RoadVitals

2013 Ford Explorer Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
436
Latest Jul 15, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
20%
of 2,228 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 436 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

The 25 most recent of 436, in the owner's own words

Body & structure
Filed Jul 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH in snowy and stormy weather, the driver’s side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to several dealers, where it was inspected, and it was confirmed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

NHTSA ID
11750508
Incident
Jul 15, 2026
Mileage
152,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 30, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID
11747376
Incident
May 7, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Jun 30, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID
11747368
Incident
Mar 31, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Jun 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11745607
Incident
Feb 14, 2024
Body & structure
Filed May 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim on the driver’s side windshield started to detach. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part required for the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available and were on backorder. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ID
11737590
Incident
May 13, 2026
Mileage
130,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 24, 2026

I am writing to complain about Recall 24S02. The A-Pillar Trim has become loose on my car and the rubber mold underneath it now is loose and flaps aggressively in the wind creating damage to my windshield and driver side front window. I am afraid the whole piece will come off at any moment and cause a road hazard. I have called multiple dealers in my area over the past two years and were told that the parts for this recall is on "universal backorder. One dealer told me in 2025 verbatim, I'd "...have a better chance of seeing Jesus come back than to get that part fixed." I have tried getting in touch with corporate but have had not luck either. I am not sure what to do.

NHTSA ID
11733589
Incident
Jun 29, 2024
Body & structure
Filed Apr 20, 2026

After more than two years with an open recall, Ford has not been able to repair my 2013 Ford Explorer due to an inability to source the replacement parts. On Sunday, April 12th the defective A-pillar trim on the driver’s side detached while driving at highway speeds on the interstate. My Ford dealer states that there is a backorder of over 80,000 A-pillar covers. It doesn’t seem that they are very interested in addressing this recall. What recourse do I have?

NHTSA ID
11732309
Incident
Apr 12, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Mar 31, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID
11728284
Incident
Jan 13, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Mar 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim was blown off the vehicle. The contact was unable to recover the trim. The contact stated that much later, while the vehicle was with the dealer, the dealer informed the contact that the passenger’s side A-pillar trim was loose, and tape was used to secure the trim in place. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part was not yet available. The dealer and the manufacturer were asked about parts availability and were informed that owners would be notified by mail when parts were available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID
11728273
Incident
Nov 22, 2024
Mileage
120,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the A-pillar trim was detached from the driver’s and passenger’s side windshields. The approximate failure mileage was 217,000

NHTSA ID
11726796
Incident
Sep 18, 2024
Mileage
217,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's and the passenger's side A-pillar trims were loose. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11724068
Incident
Dec 27, 2023
Body & structure
Filed Mar 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side exterior A-pillar trim detached and struck another vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. Several dealers were contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

NHTSA ID
11722585
Incident
Mar 6, 2026
Mileage
146,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 6, 2026

This is a complaint regarding the handling of safety recall 20S62 (also referenced as 20S32) by Ford Motors and the dealership that performed the recall repairs, Hallada Motors. The vehicle was taken by the previous owner to Hallada 3 separate times to address the same recall related to the rear suspension toe link/ball joint issue. Documentation indicates the most recent repair occurring in 2022. This recall specifically involves components connected to the rear suspension that, if not properly addressed, can lead to corrosion and structural damage affecting the frame. Based on the history of repeated recall repairs and the current condition of the vehicle, we believe that the repair approach taken was insufficient. By the time of the third recall service in 2022, the frame should have been thoroughly inspected and potentially replaced due to corrosion risk identified in the recall guidance. The vehicle is currently being inspected and serviced at Ewald Ford. Their technicians documented significant corrosion and unusual frame damage, which they photographed and submitted to Ford corporate while requesting that the recall case be reopened. Despite this documentation, Ford has refused to reopen the recall or authorize a frame replacement. Ewald Ford technicians noticed irregularities in the documentation from Hallada Motors. 2 separate entries list the mileage as exactly 87,600 miles and exactly 95,000 miles, both ending in multiple zeros. The technicians indicated this is unusual and raised concerns whether the recall work was properly completed. The vehicle now has severe frame corrosion and structural damage and is unsafe and unusable. We are without a vehicle and have incurred financial loss. We believe the current condition is the result of improper/incomplete recall repairs. We request a look at the recall repairs performed were completed in compliance & ford's refusal to reopen is consistent with safety obligations. Ford should be held accountable.

NHTSA ID
11722510
Incident
Feb 20, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Mar 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part for the recall repair was not available. The dealer used black tape as an interim repair. The contact became aware that the seal around the front passenger’s side windshield had started to deteriorate. Recently, the contact noticed small amounts of water occasionally leaking inside the vehicle from the front passenger’s side windshield. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the driver’s side A-pillar trim was loose. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue, and no assistance was offered. The manufacturer informed the contact that the seal and leak were symptoms of the recall, but not related to the recall, and therefore not covered under the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11721759
Incident
Jan 20, 2024
Body & structure
Filed Feb 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the trim along the front windshield had become loose, and the lining was pushed outward and was partially missing and detached. The contact was concerned that the windshield could potentially loosen or fall out due to the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on back order. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11720204
Incident
Jan 1, 2023
Body & structure
Filed Feb 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving rounding a corner at a slow speed, the front passenger’s side A-pillar trim detached and separated from the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID
11719103
Incident
Jan 18, 2026
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that a technician went to the residence and diagnosed and determined that the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer applied duct tape to both sides of the windshield as a temporary fix. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 161,708.

NHTSA ID
11717776
Incident
Feb 13, 2026
Mileage
161,708 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 5, 2026

Both pilars flew off, right and left. There is a recall and i went to Ford in San Bruno and Fullerton, both were giving me the run around and supposedly in late 2024 parts were available and its now 2026 and i am still waiting for both to be replaced. I need this case to be expedited from Ford. Thank you

NHTSA ID
11715770
Incident
Sep 22, 2022
Body & structure
Filed Jan 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the passenger’s side A-pillar trim was blown off the vehicle by the slipstream. The dealer was not contacted because the contact had previously called the dealer and was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ID
11713707
Incident
Jan 23, 2026
Mileage
145,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was wind constantly entering the vehicle from the front passenger’s side of the windshield. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the exterior A-pillar trim on the front passenger’s side was missing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID
11712969
Incident
Mar 15, 2025
Mileage
80,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 30, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000(Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the passenger's side and driver's side windshield exterior A- Pillar trims had detached from the vehicle. The contact replaced the trims with aftermarket parts; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,000.

NHTSA ID
11707787
Incident
May 30, 2023
Mileage
178,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the recall remedy parts were not fully available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the recall remedy was partially available. The dealer stated that the driver-side A-pillar trim was available, but the passenger-side A-pillar trim was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11707495
Incident
Dec 29, 2025
Body & structure
Filed Dec 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the front passenger’s side A-Pillar trims had become loosened. Two local dealers were contacted on various occasions, including McGovern Ford of Lowell (1212 Westford St, Lowell, MA 01851). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ID
11706122
Incident
Dec 15, 2023
Mileage
65,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 25, 2025

My 2013 White Four door Ford Explorer incidents occurred twice on the highway. The end pieces of the front windshield came off while driving on Hwy. 70 in Durham/Raleigh NC and on hwy somewhere in Raleigh! There was a Sherriff behind me the first time. My concern is the wind noise in my vehicle while driving and safety of the windshield for safety inspection. Crossroads Ford in Wake Forest NC service told me that it can take up to 30-60 days to get the parts for my 2013 Ford. I am disabled and I need my vehicle to be safe for doctor visits. Can the new parts be expedited or no?

NHTSA ID
11701562
Incident
Jul 31, 2023
Body & structure
Filed Nov 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the windshield exterior A-pillar trims had become loosened, and water entered the vehicle through the interior light near the rearview mirror. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where tape was applied to the trim pieces. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ID
11700033
Incident
Feb 18, 2025
Mileage
140,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .