YearToAvoid

2013 Ford Explorer Collision Avoidance & Cameras Problems

NHTSA lists 42 Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints for the 2013 Ford Explorer, 2% of its 2,234 total complaints. No related recall exists, no crashes, fires, or injuries were reported, and median mileage at failure is 120,000.

Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints
42
2% of 2,234
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
120,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical collision avoidance system symptoms owners report

  • Backup camera image reverses left-to-right, showing oncoming objects on the wrong side of the screen.
  • Rear camera goes black or unavailable intermittently while the vehicle is in reverse, sometimes displaying a 'Contact Dealer' message.
  • Camera fails to activate at all when shifting into reverse, requiring repeated shifts before an image appears.
  • Rear camera shuts off mid-reverse and does not return until the vehicle is taken out of reverse and put back in.
  • Owners report the camera problem persists over long periods, in one case lasting about two years without a fix.
  • Some owners note they searched for a recall covering the rearview camera issue but found their VIN was not included.

When 2013 Ford Explorer collision avoidance system complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 2, 2019, latest Sep 4, 2026.

2013 Ford Explorer collision avoidance & cameras complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2019Apr 2021May 2022May 2023Jan 2024Jun 2025Nov 2025Sep 2026
42 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2023 (3).

Collision Avoidance & Cameras recalls for the 2013 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20100 (0%)
  2. 20115 (0%)
  3. 201212 (1%)
  4. 201342 (2%)
  5. 201438 (2%)
  6. 2015138 (8%)
  7. 201614 (1%)
  8. 201715 (1%)
  9. 201829 (4%)
  10. 20194 (1%)
  11. 2020163 (13%)
  12. 202154 (13%)
  13. 202233 (12%)
  14. 202313 (12%)
  15. 20243 (14%)
  16. 202513 (13%)

Frequently asked questions

How many 2013 Ford Explorer owners reported camera problems?
NHTSA lists 42 complaints in the Collision Avoidance & Cameras category for the 2013 Ford Explorer, which is 2% of the 2,234 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Ford Explorer backup camera?
No. NHTSA shows no related recalls for this problem area on the 2013 Ford Explorer, even though several owners mention searching for one.
At what mileage do these camera problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 120,000 miles.
Did the camera issue cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2013 Ford Explorer shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries reported.

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.