2013 FORD EXPLORER Engine Problems

THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS HAD A ISSUE WITH THE CABIN FILLING WITH EXHAUST FUMES WHEN UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION. MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY ETC WITH THE ENGINE ABOVE 3500 RPM'S WILL FILL THE CABIN WITH A BURNING EXHAUST SMELL. THIS HAS BEEN HIGHLY EXPOSED ON THE EXPLORER FORUMS ONLINE. MANY USERS ARE EXPERIENCING IT, THE TSB FOR HAS FOR THE SMELL DOES NOT WORK. IF I RIDE IN THE CAR TOO LONG IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WHERE I AM ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING A LOT IT MAKES ME AND MY FAMILY SICK FROM THE SMELL. *TR

DURING STOP AND GO CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE EXHAUST FUMES WITH ENTER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE AND BEING TO MAKE THE OCCUPANTS FEEL ILL. BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO A FORD SERVICE DEALER, WHICH CONFIRMED THIS WAS EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER YET. *TR

THERE IS A FOUL SMELL IN THE VEHICLE, MAYBE BURNING PLASTIC ON THE VEHICLE OR EXHAUST. THE FUMES GETS INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT CAN MAKE IT UNBEARABLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE AC ON. YOU CAN NOT STAY IN THE CAR. THE AC HAS TO BE TURN OFF AND ALL WINDOWS OPEN IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DRIVING. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, LAST YEAR. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A PLASTIC BAG THAT GOT STUCK IN THE EXHAUST. ONCE ITS BURNED OFF THE SMELL WILL BE GONE. HOWEVER. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE CASE. THE FOUL SMELL IS GETTING WORSE THAT ITS UNBEARABLE TO STAY IN THE VEHICLE WITH THE AC ON. *TR

I HAVE A 2013 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WITH APPROXIMATELY 8500 MILES. THE INTERIOR CABIN OFTEN FILLS WITH EXHAUST FUMES. MANY OCCURRENCE OVER SEVERAL MONTHS WHETHER AC RUNNING WITH FRESH OR RECIRCULATING AIR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY ISSUES WITH THIS PROBLEM. OF COURSE I WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER BUT BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS, I HAVE REVIEWED I DON'T EXPECT MUCH WILL BE DONE UNLESS FORD MOTOR CO TAKES A DEEPER LOOK TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THAT THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS SPUTTERING AND RUNNING ROUGHLY. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, IT RAN REALLY ROUGH AND JUST DIED. IT STARTED BACK UP AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME. NOT KNOWING IF THE PROBLEM WAS JUST A FLUKE OR NOT, I DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY. AFTER HAVING GONE ABOUT 8 MILES, IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND THEN JUST DIES. IT ALSO HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND AS HE LEFT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT STARTED TO DIE ON HIM BUT HE PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND GAVE IT GAS. HE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL LINCOLN MERCURY (BAYWAY) ON GULF FREEWAY IN HOUSTON, TX. THEY KEPT IT FOR ALMOST 3 DAYS, COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS DROVE IT THE LAST DAY AND IT NEVER HAPPENED TO...

I HAVE A 2013 FORD EXPLORER ECOBOOST. TODAY (APRIL 19, 2014), I WAS ON HIGHWAY 280 SOUTH HEADING TOWARDS SAN JOSE AND MY CAR DECELERATED TWICE. 1. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THE DECELERATION, I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I DID NOT SEE ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE FUEL INDICATOR WAS NORMAL, MEANING IT WAS ABOVE THE RESERVE LINE. I STARTED THE IGNITION, LEFT THE GEAR LEVER IN NEUTRAL AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOR A FEW SECONDS, IT SEEMED NORMAL. I MOVED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND RESUMED DRIVING. 2. AFTER ABOUT 2 MILES, THE CAR DECELERATED AGAIN, THIS TIME, I WAS AFRAID IT MIGHT STALL AND PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. AGAIN, I DID NOT SEE ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE FUEL INDICATOR WAS NORMAL, MEANING IT WAS ABOVE THE RESERVE LINE. I STARTED THE IGNITION, LEFT...

EXHAUST ENTERS THE VEHICLE CABIN ANY TIME THE ENGINE IS OPERATED AT HIGHER RPMS, SUCH AS CLIMBING A LONG HILL OR TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND PASSING OTHER TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (NEW), BUT WE INITIALLY THOUGHT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM SURROUNDING VEHICLES. WE SHORTLY DISCOVERED THAT THE EXHAUST ODOR OCCURRED WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ANY OTHER TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER WHO CONTACTED FORD ENGINEERING FOR A FIX. THE "FIX" DIDN'T HELP. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ESTABLISHED A "CASE" IN AUGUST, 2013, AND WAS PROMISED THE PROBLEM WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. FORD TOLD US TO OPERATE THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE RECIRCULATION MODE UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THIS ONLY AMPLIFIED THE ODOR BECAUSE THE EXHAUST STILL ENTERED BUT WAS THEN TRAPPED IN THE CABIN. AT FORD'S DIRECTION THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK...

WHILE WAITING IN LINE AT THE LOCAL CAR WASH THE ENGINE IN MY 2013 FORD EXPLORER SPORT BEGAN TO REV UP, THEN LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND NO VISIBLE INDICATIONS OR WARNINGS WERE DISPLAYED TO GIVE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED AND I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF LINE AND INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ONCE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IT STARTED UP AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. *TR

WHEN I ACCELERATE FAST, THE EXHAUST ENTERS THE VEHICLE FROM THE AC UNIT. MY CAR WAS IN 3 TIMES BEFORE THE PRESCRIBED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (12-12-4) WAS PERFORMED, WHICH BY THE WAY DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. CANT EVEN IMAGINE HOOKING UP OUR BOAT TO THIS VEHICLE AS IT WILL PROBABLY KILL US WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. MY 10 YEAR OLD SON HAS HAD BRONCHITIS 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE.. HMMM POSSIBLY RELATED!! IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A CHILD THAT IS STRAPPED INTO HIS SEAT DIES OF C.M. POISONING! THE SMELL IS EXTREMELY WORSE IN THE BACK SEAT, NEVERMIND SITTING IN THE 3RD ROW! YOU WOULD PROBABLY DIE A SILENT DEATH RATHER QUICKLY!! AND THE WORST PART OF ALL... FORD'S CEO [XXX] AND FORD AS A WHOLE IS VERY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),...

WHEN ACCELERATING, WITH ENGINE RPMS RISING ABOVE 3500 RPM EXHAUST FUMES BEGIN TO ENTER THE CABIN THROUGH THE AC DUCTS. ODOR IS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF VENTILATION MODE (RECIRCULATION OR FRESH-AIR). ALL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR, INCLUDING OFFICIAL TSB BULLETIN PUBLISHED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY (TSB 12-12-4) AND INSPECTION BY FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER, BY FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER PERSONNEL HAVE FAILED. HERE IS A PART OF A RESPONSE FROM FORD TO MY SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON 10/10/2013 THIS CONCERN IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. WHEN A RESOLUTION IS AVAILABLE, THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED WITH A TSB, SSM, FSA, OR BROADCAST MESSAGE." I THINK THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN EVERY FORD EXPLORER MANUFACTURED SINCE 2011 TO PRESENT BUT CONSUMERS EITHER DON'T KNOW IT IS HAPPENING OR THEY DON'T KNOW TO TAKE IT TO FORD. OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THIS WEBSITE: 2011-10545178, 10537052, 10485394, 2012- 10466807, 10458341, 2013 - 10548667, 10547404, 10545106, 10534074,...

UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE CABIN. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE FORD EXPLORER FORUMS. HTTP://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=323597. A RECALL IS NEEDED OR THEY NEED TO BUY THESE BACK! *TR

WHEN ACCELERATING, WITH ENGINE RPMS RISING ABOVE ~3500 RPM, A NOXIOUS SULFUR-LIKE ODOR IS ADMITTED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN THROUGH THE CLIMATE CONTROL VENTS. THE ODOR OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION OR WHENEVER ENGINE SPEED EXCEEDS 3500 RPM, AS WHEN ON A STEEP INCLINE. ODOR IS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF VENTILATION MODE (RECIRCULATION OR FRESH-AIR), AND TYPE OF FUEL USED (OCTANE RATINGS FROM 85 UP TO 91), OR WHERE FUEL WAS PURCHASED (INCLUDING SEVEN DIFFERENT STATES IN MULTIPLE CITIES). ALL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR, INCLUDING OFFICIAL TSB BULLETIN PUBLISHED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY (TSB 12-12-4), BY FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER PERSONNEL HAVE FAILED. *JS

I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH. I WAS BEHIND A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE AND WANTED TO PASS IT. THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHING IN THE ONCOMING LANE AND I THOUGHT I HAD ENOUGH DISTANCE TO PASS. AS I TURNED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO PASS THIS VEHICLE, I HEARD A STRANGE NOISE LIKE A "POOF" AND MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SLOWED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE ONCOMING VEHICLE AND THE ONCOMING VEHICLE HAD A WIDE SHOULDER . AFTER THAT, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE LESS POWER ON ACCELERATION. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER IT STARTED LEAKING OIL ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE. IT IS A SPORT MODEL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. UPDTED 09/30/13*LJ

ON A NIGHT WITH LIGHT RAIN, AFTER TRAVELING 1.5 HRS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, I PULLED OFF INTERSTATE EXIT TO MAKE A PHONE CALL. I DID NOT TURN ENGINE OFF. AFTER CALL I PROCEEDED TO GET BACK ON INTERSTATE, WHILE MERGING BACK ONTO INTERSTATE I ACCELERATED HARD TO ATTAIN MERGING SPEED, WHEN I MERGED SAFELY IN FRONT OF SEMI THE ENGINE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND LOST POWER. TO AVOID BEING HIT, I JERKED VEHICLE INTO EMERGENCY LANE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THE CAR PLACED IN LIMP MODE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND EVERY THING APPEARED TO HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL. I LATER READ THAT NIGHT THAT THE F150 WITH SAME ENGINE WAS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT FORD HAS BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY ENGINE THAT IS...

I STARTED DRIVING AND ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP, TOOK FOOT OUT OF GAS PEDAL AN VEHICLE CONTINUED REVVING UP TO 3,000 RPM IN SLOW SPEED. CHANGE TRANSMISSION TO "N" AND VEHICLE CONTINUED AT 3,000 RPM. CHANGED BACK TO "D" AND DID NOT CHANGED, ONCE AGAIN CHANGE TO "N" AND BACK TO DRIVE AND RPM CAME DOWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONTACT IN THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. ONE PASSENGER BECAME VIOLENTLY ILL AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEALS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE EXHAUST FUMES WERE LEAKING INTO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,500.

TAKING A TRIP IN MY 2013 FORD EXPLORER SPORT (TEXAS TO FLORIDA) WITH THE 3.5 TURBOCHARGED ENGINE IN RAINING CONDITIONS AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, SHUDDER AND STALL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. WOULD NOT DRIVE PROPERLY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE HAD TO COAST OFF HIGHWAY AND STAY IN HOTEL UNTIL DEALERSHIP OPENED NEXT DAY. LOSS OF TIME AND VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE HOSE FROM THE TURBO CHARGER HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 399.

I DROVE MY RECENTLY ACQUIRED AND NEW FORD EXPLORER SPORT FOR FIRST TIME ON THE HIGHWAY ON MARCH 4, 2013. WHEN ACCELERATING TO PASS A TRUCK, I LOST CONTROL OF FRONT END TO POINT OF SWIRLING AND NEAR COLLISION WITH THE TRUCK. I DON'T CONSIDER THIS A FLUKE AS SAME HAPPENED A WHILE LATER DURING SAME HIGHWAY TRIP. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH HIGH HORSEPOWER PASSENGER VEHICLES AND SPORTS CARS FOR THAT MATTER. I AM ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH HIGHER AND ALLOWABLE SPEEDS HAVING DRIVEN AND HANDLED SPORT CARS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES ON GERMAN AUTOBAHNS WHILE LIVING IN EUROPE. IT IS MY EXPERIENCE AND BELIEF THAT THE COMBINATION OF CHARACTERISTICS (WEIGHT BALANCING IN COMBINATION WITH SIGNIFICANT HORSEPOWER, POSSIBLY LARGE TIRE SIZE, TRACTION AND FOUR WHEEL/FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ASPECTS, THRUST ETC.) MAKE THIS VEHICLE, THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY WHILE ACCELERATING AT ALLOWABLE SPEEDS. A LOCAL DEALERSHIPS' EXPERT (READ:...

THIS 2013 EXPLORER XLT 4WD WITH 345 MILES ON IT AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AT MID-DAY. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A 2013 FORD EXPLORER LAST WEEK AND I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH BURNT OIL SMELL GETTING INSIDE THE CABIN EVEN WITH A/C IN RECIRCULATION MODE. IT IS SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT TO PAY OVER 40K FOR A BRAND NEW SUV AND BEEN DEALING WITH SUCH AN ISSUE. I HAVE A NEWBORN AND I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT WITH ME IN THE EXPLORER BECAUSE I GUESS IT IS HARMFUL FOR ANYBODY. FIRST TIME I BOUGHT A FORD AND I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT MY DECISION TO SWITCH BRANDS. I TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NEED TO GO BACK ON MONDAY TO DO A SYSTEM UPDATE BUT I DON'T THINK UPDATING THE SOFTWARE IT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HOPE SOMEONE FROM FORD CAN READ THIS AND PAY ATTENTION TO US BECAUSE IT'S NOT HEALTHY TO BE DRIVING INHALING HARMFUL FUMES. *TR

WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE QUICKLY WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON (DOES NOT MATTER IF IT'S ON FRESH AIR INTAKE OR RECIRCULATING), THERE IS A DEFINITE ODOR OF GASOLINE EXHAUST IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM CAN BE DUPLICATED AT ANY SPEED, FROM A DEAD STOP OR ACCELERATING DURING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND TWO TECHNICAL BULLETINS WERE ADDRESSED (ONE FOR A VIBRATION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHICH WAS REPAIRED AND THE OTHER FOR THE EXHAUST ODOR IN THE CABIN). UPON COMPLETION OF THE FACTORY WARRANTIED TECHNICAL BULLETINS, THE ODOR REMAINED. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTATION, THE WRONG ODOR WAS ADDRESSED (RADIATOR FLUID, NOT GASOLINE EXHAUST). THE ODOR IS PRESENT REGARDLESS OF BURNING 87 OCTANE OR E-85 FUEL. *TR