2013 Ford Explorer — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $8,000–$13,000. There are 3 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.
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Kestrel Take
The generation that moved the Explorer to a car platform, and the one with the power transfer unit that cooks itself. The PTU has no service interval, no drain plug in early builds, and overheats until it destroys itself and sometimes the transmission with it.
What we checked
Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11
NHTSA holds 2,232 owner complaints for the 2013 Ford Explorer, across 12 recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 37% of them are about one thing — steering. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.
12 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2013 Ford Explorer
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.
The PTU sits next to the exhaust, holds less than a quart of fluid, and Ford called it lifetime-filled. The fluid cooks, the unit whines, then seizes — sometimes taking the transmission with it. Owners who drain and refill it every 30k miles avoid this entirely.
Repair cost (estimate): $1,500-$3,500, more if it damages the transmission
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (291), the transmission and drivetrain (119).
A long-running NHTSA investigation into carbon monoxide intrusion, especially in police-package vehicles but reported in civilian ones too. Ford issued repairs sealing the rear body seams.
Repair cost (estimate): $0 under Ford program, $500-$1,500 otherwise
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (438), the engine (291).
The water pump is driven by the timing chain and lives inside the engine. When the seal fails, coolant goes into the crankcase and destroys the bearings. There is no external drip to warn you.
Repair cost (estimate): $1,500-$2,500 preventive, $6,000+ after engine damage
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (291).
Multiple recalls covering steering gear bolts and intermediate shafts on this generation.
Repair cost: $0 recall to $1,500
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under steering (834); 12 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Whine or growl from under the front floor at speed — PTU
- ✗Milky oil or coolant loss with no external leak — internal water pump
- ✗Any exhaust smell inside the cabin
- ✗Police or fleet history
Good Signs
- ✓PTU fluid drained and refilled on a documented schedule
- ✓Front-wheel-drive model — no PTU at all
- ✓Water pump already replaced with records
Found a specific Ford Explorer?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2013 Ford Explorer in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.
Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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