2013 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2013 Ford Explorer, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 57,060 miles. The words owners use most often: “door ajar” (16% of reports).
- 163electrical system complaints
- 57,060median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Door ajar: mentioned in 26 of 163 complaints (16%)
- Power steering assist: mentioned in 15 of 163 complaints (9%)
- Backup camera: mentioned in 10 of 163 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 98 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 163 complaints, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Explorer electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 9 | 21% | 1,000 |
| 2025 Explorer | 23 | 22% | 3,500 |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 13 | 12% | 33,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 39 | 14% | 24,850 |
| 2021 Explorer | 47 | 11% | 23,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 186 | 15% | 9,900 |
| 2019 Explorer | 20 | 7% | 45,600 |
| 2018 Explorer | 58 | 8% | 35,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 93 | 5% | 46,500 |
| 2016 Explorer | 128 | 5% | 41,785 |
| 2015 Explorer | 93 | 5% | 54,620 |
| 2014 Explorer | 100 | 6% | 60,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 163 | 7% | 57,060 |
| 2012 Explorer | 63 | 8% | 39,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 95 | 8% | 56,300 |
| 2010 Explorer | 12 | 10% | 60,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 250 |
| 2008 Explorer | 38 | 26% | 72,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 25 | 12% | 61,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 39 | 6% | 57,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 36 | 7% | 78,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 55 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 54 | 5% | 51,475 |
| 2002 Explorer | 148 | 4% | 94,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 29 | 8% | 71,500 |
| 2000 Explorer | 78 | 8% | 91,700 |
| 1999 Explorer | 92 | 7% | 75,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 114 | 6% | 105,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 80 | 5% | 98,197 |
| 1996 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 143,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 55 | 7% | 156,914 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2013 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
This is a 2013 Ford Explorer experiencing the exact catastrophic power steering failure described in Recall 14S06 / 15S18. The rack has failed twice, creating an immediate crash hazard. The current recall parameters are inadequate as they exclude my VIN despite identical component failure. Not only…
Backup camera only works sometimes which is a safety risk when backing up. Other year models have had a recall for this same reason. It has been doing it for at least 6 months now.
The rearview camera reverses and inverts the image and the guiding lines disappear. I am unable to use the camera when reversing. There is a recall on other Ford Explorers (2020-2024) just not my year (2013). It is not right that I drive a car that has the same issue becuse this is a known issue…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Ford Explorers have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2013 Ford Explorer (7% of the 2,236 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Ford Explorer electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 57,060 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2013 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “door ajar”, in 26 of 163 complaints, followed by “power steering assist” (15).
Other 2013 Ford Explorer problems
- Steering problems (835)
- Structure problems (439)
- Engine problems (225)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (120)
- Power Train problems (119)
- Suspension problems (79)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (67)
See all 2013 Ford Explorer problems or electrical system problems across all Explorer years.