Our 2013 Ford Explorer has had a damp, dank smell since we've had it. We've had it for a year and I'm finally deciding to diagnose and attempt to find a fix for the issue.

We have noticed that our front 2 doors hold water after a heavy rain. (Haven't figured the cause for that one yet).

Our 3rd row seating seat belts are wet when used after rain and our spare tire well is holding water and the carpets are wet. My wife has terrible allergies and instantly knows when mold or mildew is present because of the immediate allergic reactions. I've read a ton of reviews regarding this issue and it doesn't seem that Ford or dealerships want to do anything about this issue. There doesn't seem to be any open recalls regarding this issue.

I did find a good youtube video that someone posted who had taken ALL the panels in the back interior off and found cheap, broken welds up near the roof of the interior of the explorer. I'm going to attempt to JB weld this and also use some flex seal to fix this myself. If anyone discovers the fix or if a recall is out there, please let me know. This is frustrating and Ford manufacturing sucks with its roof welds.

NEVER again. I will NEVER purchase another Ford as long as I walk this earth. I have owned Ford for 15 years. My extended family owns Fords/Lincoln... I have referred friends to Ford. Never again. I will spread this news to them and all of their friends... and the friends of their friends. I will post this on Facebook, Instagram and any other social media site known to man. Everyone that I speak to and contact will know to NEVER purchase a Ford. Period.

Here is why, my newly purchased used 2013 XL Ford Explorer leaks water from the roof, rear hatch, sunroof, windshield, windows. Take your pick. It started thanksgiving and has not stopped. This issue shorted out both motors for my sunroof but you won’t believe how I figured this out. My sunroof randomly opened one day while I was at work. Why you ask? I don’t know and took it to the mechanic. I learned that the default setting for the Ford Explorer sunroof is OPEN. So I had to pay to have them close the sunroof and then repair that. Again, both motors ruined and rusted.

Thought that was the issue but no, it still leaks. Found huge defects in the welding at the hatch back/roof line of the vehicle. You can see where the previous owner used something to seal the leaks. You can also see where welds have physically come undone and shifted up. This lets water into the vehicle or roof line. Water sloshes around the roof and comes out wherever it pleases... the dome light, the arm handles, the window seals at the driver and passenger side. The water runs to the floor and has flooded the front and back seat. Water runs down the third row seat belts to the spare tire. Water comes in behind the rear view mirror, the visors and anywhere else.

This is ridiculous and obviously a structural defect. Again, it appears to be an ongoing issue and one that I have read about over and over again online. Ford is not standing behind their product. It is a faulty weld and structure if everyone is experiencing the same issues. I am 100% positive they are aware of the leak issues but continue to do nothing... and will do nothing. This should be a class action lawsuit. I am now STUCK with a car and payment for a vehicle springing more leaks than the Titanic.

After a heavy rain that lasted all day, I got into my vehicle and saw water all over the front console and seat. I didn't know what to think and wondered what had happened. Drying things off and started out driving, water poured heavily from the top mirror section down on the front console. I thought my sun roof was open and checked, it was dry all around the edges. As a result of the water poring down on my console. I'm now having trouble with my Navigation system, Bluetooth phone system, and my sun roof will not open. Taken the vehicle in and they say it could be the rubber around the sun roof. I think it coming in around the seam of the front window. They want to check it out for a cost. I'm very disappointed. I purchased this vehicle less than 6 months from Car Max in FL.

I'm heartbroken, angry and hurt!! I'm still paying for this car and now the carpet is ruined! It will smell and it's hard to say how much it will cost to fix! I may have to let this car go back, something I've never done. I'm on a fixed income and stuck my neck out to get this vehicle, thinking it would last me and my grandbabies a long time.....not so. The carpet is wet up to the row seat and all around the spare tire well. It will probably start rusting :( Why is there no recall on this??!! I checked and saw others with this same problem. Ford needs to step up and take care of this. If I let this go back to the bank, my credit score is ruined!

We Purchased This Car in October 2017. I inspected the car already and saw the water damage at the spare tire. The car lot suggested that it was possibly condensation etc. Against my better judgment we purchased the car. My kids were sitting in the third row seats during a light rainy type day and one of them noticed water leaking onto them. They looked up and saw water was coming out of the seat belt hole in the roof. I looked at the exterior of the car and found several places where a sealer type material was cracking at the rear hatch. Looking into it further I see there are several places on the roof where that sealer was factory applied in the rain valley and is cracking.

I have been a very loyal Ford customer, but they are pushing me away for good. I had water leaking from Dome light a couple months ago and also leaking from front right visor. Took it in to Town Ford in Redwood City where I always take my vehicle for all maintenance, and they charged me $150 to tell me that they tested all the drains and seals and no water entry. So I took the car back. On February 5th/6th overnight, we had strong rain and when I got into car in the morning for February 6th, I saw a puddle of water on my floor of front passenger side. Water had also begun to leak again from Dome light and Visor. Now there was also major water entry in rear right side by the back hatchback. I filed a Case with Ford and they have done nothing so far. Car has been in the shop 2 weeks and they've figured nothing out. Meanwhile, I'm out $350 each week on rental fees and already 2 weeks into that. I called Ford Motor Company back and filed a lemon law complaint because my vehicle is under 18,000 miles and they are looking into it. I want Ford to buy this piece of crap back. Town Ford did find a crack in the welding in the back by the hatchback for that leak, but there are so many areas leaking that this is not going to be worth fixing. It's going to have future issues on the other side I'm sure. I can trade this car in to the Dealer once they fix it, but the two problems are that they can't fix it cause 2 weeks and they haven't figured anything out... and other problem is they will re-sell this vehicle to another poor owner that has to deal with this headache. This car is done. I spent $52,000 brand new on this and have very low mileage and the car is in pristine condition. I want my money back as now I have to buy a brand new vehicle that will cost the same to get the same features. Please help. Ford hasn't offered to pay for anything and not even my rental. This is a structural manufacturing defect and should be paid for by the dealer including my rental and for my inconvenience. Just ridiculous. Sure, there are Explorers that don't have this issue, but the ones that do, Ford needs to do the right thing and fully reimburse these people and take these vehicles off the street.

2013 Ford Explorer every time it rains i have a large amount of water in the back seat drivers side on the floor of this car. I took it in once and found the back under the hatch had a crack which had water gathering in the spare tire area and the sunroof area was the cause and was told by the mechanic that i needed to blow air in these small tubes in the hidden sunroof area ??? every few days as they get clogged with debris??? this to me sounds like a design flaw as i have owned cars with sunroofs and never have i ever had to do this before. This needs to be a recall from ford to fix this. i have never seen anyone take air pressure to the sunroof tubes to blow out crap. This expensive piece of crap is going to smell of mold and and rust out the floor because all the water... its a giant pool of water that can be splashed in after a rain, any rain. I hate this car and i want rid of it with all the recalls and stupid people i have to speak to at the Ford dealership.

Short and sweet! A 3 year old vehicle should NOT be leaking from where the car was welded together in 3 different places!!!! Ford Corporate, thanks for nothing!! Luckily the dealership fixed it for free 5 months out of warranty. They also made it look like crap and scratched the inside all to hell doing it!! This is a repair that is the result of inferior workmanship by FORD!! I still haven't tested it to see if the third time is a charm! If you have a 3rd row seat leak and 6 inches of water in the spare tire well like I did you might want to pay close attention. Ford Corporate does not care about your problem because they managed to build a vehicle that will last as long as the 3 year warranty and then start leaking like the titanic after it hit an iceberg. I have never had a water leak on a vehicle and for a weld to start leaking after 3 years is unacceptable to me. I will never buy a Ford again after dealing with this company. If you think it is just a fluke and this is the only one read this... http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327803