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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A POTHOLE AND INTO SOME BUSHES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER (AL PIEMONTE FORD, 2500 W NORTH AVE, MELROSE PARK, IL 60160) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 (STEERING). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PAD, ROTORS, AND ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

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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.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (TUSCALOOSA FORD, 6500 INTERSTATE PWY, COTTONDALE, AL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 (STEERING). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TT *JS

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I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHO HAD JUST REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS, DONE A ALIGNMENT, AND REPLACED A CIRCUIT BREAKER ON 5/16/2018. I THEN TOOK SAID CAR ON A ROAD TRIP DOWN THE EAST COAST. WHEN I FIRST GOT ONTO THE HIGHWAY, I FELT MY CAR PULLING EVER SO SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. I ASSUMED THE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND DIDN'T THINK ANYMORE OF IT UNTIL I TRIED TO GO ACROSS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE, WHERE MY CAR BEGAN TO BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER AND HANDLE. SEVERAL WARNINGS CAME ACROSS THE DASHBOARD, INCLUDING 'SERVICE POWER STEERING', ALONG WITH TWO TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. I PULLED OFF INTO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION ON THE NJ TURNPIKE, WHERE I COULD NO LONGER STEER THE CAR (AS I WAS DECREASING SPEED), AND THE RED WARNING FLASHING 'SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW' APPEARED. I PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK, AND COULD NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED, RENT A CAR, AND DRIVE BACK HOME. IT IS ABSURD THAT 196,000 OTHER EXPLORERS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MINE WAS NOT (ALONG WITH ABOUT 150+ OTHER CASES I RESEARCHED BEFORE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE 77,000 MILES ON MY CAR, EXTENDED AND POWERTRAIN WARRANTIES, AND HAD TO PAY $2000 PLUS NJ STATE TAXES OUT OF POCKET FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. THIS IS MY FIRST FORD, AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THEY AREN'T INCLUDING THESE OTHER AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN A RECALL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF WHILE TURNING AND REMAINED IN THE POSITION OF THE TURN. HALL FORD LINCOLN IN NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION AND THE STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

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POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK AT TIMES ON START UP. COULD GO OUT AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. SHOULD BE A RECALL

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ON A 2013 FORD EXPLORER, THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE KEEPS GETTING STUCK AND CAR IS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WITH OUT MANUALLY MOVING THE RELEASE PUMP. THIS IS AFTER CAR IS IN PARK.

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WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE STARTED 'CLUNKING' WHILE TURNING. THE NOISE HAPPENED IF THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. WE HAD THE STRUT REPLACED AND IT FIXED THE ISSUE FOR A LITTLE UNDER 6 WEEKS. ALL REPLACEMENT PETS CAME STRAIGHT FROM FORD. WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF REPLACEMENT THE FORD REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE NOW GONE BAD AGAIN AND DAMAGED THE CV AXLE CAUSING A TERRIFYING SHAKE WHEN ACCELERATING.

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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.

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RECEIVED WARNING LIGHT WHEN I STARTED MY CAR WHICH WOULD STAY ON WHILE DRIVING WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. IT WAS CAUSED BY BATTERY ACID LEAKING WHICH REQUIRED THAT I PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THE BATTERY HARNESS REPLACED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD HAVE GONE OUT COMPLETELY, IN TIME.

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2013 FORD EXPLORER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING AND WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. I LOST ALL ACCELERATION ABILITY. LUCKILY I WAS IN MINIMAL TRAFFIC AND WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS I WAS PULLING OVER, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED A FEW TIMES AND I KILLED OUT THE VEHICLE AND LET IT SIT FOR A MINUTE THEN RESTARTED WITH NO TROUBLE.

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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.

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CONTINUE TO SMELL A BAD ODOR FROM VENTS. CONTACTED FORD, WENT TO DEALER TODAY, DID FREE FIIX, BUT PROBLEM NOT STILL EXISTS. IT DOES THIS OCCASSIONALLY AND LAST FEW MINUTES.

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2013 FORD EXPLORER XLT DRIVERS SIDE ARM REST SPLITTING BETWEEN SEAMS. SPLITTING IS EXPANDING ON DRIVERS DOOR SIDE. CHECKED ONLINE AND MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME CONCERN WITH THIS MODEL YEAR 2013

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THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR FAILED. I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME. THERE IS A RECALL ON 2011 TO 2013 FORD EXPLORERS FOR THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THE RECALL WAS FOR 2011-2013 MODELS BUILD THROUGH 2/28/12. CLEARLY THIS ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED IN FUTURE MODELS. MY VEHICLE'S STEERING FAILED AT 43,000 MILES.

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STEERING COLUMN IS SUPPOSEDLY DAMAGED BY "ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS" ACCORDING TO DEALER SERVICE. I AM NOT SURE HOW THE ENVIRONMENT GETS IN THERE BUT THEY WON'T COVER IT EVEN WITH THE FORD PREMIUM CARE WARRANTY PACKAGE. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD 59,000 MILES. CAN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL EASILY, IT SKIPS SOMETIMES. THEY SAY THERE IS RUST AND CORROSION IN THERE AND ALMOST $1000 TO REPLACE AFTER PAYING OVER $2600 FOR THIS SUPER PACKAGE WARRANTY. IT COST ME $135 FOR THEM TO TELL ME THEY WOULDN'T COVER ANY OF IT!! I CAN'T BELIEVE FORD IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT IS PRETTY COMMON AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH. PEOPLE NOT TO BE ABLE TO TURN THEIR STEERING WHEEL COULD TURN INTO A MAJOR ISSUE. IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN WHEN THEY WOULDN'T COVER ANYTHING BETTER BE SURE I WILL BE GETTING A LAWYER.

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I HAD THE SAME POWER STEERING ISSUE THE OTHER 150+ PEOPLE HAVE POSTED. FORD RECALL -14S06, NHTSA RECALL - 14V-286. FORD IS 100% AWARE OF THIS AND THEIR OFFICIAL STANCE IS THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION UNLESS THE NHTSB DIRECTS THEM TO. MY GOAL OF REPORTING THIS INFORMATION IS TO HOPEFULLY HAVE AN INVESTIGATION OPENED. I TRULY HOPE IT DOES NOT TAKE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR DEATH FOR THIS TO GET THE PROPER ATTENTION IT DESERVES. I DON'T BLAME NHTSB ON THIS AS I'M SURE LIKE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THEY ARE FOCUSED ON THE URGENT TOP ISSUES. I'VE DRIVEN A NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN FAILURES THAT HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATING, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN WHERE I WAS TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SOUNDS TILL ROUGHLY AN HOUR OR 70 MILES AFTER I HAD BEEN DRIVING AND DEALING WITH THE ISSUE. THIS IS IN DIRECT CONTRACTION TO FORDS STANCE THAT DRIVERS ARE NOTIFIED. EVEN WITH THAT CONCENTRATED EFFORT I WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY IN MY LANE. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE FREEWAY. AS MY VEHICLE WOULD START TO DRIFT OUT OF A STRAIGHT LINE I WOULD MAKE A MINOR CORRECTION, THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO DRIFT, SO I MADE AN INCREASED CORRECTION, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE A DELAYED RESPONSE TO MY INPUTS WHICH CAUSED OVER CORRECTION AND REQUIRED ME TO COUNTER CORRECT IN AN EFFORT TO STAY IN MY LANE. THE ISSUE IN MOST CASES APPEARS WITHIN 59,000 TO 73,000 MILES. AS 2013+ EXPLORERS HIT THIS MILEAGE THE NUMBER OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WILL INCREASE. THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 30 REPORTED INSTANCES IN JUST THE LAST 4 MONTHS ALONE NOT COUNTING OTHER MODEL YEARS. THIS DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PEOPLE NOT REPORTING SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IN TOTAL THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 150 REPORTS AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE EARLY POPULATION OF 2013 VEHICLES THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

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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.

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UPPER STRUT MOUNT PASSENGER SIDE GONE BAD. MAKES NOISE WHEN STEERING. DOES IT WHEN IN MOTION OR STATIONARY.

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ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPAS) COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME I DROVE THROUGH DEEP WATER OVER THE ROADWAY (16" DEEP). A DAY LATER A NOISE (LIKE AN UN-LUBRICATED ROLLER BEARING TURNING) COULD BE HEARD EVERY TIME THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED SUBSTANTIALLY (LIKE WHEN PARKING). AFTER 4-DAYS THE STEERING SYSTEM, ACCUTRAK, AND STEERING FAILURE MESSAGES CAME ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN WHILE DRIVING, BUT I WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT EFFORT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION, BUT WHEN I SWITCHED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT, THE POWER STEERING WAS TOTALLY DEAD! IT REQUIRED SUPERMAN STRENGTH TO TURN WHEEL AND DRIVE. THOSE ARE THE FACTS. MY OPINION IS THAT FORD'S EPAS STEERING SYSTEM IS TERRIBLY DESIGNED, AND DANGEROUS! WHEN AN EPAS FAILS, IT SHOULD NOT BE MONUMENTOUSLY HARDER TO STEER THAN A FAILED HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM!!! (YOU CAN DRIVE OLDER CARS WITH FAILED HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING FOREVER!) I AM VERY AMAZED THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE NOT DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE SYSTEM.

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CONTINUE TO SMELL A BAD ODOR FROM VENTS. CONTACTED FORD AND WANTED TO BRING IT IN BUT WILL COST MONEY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. IT DOES THIS OCCASSIONALLY AND LASTS A FEW MINUTES. PREVIOUSLY HAVE SMELLED A STRONG GAS ODOR WHICH MADE ME HAVE A SEVERE HEADACHE FOR HOURS. THOUGHT THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL. HAVE 2013 BASE MODEL.

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STEERING HARD WITH GRINDING NOISE. PARKED VEHICLE. UPON NEXT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK UNTIL HEAVY FORCE TO TURN WHEEL. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE WHICH HAD LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING LOW SPEED BUT AFTER STOP NO POWER ASSIST WORKED.

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MY EXPLORER HAS AN ISSUE WHEN STOPPED AND IN DRIVE WITH THE AC ON THE CAR PULLS/LUNGES FOWARD AS IF I HIT THE GAS/ ALSO WHEN IM PARKED AND THE AIR CON IS RUNNING AT SOME POINT THE ENGINE GOES DOWN BELOW 500 RPMS THEN KICKS UP TO 700 TO COMPENSATE THEN KICKS DOWN TO BELOW 500 , OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IF REV THE ENGINE A BIT, THEN IT GOES BACK DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE AND ITS FINE FOR MAYBE 10 MINUTES THEN DOES IT ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE CAR PULLS ITSELF FOWARD WITH NO HUMAN INTERACTION. THERE IS MULTIPLE WEBSITES DECLARING THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS CAR. GOOGLE 2013 EXPLORER ROUGH AC IDLE YOU WILL SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE COMMENTING ON IT.

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2013 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER STEERING FAILURE. *LD *TR

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THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IN THE SECOND ROW REFUSED TO LATCH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY. THE SUN/MOON ROOF HAS LEAKED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS CAUSING ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT WE SHOULD BLOW AIR INTO THE TUBES TO KEEP THEM CLEAR EVEN THOUGH WE ALWAYS PARK IN THE GARAGE AND AT WORK THERE ARE NO TREES AROUND THE PARKING LOT TO HAVE ANYTHING BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE DRAIN TUBES. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES WITH SUN ROOFS AND NEVER HAD THEM LEAK OR NEED TO BE BLOWN OUT EVEN WHEN THEY WERE STORED 100%V OUTSIDE. AGAIN NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH WE HAD LESS THAN 40K MILES AND A FORD CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE SUN ROOF WAS STUCK OPEN ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW TRIM PILLAR FLEW OFF WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT IS NOW COMING LOOSE AGAIN AND I DO NOT EXPECT IT TO LAST MUCH LONGER WITH HOW LOOSE IT IS. IT IS A DANGER TO ANYONE DRIVING BEHIND ME AS IT COULD FLY OFF AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. THESE EVENTS HAPPENED OVER MULTIPLE DATES BUT WE WERE NOT AWARE OF A WAY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS AS WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.

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