YearToAvoid

2013 Ford Expedition Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

7/100

#15 most-complained of 16 Expedition years

The 2013 Ford Expedition ranks as one of the best years for this model, with a complaint index of 7 and 92 total complaints, ranked 15th worst out of 16 model years tracked. No recalls have been issued for this year.

Complaints
92
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
3 / 3
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
15.5
13.5 city / 19 hwy

Top 2013 Ford Expedition problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain43 (47%)
  2. Engine17 (18%)
  3. Other14 (15%)
  4. Electrical System10 (11%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (9%)
  6. Brakes6 (7%)
  7. Airbags3 (3%)
  8. Structure & Body3 (3%)
  9. Fuel System2 (2%)
  10. Seat Belts2 (2%)

What owners report

  • Front axle shaft fractured with a loud banging noise and wheel seizure while driving at low speed.
  • Throttle response was erratic, with delayed acceleration followed by sudden lurching forward.
  • Vehicle lost all exterior, interior, and emergency lighting while driving and would not shift out of park afterward.
  • Mist appeared from the vents while idling, followed by the horn activating and flames coming from under the dashboard.
  • GPS navigation gave incorrect directions and dealer visits did not fix the software issue.
  • Airbags failed to deploy during a side-impact collision at 35 mph, resulting in injuries.
2013 Ford Expedition complaints: complaints filed per quarter82013 Q12014 Q42017 Q22019 Q12020 Q32022 Q32024 Q22026 Q3
112 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q2 (8).

2013 Ford Expedition recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2013 Ford Expedition fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
19 MPG
Combined
15.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Expedition years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Best071015
2012Good27118315.5
2013Best792015.5
2014Best1372015.5
2015Good33164317

All Ford Expedition years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Ford Expedition reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Expedition has a complaint index of 7, the second-lowest among the 16 model years tracked, and carries a 'Best' verdict relative to other Expedition years.
Does the 2013 Ford Expedition have any recalls?
NHTSA lists zero recalls for the 2013 Ford Expedition, including zero do-not-drive recalls.
What is the most common problem on the 2013 Ford Expedition?
Transmission & Powertrain complaints are the largest category, making up 47% of all complaints (43 of 92), with a median failure mileage of 90,500.
How does the 2013 Expedition compare to other Expedition years?
The 2013 model's complaint index of 7 is far lower than years like 2019 (100) and 2018 (87), which carry 'Avoid' verdicts, making 2013 one of the better years to consider.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Ford Expedition?
The EPA rates the 2013 Expedition at 15.5 mpg combined (13.5 city / 19 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,175.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.