Plenty of issues 2013 limited

[patkelly1336]

first of all, i would like to apologize for not capitalizing anything as my shift key is broken.

i have a 2013 explorer limited that i purchased two years ago with 120,000 on it. i had the common propane smell and jerking during acceleration and the dealer replaced the leaking ptu free of charge back in 2020. it is jerking hard on heavy acceleration around 3500 rpm to 4500 rpm in every gear. could this be the ptu going already? (copy paste for question mark) the car currently has about 160,000 on it and i really don't feel like replacing a ptu on my own dime. i usually drive in normal mode with traction off or in snow mode with traction off because i don't like my vehicle controlling itself, rather i like to be in control.

i had the battery and charging system tested because i keep receiving the sync battery saver message. i drive the car for a couple of hours and when i shut the engine off, the screen says system off, something about shutting down to save battery life. what causes this issue?

my reverse sensors have never worked and i don't mind because i use my mirrors to park. the message that pops up about check parking aid system flashes quickly hundreds of times while driving and never lets me clear it out.

my reverse camera used to work, but the dealership replaced rear wheel hubs and gave it back to me with a defective camera. i now receive the rear camera failure message, see dealership soon or whatever. again, i use my mirrors but a backwards facing camera was always nice.

once in awhile, the engine shuts off completely while driving. i will be driving and the engine will shut off in gear while moving and pop up the message engine oil pressure low (obviously since it isn't running). it usually happens on rapid deceleration or when i go from reverse to drive quickly.

i am currently on my fifth mass airflow sensor, and yes you read that correctly. the first three sensors failed because they got extremely dirty even though i replace my air filter every 6 months or so. the fourth sensor failed because a bee somehow got past the air filter and was lodged in the sensor. is this a common issue on my year and trim?

the vehicle is totally stock, which is something i have never had before in my life. i have a heavy foot and like to floor it often. thanks everyone for the help and for dealing with my shift key issues.

2013 ford explorer limited
non turbo 3.5 v6
6 speed with select shift on lever
all wheel drive
firestone destination le3 all terrain tires

 

[patkelly1336]

also i forgot to mention that the exhaust smells of oil a lot but could be related to my heavy foot. it is not burning or leaking oil either. could this be a clogged cat symptom

 

[Odrapnew]

I'm just going to comment on a couple items.

The PTU question, since you mention it happens at a specific RPM range, that doesn't sound like a PTU issue. Most PTU issues would be speed related. I would look at possible engine misfire. When was the last time spark plugs were changed?

For the MAF, it's not common unless you have a crappy filter (or none at all), but did you try cleaning the MAF, or just replace? Most of the time you can clean it with MAF cleaner spray.

One thing is to review your filter replacement interval. An air filter is least efficient when it's new, so if you are constantly putting in new filters, you are letting more dust in. Unless you drive on dirt roads, you can easily go 30-40k miles before filter changes. Also, don't go by how dirty the filter looks. Just because it looks dirty does not mean it's causing a restriction (and vice versa). How many miles do you rack up in 6 months?

 

[Odrapnew]

Unrelated to your issues, how many miles do you have on the Destination LE3 tires and any comments about snow performance and longevity?

I just had those instlaled on my Explorer about a month ago. So far, they seem to be decent tires. Haven't had any real snow yet, but I'm anxious to see how they do in snow compared to my previous Michelin Premier LTX tires.

 

[patkelly1336]

Unrelated to your issues, how many miles do you have on the Destination LE3 tires and any comments about snow performance and longevity?

I just had those instlaled on my Explorer about a month ago. So far, they seem to be decent tires. Haven't had any real snow yet, but I'm anxious to see how they do in snow compared to my previous Michelin Premier LTX tires.

i have about 5800 miles on them so far and i have made it through one wisconsin winter already. great tires for the explorer, just a little pricey

 

[patkelly1336]

I'm just going to comment on a couple items.

The PTU question, since you mention it happens at a specific RPM range, that doesn't sound like a PTU issue. Most PTU issues would be speed related. I would look at possible engine misfire. When was the last time spark plugs were changed?

For the MAF, it's not common unless you have a crappy filter (or none at all), but did you try cleaning the MAF, or just replace? Most of the time you can clean it with MAF cleaner spray.

One thing is to review your filter replacement interval. An air filter is least efficient when it's new, so if you are constantly putting in new filters, you are letting more dust in. Unless you drive on dirt roads, you can easily go 30-40k miles before filter changes. Also, don't go by how dirty the filter looks. Just because it looks dirty does not mean it's causing a restriction (and vice versa). How many miles do you rack up in 6 months?

plugs have never been changed yet, i was planning on doing them soon along with coils and boots. the mass airflow sensor i usually leave to my mechanic to work on, turns out one of them was defective and covered by warranty. i have been driving offroad quite a bit so i change my filter quite often lately.
in about 6 months, i rack up 20 to 25 thousand miles on average

 

[mguy13sport]

The explorer isn't very durable in those conditions, especially with a heavy foot and averaging 50k miles a year...

You better off getting an old Ford ranger and drive it into the ground. The 5th gen Explorer wont tolerate harsh driving and will eventually crap out. It's basically a big crossover SUV with very limited off road capabilities.

 

[94Eddie]

The 2011-2019 Explorers are pavement queens and not meant to see a lot of off road driving. They are also not meant to be beaten on constantly by driving them hard. Based on what you have stated you need to follow a severe duty maintenance schedule at a minimum. This means 3k mile oil/filter changes, 25k mile PTU fluid changes, 40k mile transmission fluid changes, check the air filter every month etc. You probably need to replace the differential fluid, flush the brake fluid and flush the cooling system if this has not been done. If you don't do frequent maintenance then you will likely see expensive repairs as the miles rack up. Also, constantly monitor your coolant level because you are getting ripe for a water pump failure which can easily take out an engine in 5th gen 3.5L Explorers. ANY drop in coolant needs to be checked for a leaking water pump.

 

[patkelly1336]

Alright. Sorry for the late response on this. My shift key is somewhat working, obviously because I put a ton of money into the explorer rather than my computer.
Had to get my new registration stickers and was due for an emissions test. Went to the testing station and the check engine light came on. Went up to my usual mechanic and they read it as a bad left catalytic converter. Had them replace the converter, cut the old one open and found it mostly clogged. Drove 100 miles and then went in for a test, fixed. Noticed the acceleration and overall driving is much better than it used to be.
Tested my battery to see when it should be replaced, and the testing unit stated the battery had 0 percent life in it, and could only hold a 9.9v charge. Replaced the battery and a lot of my electrical gremlins went away. Mileage improved as well.
Just rolled over 150,000 miles and would like to keep the car running as long as possible.
Got my reverse camera replaced and it works great, but doesn't have to 2 mode option like the old one used to.
I drove in 100 plus degree heat the other day, and put my car into reverse, and the parking sensors started beeping. Now this wouldn't usually be a problem, except they have never worked since I bought the car. I get the usual, check parking aid error message. That sounds like corroded wiring may be a culprit, right?

 

[peterk9]

Hi Pat. I'm not sure what you mean by this statement; "Got my reverse camera replaced and it works great, but doesn't have to 2 mode option like the old one used to." Did you replace it with an OEM camera? Did you get the camera programmed to the vehicle?

Peter