Motor Almanac

Ford / Expedition / 2013

2013 Ford Expedition

Family: Expedition · filed with NHTSA as EXPEDITION

Summary

  • Of the 84 complaints that name a component, 51% concern Powertrain (43).
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
  • No recalls filed for this model year.
  • 1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
92
Recalls
0
Investigations
1
NCAP overall
4 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
15–16
Annual fuel cost
$3,900–$4,150
Median mileage at complaint
90,500 mi (n = 68)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
3 / 3 / 4 / 0

What owners report

Powertrain

43 complaints · 51% of complaints that name a component · median 90,500 mi (n = 29)

Owner report The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear, causing the vehicle to shake and jerk abnormally. The speedometer was fluctuating, and the transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off th…
Owner report The contact owns a 2013 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and unexpectedly downshifted to first gear before the vehicle veered over into the next lane. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle and steer it back into the correct lane. A dealer was contact…

Engine

11 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 85,000 mi (n = 9)

Owner report 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 engine failure, with only 93840 miles. The en…
Owner report 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 passenger’s side of the engine, and the veh…

Electrical System

10 complaints · 12% of complaints that name a component · median 60,000 mi (n = 6)

Owner report 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. Flames quickly engulfed the vehicle and the…
Owner report WHEN TURNING THE CAR ON THE FRONT AIR CONDITIONER VENTS WON'T BLOW MOST OF THE TIME. IF THE WIRING UNDER THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS TAPPED/BUMPED IT WILL THEN START BLOWING. IT STOPS BLOWING AND STARTS BLOWING AGAIN WHEN BUMPED. THE WIRING GETS HOT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS BEING DESCRIBED ON THE INTERNE…

9% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2007–2017)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
200721567
200814636not compared
2009287not compared
20105823not compared
20117122not compared
201211814not compared
20139216not compared
2014726not compared
201516438not compared
201621737not compared
201735841not compared

Recalls

None on file.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
RQ17010POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)2017-12-252019-10-2219V075000

RQ17010: Unexpected Transmission Downshift

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Expedition 2WD FFV5.4L 8cyl FFVAutomatic 6-spdRear-Wheel Drive142016$3900
Expedition 4WD FFV5.4L 8cyl FFVAutomatic 6-spdPart-time 4-Wheel Drive131815$4150

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2013 Ford Expedition EXTENDED SUV 4x4★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2013 Ford Expedition EXTENDED SUV 4x2★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
2013 Ford Expedition SUV 4x2★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
2013 Ford Expedition SUV 4x4★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 72 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about power train.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-02-24ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the access…
2024-10-10UNKNOWN OR OTHERWhile performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. …
2024-07-24WHEELSThis article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to clarify applicable steps by vehicle application. Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhib…
2024-04-24EQUIPMENTAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during ini…
2023-04-04STRUCTUREFor 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification numbe…
2021-08-17POWER TRAINThis program extends the warranty coverage of the automatic transmission molded leadframe to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. This is a one-time repair program.
2020-11-12EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYCertain 2011 - 2013 Model Year F-150 and 2012- 2013 Model Year Expedition/Navigator Vehicles Equipped with A 6R80 Transmission Transmission Molded Leadframe Extended Coverage In some of the affected vehicles, an output shaft speed (OSS) se…
2020-10-16ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSome 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with TOD transfer cases may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (…
2020-07-13STRUCTUREThis article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint wi…
2020-06-02EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYThis article supersedes TSB 20-2028 to update the description of Labor Operation D. Some 2013-2018 F-150/Expedition/Navigator vehicles equipped with 4-wheel drive (4WD) may exhibit an intermittent grinding noise while driving in 2-wheel dri…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Expedition, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Expedition model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.