# 2013 Ford Explorer on its deathbed **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** explorer, ford\ **Created:** [March 27, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506 "2018-03-27T14:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Matt33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Matt33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Matt33)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/1 "2018-03-27T14:09:36Z")
I have a 2013 Ford Explorer that is on its deathbed. I had an accident in July of 2017 where i was t-boned. After completion of body work the car was never the same. I picked up the car and the battery was exploded and the fan was always running. I brought it in and hey said the after pump was broken. I paid $1800 to replace the pump, hoses and the timing belt. Two weeks later my engine is cracked and something wrong with the cam phasers. Who is more culpable in this? The insurance company or the dealership? I need help ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/2 "2018-03-27T22:10:16Z")
The insurance company. The dealer/insurance company owns the vehicle until it’s paid for. But the insurance company is the one that makes the decision whether or a not a vehicle is totaled. So the insurance okay’s the repairs for the collision damage. But you’re the guinea pig for any problems that arise after the repairs once the insurance claim has been settled. Tester ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/3 "2018-03-28T04:53:48Z")
Sounds like the car should have been declared a total wreck and never repaired. I’ve seen a number of engines and transmissions which suffered damage due to violent collisions; including the engine in an old Corvette I had. The engine was never touched. It was simply the G forces which slammed the crankshaft during the impact and broke several pistons. You might elaborate a bit on where and why the engine is cracked and if the timing belt was replaced because it broke and not due to normal maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 5:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/4 "2018-03-28T05:43:45Z")
I don’t believe this vehicle has a timing belt but a collision could damage the timing chain guides resulting in timing chain issues. Any damage discovered shortly after a collision should be brought to the attention of your insurance company, don’t expect your repair shop to contact them for you. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/5 "2018-03-28T12:29:46Z")
Some of this stuff doesn’t add up. > [@Matt33](#): > > I picked up the car and the battery was exploded and the fan was always running. If the battery had exploded you wouldn’t be able to start the car, nor would the fan run. Both of these actions require electrical power to happen. > [@Matt33](#): > > I brought it in and hey said the after pump was broken. What pump? Fuel pump? Water Pump? Oil Pump? IIRC if you have the 3.5L N/A V6, then the water pump in inside of the timing cover and is driven off of the timing chain. > [@Matt33](#): > > I paid $1800 to replace the pump, hoses and the timing belt. Your vehicle doesn’t have a timing belt > [@Matt33](#): > > Two weeks later my engine is cracked and something wrong with the cam phasers. What is cracked? The block? A cylinder head? > [@Matt33](#): > > Who is more culpable in this? Depends on who did the mechanical repair. ---
**Author:** ![Matt33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Matt33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Matt33)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/6 "2018-03-29T21:41:42Z")
After they worked on my engine to replace my water pump the crank pin broke and they said they have never had that happen before and can’t explain it… ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/7 "2018-03-29T22:20:33Z")
If you mean by crank pin a Woodruff key for the harmonic balancer then that is generally bad news if it breaks. The reason being that most often damages the crankshaft. Assuming the harmonic balancer, Woodruff key, and crank were fine before they went into the chain case then odds are it failed because someone did not tighten the harmonic balancer bolt; or improperly tightened it. ---
**Author:** ![Matt33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Matt33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Matt33)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/8 "2018-03-29T23:46:09Z")
The water pump was broken and it’s inside the engine. They replaced the timing belt and hoses while in there. Now I’m hearing that the crank shaft pin is broken and that they have never seen this happen before. The whole engine needs replacing. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/9 "2018-03-30T00:09:18Z")
> [@Matt33](#): > > Now I’m hearing that the crank shaft pin is broken Ask them what this pin is, exactly, what does it do, and did they touch it for the repair. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/10 "2018-03-30T00:16:45Z")
Yeah, on the transverse applications, the Ford 3.5L/3.7L , the water pump is inside of the timing cover and is driven off of the timing chain (not a timing belt), if the water pump fails, it will dump coolant into the oil pan, and if the engine is run for any length of time, the bearings will end up shot, and the engine will more than likely be junk at that point. I think your engine was pretty much done for after the water pump failed. The other things that are wrong with it certainly didn’t help, but are really inconsequential if they happened after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/11 "2018-03-30T00:23:31Z")
> [@FoDaddy](#): > > if the engine is run for any length of time, the bearings will end up shot Yeah, I was afraid of that: ![Crankpin](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/8/81c2f555992d373093542b7cdde9daa924e396c6.png) ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/12 "2018-03-30T01:56:03Z")
I’ve never heard crankshaft journals referred to as crank pins. Weird. I wonder how they determined it broke? Removal of the oil pan? Rotation of the harmonic balancer and noting the flex plate is not moving? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-ford-explorer-on-its-deathbed/114506/13 "2018-03-30T02:25:43Z")
A cam phaser problem and a cracked engine sounds like the current state of affairs. The cam phaser problem can likely be solved without too much grief, but for the cracked engine, it depends what exactly is cracked. Do you mean there is a crack in the crankshaft , on a crank pin?