About to buy a 2013 Sport Explorer and these forums scare me!

[Joe Dirt]

I agree with Bill (and Sarge), but beware the mounts for some of the iPads if you have concerns. They can become projectiles...

Look over the Nextbase mounts/players- they are actually a Ford approved aftermarket system sold through some of the dealerships, but some packages are better online. I know when we were looking, it was the only portable mount that passed Euro crash tests. It was nice because you could wire it in, leave the mount on the headrest pegs, and take the player off and run it via it's internal battery elsewhere like a hotel. The wiring stays in the vehicle and automatically starts charging when the unit is placed back into the holder.

Here is a link: http://www.nextbase-shop.com/index.php?catID=1

 

[Sgt1411]

Joe brings up a very valid point.

Anything Ford authorized is crash tested, much of the aftermarket stuff is not.

In an impact no one can hang on to something in their hands, adult or child.

With the increase in handheld laptop/tablet use in vehicles there is a corresponding increase in injuries caused by these items becoming projectiles. Last year saw a driver get hit in the back of the head in a front impact collision, his laptop was in an open packsack on the back seat. The laptop left the bag and struck him in back of head.

Rare yes, but something to consider.

 

[Checkit20]

As someone who purchased a 2011 and then used Lemon Laws to get it replaced with a 2013 I have to say from first hand experience most, if not all of the issues that the 2011 had have been fixed.

There are two things you need to be aware of.

My Ford Touch has significant reliability issues if you are a heavy user. If your a guy who turns AM radio on and touches the HVAC once a week then it will provide you appropriate reliability.

If your a guy who is constantly adjusting HVAC controls, switching between AM/FM, Sirius, BlueTooth Audio, and then a USB connected iPod/iPhone then reliability is very poor. If you own an iPhone you do not get 100% integration with MFT. The complaints of the MFT system rebooting and being unstable are accurate and Im speaking from being the owner of a 2013 built August 18 2012.

Regarding your DVD request, the OEM solution providing Invision LT Series headrest DVD players is no longer. According to Ford CS there is new solution coming but not here yet. FYI, the Ford OEM headrest DVD system is NOT integrated with MFT at all.

I agree with the others here, buy iPads or iPad Mini's, way better option.

Other then MFT I love the vehicle, just wish MFT worked as advertised.

Thanks for all the replies guys. This reply is interesting as I fall into the "tech" category and yes, I would use the HVAC system as I assumed most do. Indiana is cold one day, hot the next. I'm mostly a connected phone listener but would use the radio from time to time. I would like to reliably stream audio from either an iPhone or a Windows Phone. I would rather stream but I don't mind connecting to USB either.

I feel I can handle some bugs as long as it's 90% operational. I would also want the NAV portion to be very reliable. I've used a lot of NAV systems over the last month and although they have improved there is still a long way to go on most of them, although I admit, they can't all be perfect for everyone. I try to be realistic.

It sounds like an EX owner really needs to know how to reboot and reset this system as that's what i am seeing the most out here.

I've completely written off Ford as a provider of a DVD entertainment system. It's a shame that they can't figure this out but it does allow me to "tinker" with it more. We do own iPads and I have a system today that allows me to stream movies from a small box to all the passengers in the car. It's nice to have a DVD system built in though. IR headphones = peace and quiet for adults, etc. (I own a few tech forums so i'm pretty darned geeky) Having said that, I do realize that software can overcome a lot of hardware issues and the latest update seems to fix a lot of folks. Hopefully, the reliability improves.

I've thought about getting two mini's and putting in a new "wifi movie system" and leaving them in the car. I like the idea but will need to think a little more on it.

I didn't count up the replies but there were a lot that mentioned a problem or two "but once fixed" the EX is great, so I don't really know how to take those comments!

I'm still giving it some thought. I have a Red Sport picked out and just want my first Ford experience to be a good one. If it's lousy not only am I going to regret the purchase but the accounting department, ie Wife, will never let me hear the end of it!

I know it's a roll of the dice on any car but you guys have helped. Thanks again. This is a pretty good thread too!

 

[tryan1977]

I have a 2011 explorer ltd 302a minor issue all have been solved, be aware of fake explorer owners on this site to spooke buyers. I love my explorer and will be ordering my next one once the 2014 goes into production sometime in june or aug...!

Really? Fake owners? Please, indulge us...

 

[FordService]

...I'm still giving it some thought. I have a Red Sport picked out and just want my first Ford experience to be a good one. If it's lousy not only am I going to regret the purchase but the accounting department, ie Wife, will never let me hear the end of it!

I know it's a roll of the dice on any car but you guys have helped. Thanks again. This is a pretty good thread too!

Hi Checkit20,

I think the Explorer is pretty awesome, but I'll admit to being a little biased. Let us know if you end up pulling the trigger. If you order your Explorer, send me a private message (PM) with your order number/dealer name and I'll be happy to provide you with weekly updates on your vehicle's status.

Crystal

 

[gpzrider]

I guess you can also say, beware of the Ford employees that are paid to post fake praise for Ford products on sites like this.

 

[Sgt1411]

Checkit20

If I were in your shoes and could hold off for a few months I would wait for 2014 ordering in a few months.

Production is in June so its probably worth the wait.

 

[LeFurg]

Thanks for all the replies guys. This reply is interesting as I fall into the "tech" category and yes, I would use the HVAC system as I assumed most do. Indiana is cold one day, hot the next. I'm mostly a connected phone listener but would use the radio from time to time. I would like to reliably stream audio from either an iPhone or a Windows Phone. I would rather stream but I don't mind connecting to USB either.

I feel I can handle some bugs as long as it's 90% operational. I would also want the NAV portion to be very reliable. I've used a lot of NAV systems over the last month and although they have improved there is still a long way to go on most of them, although I admit, they can't all be perfect for everyone. I try to be realistic.

It sounds like an EX owner really needs to know how to reboot and reset this system as that's what i am seeing the most out here.

I've completely written off Ford as a provider of a DVD entertainment system. It's a shame that they can't figure this out but it does allow me to "tinker" with it more. We do own iPads and I have a system today that allows me to stream movies from a small box to all the passengers in the car. It's nice to have a DVD system built in though. IR headphones = peace and quiet for adults, etc. (I own a few tech forums so i'm pretty darned geeky) Having said that, I do realize that software can overcome a lot of hardware issues and the latest update seems to fix a lot of folks. Hopefully, the reliability improves.

I've thought about getting two mini's and putting in a new "wifi movie system" and leaving them in the car. I like the idea but will need to think a little more on it.

I didn't count up the replies but there were a lot that mentioned a problem or two "but once fixed" the EX is great, so I don't really know how to take those comments!

I'm still giving it some thought. I have a Red Sport picked out and just want my first Ford experience to be a good one. If it's lousy not only am I going to regret the purchase but the accounting department, ie Wife, will never let me hear the end of it!

I know it's a roll of the dice on any car but you guys have helped. Thanks again. This is a pretty good thread too!

Just keep in mind, from Ford's research 7 out 10 people who have MFT, like it (many of whom can't imagine their ford without it). I use it in a business vehicle now, and it is actually pretty easy to use. It is glitchy (so is Kia's uvo type software), but knowing where to go and how to get there seems to help to determine how glitchy mft is or can be. That's what we've experienced. The fewer steps, the better. Sometimes it's the phones and mp3 players that are glitchy when doing things with mft. Overall, I like mft.

I've noticed from users on this forum and other sites Ford's mft navigation is either reliable or it's not. We don't have it in the company ex, but I've heard it's sluggish and off location. We just use our phones or print google maps. If you're looking at navigation, it's a flip of the coin.

Sure, you can go with something like www.mocar.us, but it would likely void your mft warranty.

For the most part, I believe you'll be happy with the ex if you go for it, but I'd follow sgt's advice.... Wait until the 2014's come out.

 

[Checkit20]

Checkit20

If I were in your shoes and could hold off for a few months I would wait for 2014 ordering in a few months.

Production is in June so its probably worth the wait.

From what I've seen the '14 EX is a small change and not a major redesign. Any features you have heard of that would make you wait?

 

[Sgt1411]

The features might be minor but there are new colours you might like.

No one really knows until the ordering guide is released.

Also its always better to have the newer model year for less depreciation

 

[kirksjeep]

We have had our Ruby Red Sport for just over 2 months. We did have a few problems when it was delivered ( Seat foam sticking out, tailgate alignment, tail light alignment and NAV software upgrade) but since then it has been great. The Ruby Red is a WOW color and my wife and are not big fan of red, but we love this color. The power is awesome. I wouldn't recommend the all weather floor mats the husky ones are much nicer. I would recommend the towing package because since it is a good system for the $$ and much cheaper and stronger then aftermarket.

 

[maerlim]

Checkit20,

People come to product forums to complain. It's true for any product. That's why there's an inordinately large number of complaints here.

I've had my '12 limited for over a year and never had to master reset or pull a fuse. A couple times I had to turn off my car and open/close the door to kick MFT in the pants, but that's the worst of it. You'll find that a very large percentage of the complaints were on early-build 2011's, or because somebody's dealer was incompetent. Check reviews on your dealer's service department, get to know them a little, buy a '13, run the MFT updates when they come out, and you'll be fine.

 

[RandyH2]

Our experience with our '11 Explorer LTd, AWD has been very mixed.
The Bad: Build quality is not what I had hoped it would be, previous vehicle was a BMW X5. I have had numerous problems with the Ex: overheated with a car full of family in from out-of-town on a VERY hot 4th of July weekend; A-Pillars; 3rd row seat squashing stuff; MFT - continues to aggravate me, most recently I can't get it to download phonebook/contacts, using the navigation en route is a big pain, trying to sruf Sirius stations is horrible, etc; remote start is unreliable, do the same pattern of pushes and sometimes it starts; interior trim pieces not aligned; paint rubbing off of door sills; ventilation automation not very good; seat heaters are not good- part of the heated/cooled seating package and they take a long time to heat up; automatic wipers need frequent adjustment (never felt that way with the BMW); FUEL ECONOMY TERRIBLE; Dealership experience is unpleasant -the people are nice but the culture is still what it was 30 years ago. Finally, I have a vibration which is noticed by passengers too, that Ford claims is normal for a $48,000 (msrp) vehicle. As a "car guy" the sum of these problems is enough to make me regret the purchase. If they had fixed the vibration, and the vehicle were $30,000, I would accept the rest of the issues. At the price paid, I expect much better. One lesson I learned- this is a $30,000 vehicle dressed up to be a "luxury" vehicle. Lipstick on the pig. The base MDX, X5, etc. are luxury vehicles without the gadgets, but they are still significantly better built than the Explorer. Add the tech, etc. to one of those and the price shoots well above $50,000 but the base vehicle is SO much better than the Explorer at the same price point.Those who feel a need to argue, or take offense, please don't. Consider this my opinion and worth nothing since you don't know me.

Things I like:
1) Sound system is good, much better than the Durango was in '11
2) Aside from the vibration, the ride is nice. Handles rotten Michigan pavement well, little road noise, nicely weighted steering, great visability.
3) Interior comfort is good. Seats are comfortable for long trips.
4) Decent interior room. Disappointed that you can't lay a sheet of plywood flat in the back!
5) I like the styling
6) American car. With Korean tires????

I would not buy an '11 if I had it to do over again. I've heard through the grapevine that the '13 is a much better vehicle. Presumably the '14 will be even better. It won't be to the level of the new MDX, nor the new X5. I wish the Jeep Grand Cherokee had a third row- at least from the reviews I've read.

 

[RandyH2]

Almost forgot- Towing with the Explorer on the Interstate is not fun at all. The X5 was MUCH MUCH better at towing.

 

[JDraper]

Almost forgot- Towing with the Explorer on the Interstate is not fun at all. The X5 was MUCH MUCH better at towing.

I would disagree with you on that one. I've towed my Mustangs on a trailer (~5k lbs) behind a '01 Explorer 4 door 4WD, an '05 Supercrew F-150 and now my '11 Explorer XLT AWD, and the '11 Explorer has performed very well towing for me. The only place that it didn't match or exceed the performance of my SuperCrew was in off the line acceleration and visibility out the back. I've towed on interstates, up into the mountains and through urban areas and I'm pretty happy with it's capabilites. It's much better than I expected it to be.

 

[RandyH2]

I don't see that as a disagreement, just a lack of experience with the X5. Surprising as it may seem, the X5 has actually been said to be a better (up to Class III) tow vehicle than most pickups, etc. That said, it lacks the torque, etc. of a work truck so I would not want to use it for any serious work. For pulling a load down the highway it is one of the best tow vehicles available.
The Explorer was less stable and had a hard time with gear selection at 65-70 mph. It typically remained downshifted 1 gear from normal operation, which resulted in an annoying amount of engine noise and ?likely? even lower mileage. I don't know the details on the powerband of the engine to say that it was running at lower efficency.

Right or wrong, towing my boat at 70 mph for 20 miles is what I have done. The BMW X5 never caused me any concern, not even in 20 mph crosswinds. I seem to recall it having something to do, in part, with the relatively short distance between the rear axle and hitch. That short distance also means less storage space inside the vehicle, so you take your pick. I prefer the extra storage space over the slightly better towing dynamics, though the engine drone was really annoying.

 

[RoxyGrl]

I've had my 2013 Limited for almost a year and have had zero major issues. MFT has rebooted itself twice and I've never had to reset the system. Mechanically it's been sound and it is absolutely the best road trip car I have ever owned (15k miles and counting).

I have experienced a couple of minor quirks (unable to run vehicle health report for a few weeks after an upgrade and a short period of time where the radio wouldn't come back on automatically) but really, in the whole scheme of things they were minor annoyances and completely worth the huge overall advantages I get from all the technological advances I get in this car.

Every so often I wish the car was a tiny bit smaller, but that's because i live in overpopulated Southern California!

 

[tgunn_ocs]

Checkit....This has been my experience so far....

I came to this forum among others as I researched vehicles. I have always done this. I buy a lot of Fords for my business (mostly Pickups and Transit Vans) but buying a vehicle for me is very different as I drive 35-40K miles a year and with four kids and my own business....I frankly have zero time or patience to deal with service issues in a vehicle and need things to just work as I spend so much time in my vehicle. I religiously take my car into the dealer for all recommended maintenance. My last car was a 2011 Honda Odyssey that I put 80K on in two years. It was a fairly reliable Vehicle save for the the gas cap light that would not go off (took Honda 6 tries and I put over 50K on it before it ultimately was fixed, as I said above I have zero time to have it in the shop other than scheduled maintenance so the gas cap light wasnt a huge priority for me to get fixed)

My general consensus/opinions from these boards as I read them nightly over the last few months is that the newer the model the year the lesser the issues....which makes sense as the vehicle is a little more mature in its build cycle. I am not saying that every 2013 is issue free but we have two of them and they are issue free so far (we are new owners). As I had read so much, I knew all the different things to look for when picking an EX up.

My general consensus/opinion is that if you take the MFT touch out of the equation, people like these vehicles. So I will focus on the MFT. My experience with my MFT so far has been very positive. We use it with iphones and while I wish I could speak my texts into it through MFT, I realize that is an issue with the Apple. (also, I have tried doing this with Siri and she doesn't work so smoothly so I would say apple has a ways to go). Overall though, I am not sure what all the fuss is about. The other thing you need to keep in mind is that while those of us who are using MFT share the Ford system in common, what are uncommon can be the phones attached including their operating systems and firmware, how the phone is interfaced (USB or Bluetooth), other peripherals such as ipods, USB keys (USB 2.0, USB 3.0, how is music organized on the key) other mp3 players etc.... With so many different people doing different things, you will have different experiences. Before I made the move to Apple, I was a heavy Blackberry user....and they absolutely were the worst phone for staying connected to Bluetooth in a vehicle.

My 2013 Sport is three weeks old and I already have 2800 miles....I have used MFT alot and experienced my iphone disconnecting from the bluetooth once while in the vehicle. Otherwise the Bluetooth and MFT has worked fine for me. Its made me a safer driver as I check my phone less for texts from the family as the car displays them for me. I love the small screen to he right of the speedometer that allows me to control MFT from the steering wheel....I change my entertainment, I control the HVAC, it allows me to see my navigation directions. I live in Ohio and change the temperature all the time. Frankly for most of the changes, I don't need to touch the screen at but rather speak the commands or use the buttons for a temperature change below the touchscreen. I stream my music through the USB as it also keeps my phone charged. I did have an "issue" streaming my music via Bluetooth while the phone was plugged in to USB port....which made perfect sense as the system was competing to control the phone...if I use USB or Bluetooth exclusively for music, it was worked fine. The in car wifi works great, it allows our kids to link their electonics (kindles, ipod touches, ipads etc) without any issues to this date.

Navigation has correctly gotten me to all my destinations to this date.....I would guess I use it 5+ times daily. Yes some features require the vehicle to be stopped. This is for safety. Again, I find that I take the extra second to enter my destination before I drive or pull over to make a change. Not a huge issue and I like that it makes me safer.

My wife has her 2013 Explorer Sport XLT with MFT, navigation etc. I would say she has zero patience for anything electronic normally and she loves the system. Hasn't taken her long to get the hang of it. Keeping my fingers crossed that stays the case as if she is unhappy, I will be unhappy.

I can't tell you what you should do in your situation. We are happy Explorer owners so far. If that changes, you will surely hear about it as I am not shy saying so (see my reviews on the Husky liners). Certainly drive a Sport....its so much fun to drive....this is coming from someone who drove an Honda Odyssey, GMC Acadia, and Chevy Tahoe before. All served me well, but none have I liked nor have been as fun as my Explorer to drive.

Follow your gut and if thats an Explorer, I wish you only the best of luck.

 

[Ted22]

No problems with mine! I did get scared with the gas cap, or lack there of... And that foam thing on top of the engine... What's that about?

Seriously the nicest car I've ever owned.

 

[jrzurel]

MFT is great, and I love how I can stream music over Bluetooth. The only glitch I have had is the first song will skip, but I believe this is a Spotify (Music App) issue. I love the car in Ruby Red with the color matching grill. I get compliments all the time, especially from a person who just bought a loaded 2013 Pathfinder (she has buyers remorse for sure).