2013 Ford Explorer fuel/propulsion system problems
120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the fuel/propulsion system on the 2013 Ford Explorer — 5% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“In September I started to notice a strong fuel odor coming from my 2013 Ford Explorer. I had the exterior of the vehicle cleaned thoroughly to ensure no gasoline was spilled on the vehicle while refuelling. The smell did go away temporarily, until I refuelled the vehicle. The odor has returned, and…”
filed Oct 6, 2025
“Service advancetrac light came on while driving. Lost all propulsion and power steering. Almost went off road around a curve due to no power steering. Ford dealership diagnosed it as faulty steering sensor. Had that replaced about 18 months ago, now this near accident just happened. Service trac…”
filed Feb 18, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Fuel/propulsion System problems in other Explorer years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 2 | 9% |
| 2025 Explorer | 3 | 3% |
| 2023 Explorer | 2 | 2% |
| 2022 Explorer | 19 | 8% |
| 2021 Explorer | 16 | 4% |
| 2020 Explorer | 40 | 3% |
| 2019 Explorer | 14 | 5% |
| 2018 Explorer | 19 | 3% |
| 2017 Explorer | 44 | 3% |
| 2016 Explorer | 104 | 4% |
| 2015 Explorer | 86 | 5% |
| 2014 Explorer | 62 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2013 Ford Explorer
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.