Home · 2013 Ford Explorer Police Intercept · Complaints

What 2,224 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (2,224)Crash / fire / injury (78)Steering (832)Body & structure (436)Engine (224)Electrical system (160)Fuel system (153)Transmission & drivetrain (119)Suspension (79)Engine & cooling (67)Visibility & wipers (62)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (45)

436 of 2,224 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters · page 14 of 18

Feb 21, 2018Body & structure

WATER LEAKS INTO CABIN OF CAR. ENTERS IN REAR OF VEHICLE AND RUNS DOWN THIRD ROW SEAT BELTS. HAPPENS ON BOTH SIDES.

NHTSA ODI 11074099

Feb 9, 2018Body & structure

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.

NHTSA ODI 11072017

Jan 29, 2018Body & structureFuel system

MY 2013 EXPLORER HOOD WAS PEELING AND I HAVE TO HAVE IT REPAINTED. IT WAS RUSTING. ALSO I SMELL FUEL FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE, IT IS SO BAD, YOU HAVE TO STOP THE CAR AND GET OUT TO BREATH.

NHTSA ODI 11065664

Jan 29, 2018Body & structure

PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW TRIM FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPRX 65-70 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11065705

Jan 17, 2018Body & structureEngineFuel system

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.

NHTSA ODI 11063237

Jan 7, 2018Body & structure

I WAS DRIVING DOWN HWY 146 AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD PILLAR FLEW OFF. I TRIED TO PULL OVER AND FIND THE PIECE, BUT I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

NHTSA ODI 11061001

Dec 6, 2017Electrical systemBody & structureEngine

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.

NHTSA ODI 11052787

Nov 20, 2017Body & structureVisibility & wipers1 injury

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.

NHTSA ODI 11047363

Oct 30, 2017Body & structure

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 .

NHTSA ODI 11041156

Oct 29, 2017Body & structure

PAINT BUBBLING ON HOOD BECAME VISIBLE AFTER PAINT WARRANTY WAS OVER. FORD ADVISED MAY BE COVERED BY CORROSION WARRANTY. BROUGHT TO DEALER WHO REFERRED TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. FORD REVIEWED PHOTOS TAKEN BY DEALER AND DENIED COVERAGE STATING CORROSION HAD TO BE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE AFFECTED AREA. OWNER APPEALED THEIR DECISION CITING TWO PRIOR FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR ALUMINUM BODY PART CONTAMINATION BY IRON IN PAINTING PROCESS. FORD AND DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS CORROSION MAY BE A SIGN OF A BIGGER SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11040972

Oct 5, 2017Body & structure

THE PAINT ON THE EDGES OF THE HOOD IS BUBBLING AND PEELING OFF. THIS STARTED WHEN THE CAR WAS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. FORD WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ODI 11031839

Sep 30, 2017Body & structureEngine

WE BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE USED IN 2015 WITH LESS THAN 40K MILES ON IT. IT IS OUR MAIN, FAMILY VEHICLE. THE FIRST ISSUES STARTED WITH PAINT CHIPPING ON THE HOOD. THE FORD STORE WE BOUGHT IT FROM NEVER STATED THIS WAS A PROBLEM. WE DID NOTICE IT AFTER HAVING IT AT HOME AND IT HAS GRADUALLY BECOME WORSE. I HAVE HAD USAA INSPECT IT AND THEY SAID IT LOOKS LIKE "SOMEONE DROVE IT WHERE THERE WAS HIGH SULFUR PRESENT"---NEAR WATER OR ETC. THE SECOND ISSUE IS WITH THE ENGINE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OUR VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO TURN OVER AT THE FIRST START. WILL SIT THERE AND MAKE NOISES LIKE IT IS TRYING BUT FAIL AND TURN OFF. ONE INSTANCE HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON A STREET ROAD. CAR HAD TROUBLE STARTING AND THEN SHUT OFF RANDOMLY. WE HAVE CONTACTED USAA AND TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CANNOT SEEM TO HELP RESOLVE EITHER ISSUES. UPON CONDUCTING OUR OWN RESEARCH I SEE THAT THESE ARE RE-OCCURRING ISSUES WITH OTHER OWNERS, ACROSS THE US AND FORD HAS YET TO RESOLVE. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE

NHTSA ODI 11030625

Sep 23, 2017Body & structure

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.

NHTSA ODI 11025183

Sep 22, 2017Body & structure

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.

NHTSA ODI 11025018

Sep 1, 2017Body & structure

DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD TRIM FLEW OFF WHILE DRVING

NHTSA ODI 11021020

Aug 29, 2017Body & structure

NOTING TWO BIG RECALLS IN DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS, THIS MODEL YEAR, MY RIGHT REAR DOOR HAS BECAME INOPERATIVE. DOOR IS LOCKED, WILL NOT UNLOCK. CANNOT OPEN DOOR. HAD KIDS IN THE BACK SEATS LAST WEEK. IF THIS FAILURE HAPPENED THEN, KIDS FACED GRAVE DANGER IF EGRESS REQUIRED. PLEASE ADD MY VIN TO THIS RECALL. AS IS, REAR SEATS ARE A DEATH TRAP. EGRESS MALFUNCTION INABILITY TO EGRESS VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI 11020459

Aug 29, 2017Body & structureSeatsEngine

EXHAUST FUMES IN CABIN - SINCE WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE EXPLORER FOR THREE MONTHS (IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP GETTING AN UPDATED TURBO), MY WIFE HAS NOT HAD ANY UNEXPLAINED HEADACHES AFTER SPENDING ALL DAY RUNNING ERRANDS IN THE EXPLORER.

NHTSA ODI 11020478

Aug 25, 2017Body & structure

PAINT IS CHIPPING FROM THE HOOD FOR THE PAST YEAR!

NHTSA ODI 11019572

Aug 16, 2017Body & structure

PAINT AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HOOD IS BUBBLING AND CHIPPING OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11015628

Aug 7, 2017Body & structure

WINDSHIELD PILLAR, LEFT SIDE IS LOOSE AND HAS CAUSED THE WEATHER STRIPPING TO DEGRADE AND DETACH. HAVE READ FROM OTHER OWNERS THE PILLAR MOLDING WILL DETACH WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11013423

Aug 1, 2017Body & structure

WHILE ACCELERATING EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE CAB, WIFE SAYS IT SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN EGGS OR SULFUR. AC IS ON IN RECIRCULATE MODE. IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHILE ACCELERATING UP A HILL OR ENTERING A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11012192

Jul 31, 2017Body & structureEngine

THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO HAVE 10 PPM OF CO IN THE INTERIOR.

NHTSA ODI 11011619

Jul 29, 2017Body & structure

FORD EXPLORER HOOD CORROSION. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW ON 4/25/2013. THE HOOD STARTED TO SHOW CORROSION AND I HAD SAWGRASS FORD IN HOLLYWOOD, FL. REPAIR THE HOOD ON 5/13/2015 WITH 24,420 MILES ON IT. THE CORROSION RETURNED AND WAS REPAIRED AGAIN ON 1/8/2016 WITH 35,110 MILES ON IT BY SAWGRASS FORD. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 48,830 MILES ON IT AND THE HOOD NOW HAS 3 AREAS WITH CORROSION AND THE STEEL FRAME UNDER THE HOOD IS RUSTED OUT AND ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE.

NHTSA ODI 11011477

Jul 17, 2017Body & structure

EXHAUST LEAKS INTO CABIN UNDER ACCELERATION

NHTSA ODI 11005864

Jul 7, 2017Electrical systemLightsBody & structure

DOOR AJAR IS ON EVEN WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSE AND ALARM FOR THIS KEEPS GOING OFF ALSO THE INSIDE FRONT INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON.THIS IN ON GOING HAD IT FIX ONCE AND NOW ITS BACK AGAIN.WITH 24,000 MILES AND THOUSANDS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11003629

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Working with the data? Download all 2,224 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 23, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Ford Explorer Police Intercept verdict →