headquarters. the local dealership was told, because my vehicle is no longer under warranty, they can't help. as i researched the issue to see if others were having the same problem, i found many complaints, lawsuits pending, and articles written about this same issue. i went through the proper channels, contacted ford customer service online and through messenger, but still have been told it is not ford's fault. i take very good care of my vehicles and have always purchased vehicles from ford. my 2013 ford explorer looks like new from the inside. the outside looks fine, as well, except the hideous hood perimeter. the hood is embarrassing, period. i don't deserve the poor service i am getting from the entire ford company. the fact that it is no longer under warrantly shouldn't matter with this issue. the paint should not be bubbling and peeling like this. someone at ford is to blame or whoever is in charge of the hood/paint/material to make the hood. i will keep fighting until ford pays to have my hood redone. i have contacted zestar, the ford ceo, president, etc. and a detroit free press journalist who wrote about ford's transimission deceitful coverup. i am not asking for anything more than to have the hood of my car fixed. this is ridiculous. **in the uploaded file below, it asks for a date in which this occurred. i do not have an exact date. it has been ongoing and is obviously getting worse as time goes on.

Noticed water leak coming out of seat belt harness area in third row. water leak is causing entire area to become wet in third row. mildew smell is now present. afraid there may be mold growth causing health issues. i put towels around the seatbelt to catch water and they are soaked when i change them out. rain water comes leaked on when the car is parked or while in motion. i am not aware of where the leak is starting or how to fix.

Paint peeling on hood. the front edge of the hood has peeling paint. it began just after the 36 mo warranty expired and ford has not made any efforts to solve the problem. i recently saw another explorer, same year, model with even worse peeling paint on the hood. i have included the picture of that car as well.

There are faulty welds in the roof seams under the rear lift gate. this allows water to escape inside the vehicle, along the headliner, and down the rear passenger seat belts. water accumulates in rear cup holders and floor boards. issue was repaired once before, failed again not even a year later.

I purchased a used explorer in late june of last year with approx 25000 miles on it. the a-pillar molding flew off in traffic last week and i just found out, these parts are not covered under warranty. this is an obvious defect that ford needs to replace and repair at no cost to the consumer.

The front a-pillar moldings separated from the body of the vehicle and caused a safety hazard to others in traffic. this occurred while operating the vehicle at approximately 60-65 mph.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. while driving, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the steering ability returned to normal the next day. four days later, the steering wheel became difficult to turn again. on another occasion, while the vehicle was idling, the contact exited the vehicle and the door locks malfunctioned. the contact became locked out of the vehicle. the vehicle was currently at chapman auto store (6744 e black horse pike, egg harbor township, nj 08234, (609) 646-2000), but had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. the approximate failure mileage was 129,000.

Vehicle in motion when all of a sudden would slow down to a crawl and lose ability to accelerate. yellow wrench warning light would then light up. happened twice and almost had serious accident. also would experience burning smell when accelerating up a hill. previously reported to dealer but they would not believe.

I was driving on the freeway, at a rate of 70 mph and suddenly my a piller outer cover (trim) flew off my car! i have attached a photo.

Passenger side window trim flew off while driving on the highway at apprx 65-70 mph.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. within less than a week of owning the vehicle, carbon monoxide entered the vehicle. the dealer (skalnek ford, 941 s lapeer rd, lake orion, mi 48362, (248) 693-6241) stated that there was a tsb that could be performed on the vehicle. an unknown part was replaced, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but they were unable to provide a solution. the manufacturer issued three recalls on the fuel system. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa action number: ea17002 (structure, engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was not available.

Smell of exhaust inside cabin under hard acceleration. this vehicle had the ford complementary repair done in july. defect still occurring.

I found cracks in the door jam of the rear liftgate on the driver's side of the vehicle. following this discovery i found floor boards soaked in water, water dripping down my 3rd row seat belt onto the floor boards and into the spare tire well. following this my moonroof quit working. then i received a letter regarding emissions entering the back of the vehicle and causing people to pass out and wreck their vehicles. took the car to ford and the ford dealership won't cover the cracks in the non wrecked vehicle under the emissions warranty because they state they are unrelated. if water is getting into the back of the car through a crack then emissions probably are too.

Takara recall the hood of my 2013 ford explorer has a corrosion on it. paint is peeling and bubbling. the aluminum has a powder look to it and is week. after time hood could come unlatched do to aluminum corrosion. ford is aware of problem but won't fix out side of 3/36000 mile warranty.

Water leaks into cabin of car. enters in rear of vehicle and runs down third row seat belts. happens on both sides.

Left trim on windshield flew off as i was driving on i75 last week causing the car behind me to swerve to miss the piece flying through the air. i have read on this site and others that this is a problem with many others having the same problem. one even referenced the following case # cas-13158913-t1r4m0. this should be a recall .

Conditions: the vehicle was in motion. i was driving on a highway. there was heavy rain. there is trim molding on the driver's and passenger's side of the windshield of the 2013 ford explorer. while driving a few weeks ago, the driver's side molding flew off, leaving exposed a strip of weather stripping, which was covered with a blackish glue. as a result of the molding having flown off, the now unsecured weather stripping was repeatedly hitting the windshield leaving it covered with the sticky residue from the glue. while that on its own may not have been so bad, it was raining and the automatic wipers had engaged. this resulted in the weather stripping getting caught underneath one of the wipers and smearing the glue across the windshield rendering it completely impossible to see. the combination of the glue from the weather stripping completely obscuring my visibility, the wipers being rendered wholly inoperable, and the heavy rain was a devastating combination. i was on a highway, driving at approximately 70 miles per hour, with mild to heavy traffic, while it was raining, and in the span of less than five seconds: (1) the trim to my windshield flew off in traffic; (2) the glue on the weather stripping that was held in place by the trim began repeatedly flapping on the windshield; (3) the wipers, already engaged, got caught on the flapping weather stripping, and smeared the glue across the windshield; and (4) the wipers were left completely inoperable due to the weather stripping that they had gotten caught on. essentially, in the span of less than five seconds, i went from being able to see and drive without issue to having to drive without being able to see what was in front of me.

Windshield moldings and trims come loose. my molding on the passanger side came loose and flew off on the highway causing the car behind me to swerve. luckily there wasn't traffic at the time. but this could have been a major incident that could have been prevented a long time ago. i've seen many complaints online about the same issue but no recall yet.

Tl* the contact owns a 2013 ford explorer. while driving 70 mph, the driver's side window trim fractured, detached, and struck a vehicle behind the contact. sandy sansing ford-lincoln in daphne, alabama (27180 highway 98, 36526 (251) 626-7777) was made aware of the failure and provided an estimate for the repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and provided the contact with case number: cas-13158913-t1r4m0. the failure mileage was 82,000.