Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 - 12 MPH and turning and or veering to the right or the left, the steering wheel failed to redirect to center. The contact had to use an excessive amount of force to maneuver the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that most recently while pulling into a parking lot at approximately 5 MPH, the steering wheel became firm. The contact pulled into a parking space and the steering wheel seized with the "Service Power Steering Now" and "Lane Keeping System Malfunction Service Required," illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that due to the amount of sensors, the vehicle needed to be serviced by the dealer. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the power steering failed to operate as needed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The contact also stated that when the Lane Departure: Lane Keep: Automatic Steering was engaged, the function independently disengaged, and the vehicle was drifting out of the lane. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the functionality returned. Additionally, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was notified of a failure with the rear suspension related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) rear toe link. The contact related the steering failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while shifting in reverse, the rear-view camera intermittently displayed a distorted or blank image. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the camera wiring harness was rusted. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in an undisclosed recall and advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The contact stated that she notified the dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while in reverse(R), the back over prevention camera went black and remained black. The contact stated that occasionally while driving the message "Camera Unavailable - Please Contact Dealer" message was displayed. The contact stated that on several other occasions, while driving at various speeds or while in reverse(R), there was a beeping notification was heard and a message that a "Vehicle was coming from the left or right side" was displayed without a vehicle being nearby. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased in late 2024, and approximately six months later, the rearview camera failed. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear Camera Unavailable - Contact your Dealer" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the contact noticed the rearview camera displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified, opened a case, and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 108,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the back-up camera was turning on and off independently. The contact stated that while reversing, the screen went black and then turned on. The message to contact the dealer was displayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The manufacturer confirmed that there was no recall coverage for the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse(R), the image on the screen was fuzzy. The message "Rearview Camera not Available" was displayed. Neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 101,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera turned blank. The contact stated that a message to Contact Dealer was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring intermittently. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact of an unknown recall associated to the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image in the opposite direction of the location. Additionally, the rear-view camera also displayed lines across the image. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the rear-view camera needed to be replaced. The manufacturer advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Collision Avoidance complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are collision avoidance problems on the 2013 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the driver assistance of the 2013 Ford Explorer, 2% of the model year's 2,237 complaints. The component named most often is sensing system › camera (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford Explorer collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA lists no driver assistance recall for the 2013 Ford Explorer, though it has 11 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Explorer collision avoidance problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 128,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.