The 2013 MKT shares the Ford Flex/Taurus platform and is mechanically a loaded Ford. The 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo engine has proven fragile under stress, with catastrophic failures appearing earlier than most owners expect, while the 6F50/6F55 transmission suffers from internal oil cooler failures that contaminate the trans fluid.
EcoBoost Engine Catastrophic Failure (Coolant Intrusion / Carbon Buildup)
Common · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: white smoke from exhaust, rapid coolant loss with no external leaks, misfires and rough idle, loss of power, hydrolocked cylinder on startup
Fix: Root cause is typically failed internal water pump seals allowing coolant into cylinders, combined with direct-injection carbon buildup. Requires complete engine rebuild or replacement. 18-24 labor hours for engine R&R plus machining/parts.
Estimated cost: $8,000-14,000
Transmission Internal Oil Cooler Failure
Common · high severityTypical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: transmission slipping or shuddering, milky pink fluid in coolant reservoir, transmission overheating warnings, sudden loss of gears
Fix: The cooler inside the radiator fails and cross-contaminates coolant and ATF, destroying the transmission. Requires new radiator, complete transmission flush or rebuild, and all cooling system lines. If caught early (weekly fluid checks), 6-8 hours labor for cooler and flush. If trans is damaged, add 12-16 hours for rebuild.
Estimated cost: $1,200-5,500
PTU (Power Transfer Unit) Failure
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 90,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: grinding or whining noise from front of vehicle, AWD malfunction warning, burning smell, vibration during acceleration, loss of AWD
Fix: The PTU runs hot and fluid degrades quickly, leading to bearing and gear failure if not serviced every 30k. Replacement requires subframe lowering. 8-10 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $2,200-3,500
Water Pump Failure (EcoBoost)
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: coolant leak from timing cover area, whining noise from front of engine, overheating, coolant warning light
Fix: EcoBoost uses an internal water pump driven by the timing chain. Requires timing cover removal, timing chain work, and coolant system flush. 6-8 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $1,800-2,800
Turbocharger Wastegate Rattle and Failure
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: rattling noise on cold start that disappears when warm, loss of boost pressure, check engine light with underboost codes, reduced power
Fix: Wastegate actuator arms wear and rattle, eventually sticking. Turbo replacement required (both turbos recommended). 10-12 labor hours for both turbos.
Estimated cost: $3,000-5,000
Rear Suspension Air Spring Leaks
Common · low severityTypical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: sagging rear end after sitting overnight, compressor runs excessively, suspension fault warnings, uneven ride height
Fix: Air springs develop leaks at the folds. Replace both rear air springs and inspect compressor. 3-4 labor hours for both springs.
Estimated cost: $1,200-1,800
Electric Power Steering Failures
Occasional · high severitySymptoms: intermittent loss of power steering, steering system fault warning, stiff steering at low speeds, clicking from steering column
Fix: Steering gear or control module failure. Subject to recall but failures continue. Steering gear replacement requires alignment. 4-6 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $1,500-2,500
Hard pass unless it's a non-EcoBoost 3.7L V6 with documented PTU services and you can budget $3k/year for surprise repairs — the EcoBoost is a time bomb.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.