2013 Ford Explorer Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2013 Ford Explorer, 4% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 96,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “toe link” (14% of reports).
- 79suspension complaints
- 96,500median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 37%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.
- Toe link: mentioned in 11 of 79 complaints (14%)
- Rear suspension: mentioned in 9 of 79 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 46 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 79 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Ford Explorer suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 3 | 3% | 2,289 |
| 2024 Explorer | 3 | 14% | 7,352 |
| 2023 Explorer | 14 | 13% | 3,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 13 | 5% | — |
| 2021 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 6,010 |
| 2020 Explorer | 35 | 3% | 43,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 11 | 4% | 88,086 |
| 2018 Explorer | 23 | 3% | 62,500 |
| 2017 Explorer | 58 | 3% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 73 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 83 | 5% | 76,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 103 | 6% | 82,500 |
| 2013 Explorer | 79 | 4% | 96,500 |
| 2012 Explorer | 22 | 3% | 135,500 |
| 2011 Explorer | 24 | 2% | 125,525 |
| 2010 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2008 Explorer | 3 | 2% | 76,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 6 | 3% | 52,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 5 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 62,376 |
| 2004 Explorer | 37 | 3% | 65,950 |
| 2003 Explorer | 63 | 6% | 72,203 |
| 2002 Explorer | 422 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 43 | 11% | 92,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 62 | 7% | 57,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 65 | 5% | 113,850 |
| 1998 Explorer | 111 | 6% | 90,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 105 | 6% | 117,500 |
| 1996 Explorer | 97 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 93 | 11% | 127,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. These vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S43.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Risk: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
After getting my vehicle from the dealership my steering wheel was hard to turn , took it in and they replaced the struts (The old struts were binding). 6/7 Days later the same thing happened with the steering wheel. They had said it was a switch in the power steering and there was a safety recall…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair related to a possible rear suspension toe link fracture. The contact stated that while his son was driving 55 MPH, a month and half after the recall repair, the rear driver's side…
I was leaving the store pulled out on a main road in town about to head on the highway. My steering wheel locked and would hardly move with all my strength and the help of my significant other we pulled back into the store parking lot rarely missing hitting several vehicles in the process. I had my…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Ford Explorers have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 79 owner complaints about suspension for the 2013 Ford Explorer (4% of the 2,237 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 suspension?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 96,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2013 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “toe link”, in 11 of 79 complaints, followed by “rear suspension” (9).
Other 2013 Ford Explorer problems
- Steering problems (836)
- Structure problems (439)
- Engine problems (225)
- Electrical System problems (163)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (120)
- Power Train problems (119)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (67)
See all 2013 Ford Explorer problems or suspension problems across all Explorer years.