2013 Ford Explorer Latches & Locks Problems
8 owner-reported latches & locks complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Latches & Locks Recalls (1)
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured November 29, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, with sufficient door openings and closings, the child safety locks may change from an activated position to a deactivated position without notice.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the safety locks. If necessary, the locks will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S07. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Owner Complaints (8)
All doors sporadically do not unlock. Sometimes it one sometimes it’s two sometimes it’s three. The back doors locked and will not unlock with the key fob, the indoor lock controls, or manually attempting to unlock the doors. The rear doors cannot be opened from the outside or inside when the locking mechanisms stop working. It poses a large risk when there are children in the car. And the front doors can be opened from the inside when the locking mechanisms stop working. It seems as though the locks start to act up when the weather is below 60°F. It is so sporadic that we can’t risk to take our family or children anywhere as we have to maneuver them out of car seats to get them out through front doors instead. I have taken our vehicle into our local Ford dealer for inspection upon which they stated that a specific component wasn’t working and it needed to be replaced, although that’s not the case considering how sporadic the locks are. They work when it’s warm and usually during the spring and summer, but all of a sudden when it’s below 60° they only want to work every so often. They should be a safety recall considering when people can’t get out of their car it poses a large risk. There are no warnings for this happening, and I don’t believe that the Ford dealership is even aware of what causes this as I’ve seen on many online forums that a lot of Ford owners have this problem. This has been going on since we purchased our car in June 2020
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the passenger’s side door failed to latch properly. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated tied the door shut to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that in February 2021 the driver’s side door latch was replaced, not the passenger’s side door latch. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the Vin was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximate 102,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DOME LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THE INTERNAL LIGHTING REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE AWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE DOOR AJAR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE DOOR CHIME SOUNDED; HOWEVER, THE DOOR WAS SHUT. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND, EVERY TIME THE LOCK BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED, THE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK. THE CONTACT PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND OPENED THE DOOR. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AGAIN AND IT STARTED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH CONNECTOR WAS DIRTY. THE LATCH CONNECTOR WAS CLEANED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,700.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE DRVER SIDE DOOR LATCH AJAR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE HAD NOT HEARD OF SUCH A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,650.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE PANEL WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED "DOOR AJAR". THE CONTACT TELEPHONED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V270000 (LOCKS/LATCHES AND STATED THAT THE DEALER INFORMED HER IT WOULD TAKE A WEEK TO RECEIVE THE PARTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.