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2013 Ford Expedition El
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
92 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (47% of complaints, typically reported near 117k miles).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2013 Ford Expedition EXTENDED SUV 4x4
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 20%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Ford Expedition El, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (10) · Speed control (7) · Suspension (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
47%43 complaints · typically near 117k mi · 8 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, there was a sudden unattended downshift of the vehicle. The speedometer went …”
Engine
11%10 complaints · typically near 94k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“Vehicle suddenly loses power the wrench light comes on and the vehicle will not go when pushing the accelerator. The vehicle has to be turned off and restarted before …”
Electrical system
11%10 complaints
“When driving veh wrench light came on veh jerks and drops down to first gear rpm and speed gauges go out for second had to pull over cut veh off and cut it back on to …”
Speed control
8%7 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Vehicle suddenly loses power the wrench light comes on and the vehicle will not go when pushing the accelerator. The vehicle has to be turned off and restarted before …”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Ford EXPEDITION EL beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every Expedition El model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2013 Ford Expedition El against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.