2013 Ford Expedition: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2013 Ford Expedition? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 89 complaints, with Transmission / Drivetrain as the top reported area.
2013 Ford Expedition Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA-rated fuel economy across 2 2013 Ford Expedition trim configurations. The median figure is shown; range reflects all available trims.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions. 2 trims analysed.
2013 Ford Expedition Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Program4 variants tested — showing 2013 Ford Expedition EXTENDED SUV 4x4Official crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
19.8% rollover risk
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
19.8% probability
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2013 Ford Expedition has 89 owner complaints, 3 crash-related complaints, and 0 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Transmission / Drivetrain. NHTSA reliability signal: Severe Issues.
- Make
- Ford
- Model
- Expedition
- Model year
- 2013
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 89
- Crash-related complaints
- 3
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Top reported component
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Reliability signal
- Severe Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 16
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 14 / 20
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 4/5 stars
- NHTSA frontal crash rating
- 4/5 stars
- NHTSA side crash rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA rollover rating
- 4/5 stars
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
Most Common 2013 Ford Expedition Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Engine Problems
Uncategorized Issues
Complaint patterns center on Transmission / Drivetrain, Engine Problems, Uncategorized Issues. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2013 Ford Expedition?
The 2013 Ford Expedition shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2013 Ford Expedition
Inspection Focus
- Inspect the transmission and drivetrain for any signs of issues or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for engine and electrical system repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase, focusing on reported components.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect the transmission and drivetrain for any signs of issues or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for engine and electrical system repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase, focusing on reported components.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2013 Ford Expedition, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Based on 89 NHTSA complaints for the 2013 Ford Expedition, the data suggests that transmission and drivetrain issues are the most frequently reported concern, followed by engine problems and uncategorized issues. Crash-related complaints are minimal, with only 3 reported. However, the confidence level is low, so these patterns should be interpreted cautiously.
- Transmission / Drivetrain complaints account for the largest share of reported issues.
- Engine problems and uncategorized issues are the next most common complaint categories.
- Only 3 crash-related complaints were reported out of 89 total.
- Transmission / Drivetrain issues are the most frequently cited component.
- Engine problems are the second most reported concern.
- Electrical faults and unintended acceleration are also notable complaint categories.
All 2013 Ford Expedition Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Expedition. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 40 | — | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 11 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 11 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 10 | — | 1 | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 7 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Brake System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Firerelated | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Steering Defects | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Expedition. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Was never notified of the recall pertaining to my vehicle. Upon research I contacted the dealership to have the recall fixed. First issue was they offere complimentary pickup and delivery which I scheduled and they did not show up, aswell as the call that was supposed to happen, …
2013 Ford Expedition Limited 5.4 engine. The vehicle was purchased new with an extended warranty with all services performed by Ford dealer. On or about [XXX], with no warning or indication of problem the vehicle experienced what was determined to be a catastrophic internal engin…
This has been a great vehicle. We were going down a road around 60 mph and with no warning or symptom the car downshifted from 6th to 1st gear. This caused the rear end to lock up causing the tires to squeal and spin the car around sideways in the road. Luckily nothing was coming…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also noticed that the instrument panel became inoperable and would not function properly when the contact atte…
2/13/19- Ford Issued Recall on 2013 Ford Expedition for OSS failure and downshift 2/20/19- I go to the Preston Ford Mazda dealership, Maryland. I view and test drive a 2013 Ford Expedition, during the test drive the RPMs ran high on the Expedition and it felt sluggish and “off” …
Ford had a customer satisfaction recall (which should be a safety recall, honestly) - 19N01 - that was good for 10 years or 150K miles. My vehicle a 2013 is just outside of that 10 years but under the mileage and I am starting to have issues with the leadframe and main control. U…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the RMPS were fluctuating, and the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted to second or to third gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road, and then the …
When driving veh wrench light came on veh jerks and drops down to first gear rpm and speed gauges go out for second had to pull over cut veh off and cut it back on to get it home this happened several times took it to the closes shop they said it the transmission speed sensor lo…
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in the daughter's driveway, a mist was present coming from the vents, and moments later the horn activated and flames were seem coming from under the front passenger side dashboard. Fla…
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the front passenger's side tire blew out, and she lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle crashed into an embankment, and the vehicle stopped. The contact …
I have been having random transmission issues. Its wanting to start off in a high gear. Check engine light comes on. A wrench in the digital display. Speedometer quits working. Sometimes it wont shift, and idles way up by itself. At first turning the key off fixed it for a bit. N…
Since more than 18 months, we have the known intermittent problem described in TSB [XXX], where all of a sudden the wrench appears, speedometer drops to zero and car can't change gear anymore. Sometimes going to manual gears works, sometimes car needs to be stopped, locked and co…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission molded leadframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicl…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle independently decelerated to 0 MPH. The check engine warning light and the wrench symbol was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed th…
Transmission, is available for inspection upon request, trans will downshift to 1st gear causing rear wheels to lock up, speedometer to read zero mph, wrench to be displayed, and dashes across digital display on mph. called dealer and was told out of recall/warranty parameters, a…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the passenger’s side of the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced twelve rocker arms from the pas…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle downshifted unexpectedly, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The powertrain warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer w…
The airbag case/seal is ruptured and splitting in the center of the steering wheel and looks like it will self-deploy on its own. Their airbag warning light is NOT illuminated.
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he started to see smoke located underneath the front passenger dashboard. The contact then stated that he then noticed that flames had started to ignite. No warning lights wer…
The transmission is shifting dangerously. All the lights on the dash are flashing and the speedometer doesn't work. We were driving at highway speed and the transmission shifted into first gear causing an abrupt slowing of the Expedition. When we stopped at a red light the vehicl…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2013 Ford Expedition.
2013 Ford Expedition Recalls
0 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2013 Ford Expedition. No recall campaigns are currently listed for this model year in the dataset, but VIN-level recall checks are still essential. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
No recall campaigns found for this model year in the current data. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls directly for the latest information.
2013 Ford Expedition Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2013 Ford Expedition reliable?▾
Severe Issues. NHTSA currently shows 89 owner complaints, 3 crash-related complaints, and 0 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2013 Ford Expedition shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Expedition?▾
#1: Transmission / Drivetrain (40 complaints). #2: Engine Problems (11 complaints). #3: Uncategorized Issues (11 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2013 Ford Expedition?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2013 Ford Expedition?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2013 Ford Expedition, NHTSA complaints include 3 crash-related reports and 3 fire reports out of 89 total complaints. 4 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2013 Ford Expedition have any recalls?▾
No NHTSA recall campaigns were found for the 2013 Ford Expedition in the current data. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.
Should I buy a 2013 Ford Expedition?▾
The 2013 Ford Expedition shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Transmission / Drivetrain during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Ford Expedition reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2013 Ford Expedition based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.