Problems · by component
2013 Ford Explorer electronic stability control (esc) problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Explorer cite electronic stability control (esc), 2% of all 2,237 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
2% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DRIVING THE CAR AND WARNINGS APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD SHOWING POWER STEERING AND STABILITY CONTROL FAILED. I COULD BARELY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THANK GOD I WAS ON A SIDE STREET NEAR HOME. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY OR EXPRESSWAY I WOULD LIKELY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK.”
“MY POWER STEERING ASSIST WENT OUT MULTIPLE DAYS AS I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE. I TURNED IT OFF AND IT TURNED BACK ON. ON THE FOURTH DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME IT TURNED OFF ON ME AND I LOST POWER STEERING. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE AND TURNED IT BACK ON BUT THE POWER STEERING REMAINED OFF AND MY OTHER SENSORS TURNED OFF AS WELL-STABILITY CONTROL ETC.. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY AND NEW BATTERY. IT COST ME $2770 TO FIX. THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VIN FOR MY 2013 FORD EXPLORER EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AS THE RECALL.”
“LOST OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING, COMING FROM AN OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT, AND WAS ABLE TO MANAGE NOT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS COULD'VE BEEN FATAL, AND FORD NEED TO RECALL. *TR”
“THE POWER STEERING RACK AND EPS SHUTS DOWN AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. WE HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING RACK AND HAD THE EPS RESET TWICE AND IT STILL POPS UP THE SENSOR FOR THE EPS AND SHUTS MY POWER STEERING DOWN. I'VE ALMOST CRASHED MY VEHICLE TWICE AND HAD IT TOWED 3 TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS.”
“ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO THE STEERING WAS GETTING TOUGH WITH LITTLE NOISE LIKE CLUNKING, TOOK THE EXPLORER TO A FORD DEALER WAS TOLD MY FRONT STRUTS NEEDED CHANGED. HAD THAT DONE, DID NOT FIX MY STEERING PROBLEM. SAID MY VIN WAS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL FORD HAD ON THE STEERING RACK. NOW JUST YESTERDAY I START MY CAR AND MY STEERING WHEEL IS STUCK NO MOVEMENT. TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND GOT MOVEMENT BUT NO POWER STEERING IT'S A MANUAL. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON 1. "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" 2. "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC". ALSO NOTICED MY TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT STAY ENGAGED MUST HOLD IN PLACE TO SIGNAL.”
“STEERING BECOME HARD CANT MOVE THE WHEEL OR MAKE ANY TURN... AND THE LIGHT OF SERVICE POWER STEERING AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC CAME ON. I ALMOST HAVE A ACCIDENT DO TO THIS PROBLEM.”
Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.