2020 Ford Explorer complaints

The sun roof cover has come lose blocking the rear view

The car leaks water into the cabin on the front passenger side from the HVAC system. This has been a consistent issue and has not been resolved by Ford. The car has no sunroof and the water drips from behind the glovebox. It is enough water to make a large puddle in the front passenger side foot space.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle jerked with the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.

The sunroof liner began sagging when opened. It was inspected and repaired. The repairs were out of pocket at Auto Nation Frisco. We have owned the vehicle for 4 years and hardly use the sunroof. We had no other problems with the sunroof.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the center display screen failed to turn on upon starting the vehicle. The rear air conditioner, backup camera, and heater failed to be operational due to the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the camera under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and confirmed the recall repair and that the screen was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The sunroof fabric covering the glass sags down and does not work properly. This is a known issue on 2020+ Ford Explorers with the sunroof option. The sag blocks visibility out the rearview mirror and causes a distraction to drivers.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle had started to vibrate abnormally. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact later noticed that oil had leaked onto the driveway from the rear driver's side wheel well. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the subframe bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the failure recurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the left and right catalytic converters were fractured. The dealer was then notified of the failure and informed the contact that only the left catalytic converter replacement was covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N17 (Power Window Switch Chrome Tip Replacement); however, the failure occurred with the driver's and passenger's side door handles. The contact stated that the chrome paint on the driver's and passenger's side door handles had peeled, exposing a sharp edge that cut the contact’s hand while opening the front driver's side door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance, and the contact was informed that the driver's and passenger's side door handles were not covered by Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N17 (Power Window Switch Chrome Tip Replacement). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 40,302.

Transmission randomly shifts from gear to gear. Dealer says must replace transmission. Only 58k miles

Sunshade for the sunroof is starting to sag/come off track

At 56000 miles and 5 years 40 days, the transmission started downshifting roughly from 8 to 7. Apparently this is a common issue with the explorers. Ford extended the warranty to 5 years or 60000 miles, so by driving the car conservatively and not beating on it we inadvertently helped the transmission survive a little over a month past its warranty length. The transmission degraded towards complete failure quickly making it nearly impossible to get it to the repair facility safely.03

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH and attempting to decelerate, the vehicle independently jolted before downshifting into the 1st gear while the accelerator pedal was being depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several local service shops; however, the vehicle was later taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

Nearly all loss of engine power while driving on on a highway. Ford states these are the necessary repairs. The mechanic supervisor Verbally told me told me possible Engine coolant in cylinders 2 and 3. I requested photos, however none have been provided. I have not approved repairs due to the costs. Total Estimate for repairs is over $15000.00 Ford ecoboost engines have had a lot of recalls, for these same issues on other model Ford engines except the 2.3 liter 2020 Ford Explorer. (Rapid Coolant loss and leaking into the combustion chamber) causing the engine block to damaged. However, no recalls yet on the 2020 Ford Explorer. Cause REPLACE LONGBLOCK DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE Correction REPLACE ENGINE AND ALL ONE TIME USE PARTS Estimate $ 11,534.51 EITHER PCM, HARNESS OR SENSOR BAD HEATER CIRCUIT OXYGEN SENSOR BANK 1 SENSOR 2 Correction REPLACE O2 SENSOR BROKEN EXHAUST PRESSURE SENSOR Correction REPLACE SENSOR Concern Critical Check Engine Light Is On And Running Rough Cause REPLACE SPARK PLUGS AND RECHECK Correction REPLACE SPARK PLUGS AND RECHECK Approved $ 605.56 Total estimate $ 15,863.61 Manufacturer Recall Issued Recall 23S23 Inoperative Rear 360 Degree Camera With A Blue Screen Imported From Oxlo On 12/18/2024 06:52 Approved No Charge I have not authorized repairs due to the high costs, and lack of guarantee of repair. Plus I'm still making monthly payments for another 15 months. Ford has not acknowledged cylinder manufacturing defects to engine block on the 2020 Ford E

Getting random notifications on my dashboard to “Check Headlamp System” however I’m not seeing no any problems. I’m no mechanic by any stretch but from my perspective, the headlights work just fine. I have searched online for similar owner complaints and have found numerous forum posts from other ford explorer platinum owners. All of them stating they have taken it to the dealership. The common factor amongst all of them is that the dealer (bottom line up front) could not find the problem despite their numerous attempts to diagnose. Some dealers have gone as far as to suggest total replacement of the headlight module, which is a very costly part. Majority of customers after replacing it are stating it did not solve the problem. I do not want to fall into the same rabbit hole of buying parts I don’t need, only to end up in the same situation I’m in now. I’ve had this problem back in July of 2024. The problem went away for a bit and then suddenly reappeared today, 25 March 2025.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle bucked forward and failed to drive as intended. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer twice to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transfer case and rear seal leak needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - driveline, brakes, acceleration, and steering. Ford and 2 dealerships now refuse to take my complaints seriously even though I’m willing to pay diagnosis fees for them too try to figure out what the issue is. Yes available. How was your safety or the safety risk? - delay and at times complete lack of braking and acceleration, being unable to steer, accelerating when braking and vehicle moving when in park. The vehicle shakes, wobbles, vibrates and chimys. Vehicle warning lights have flashed only to be gone in 2 seconds. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer? Yes and no. Initially many parts in the driveline including the transfer case was replaced. The vehicle went into the dealership multiple times because the symptoms kept returning. However, now the same dealership refuses to take the vehicle back because they couldn’t figure out what the issue was and now the second dealership is trying to push back and even accepting my money to take a look at the vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The manufacturer including ford engineers. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The warning lights seem to appear and then disappear as quickly as they show up. I have tried to log some of them, but someti

The button to adjust rear view side mirrors malfunctioned. The side mirrors no longer adjust or respond to the button.

AWD Module Fault: No Hill-Assist No Collision-Assist No Traction Control Service AdvanceTrac Service AWD

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the rear hatch had failed to open. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the latch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. An abnormal sound was coming from the engine. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the front passenger’s side axle had detached, and the engine had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was provided NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V788000 (Engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

2020 Ford Explorer ST my panoramic sun blind is off track It is blocking rear view.

The car has 66,311 miles and both catalytic converters are cracked and leaking exhaust into the passenger compartment. The down pipe flex joint on the passenger side is leaking and the one on the driver’s side is deteriorating. Car is currently at the dealership being evaluated. This appears to be a known problem with the 3.0 Ford Explorer in the model years 2020-2022 but no recall has been issued. The problem has been identified by both the dealership and an independent transmission repair shop. There has been no warning lights just strong exhaust smell in passenger compartment when idling at stop signs or lights.

Headlight designed to last lifetime of vehicle failed after five years. Ford has designed so you can’t replace the bulbs for around 100 bucks but have to replace entire units for 1500 dollars apiece. Had issues before where it was off and on and they told me they couldn’t replace it unless it was off at time of inspection.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the AWD module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000.

Transmission had been slipping on and off for a long long time. Finally started slipping multiple times in a mile. Transmission needed replaced

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the touchscreen monitor and backup camera display were extremely hot to the touch. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 104,009.

Hard shifting up and down through the transmission shifting sequence. Multiple clutch friction codes and powertrain warnings from Ford service advisor on 3/10/25. Check engine light on. Vehicle mileage 58,735 under warranty but no communication from Ford Motor Company until we brought the vehicle to a dealership. 5-6 week projected repair process at this time. TSB’s on the 10R80 and 10R80 MHT transmissions reported back through 2020 MY. Claim started with Ford Motor Company 3/10/25 and claim number assigned due to mileage of vehicle under the 60,000 mile warranty termination point.

Hard Downshifting and Jerking. Valve body replaced 10/2024 for the same issue. Complaint filed at that time as well.

Vehicle came into our shop with the charging system fault light on. Upon checking for codes BCM battery code B11D9:09:0A was present. During diagnosis the technician found that the battery cable was rubbing against the floorboard of the vehicle causing arching/welding of the positive battery against the floorboard of the vehicle leaving visible damage to the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 101,400.

Approximately 2-3 weeks ago (around time car hit 100,000 miles), I began noticing hard downshifts when my car was slowing down between 30-20 mph. It felt as if I was being rear ended every time I came to a stop, with a very forceful physical jerking sensation. I had my husband drive it to confirm I wasn't being paranoid, then had my dad drive it (who has been a mechanic for 40+ years) to get his thoughts. He determined likely a transmission issue and recommended I take it to my local Ford Service Center. Ford confirmed I had a P2704 code and recommended a full replacement of my transmission. I took it to an independent transmission center who confirmed the diagnosis (test drove to confirm hard shifts between 8-7 and occasionally 4-5), but did state the transmission could be rebuilt or repaired instead of fully replaced. On 3-4 occasions, I was attempting to accelerate but the car would not go forward, this occurred while trying to merge onto an interstate/parkway. Additionally, once, when I had my foot off both the gas and brake pedals (coasting), the engine aggressively accelerated on its own and I was in stop and go city traffic, which was terrifying. No lights ever came on the dashboard and no warnings were sent to my FordPass app. There has been a TSB issued (23-2250). I have 2 small children (ages [XXX]) in car seats and I am afraid to drive them around in my car. Thankfully, I have found someone to fix the issue, but it seems it's a very common problem with the 10R60 tr

Transmission downshifts very harsh every downshift. Took to dealer said transmission is out after 100,000. Transmission did go out on the way home from dealership service.

Transmission failed while traveling on highway. Causing loss of ability to maintain speed or accelerate while in traffic.vehiclw has approximately 82,000 miles. Dealer only reported dark colored fluid as reason to need replacement. No actual cause given.

The fabric on the sunroof fails out when opened and blocks view.

-2020 Ford Explorer -Panoramic Sunroof Shade. -Sunroof shade sagging, blocking view from rear view mirror while driving. -Problem is reproduced every time I attempt to open/retract the shade. This is a recurrent problem with many 2020 Explorer owners. -Awaiting appointment with dealer for inspection. -No warnings prior to failure of shade retraction mechanism. Problem began 2-3 months ago.

In May 2023 the passenger side headlight stopped working. For a few months it would intermittently work then go out. Then we had both headlights stop working. Took it to Ford dealership and they said it was just the passenger side headlight. Since it was LED they had to replace the entire assembly for at total with labor of $2,182.54. Now today Feb. 2025 the driver side LED headlight stopped working. Same issues as before with the same symptoms leading up to the light stop working. Took it to my local repair shop and they will need to replace the entire headlight for around $2,400. I am upset because of the safety issues with these headlights and the cost! Also, reading online there seems to be a lot of people with the same problems on these 2020 Ford Explorers.

Panoramic sunroof shade began sagging over night and now can fall and block view of rear view mirror out of the back of vehicle.

Sunshade does not retract and sags in the cabin of the vehicle

Front headlight low beam. Light randomly turn off. Yes No Alert on dashboard to check manual which provides no information. Internet search reveals this is a very pervasive issue with this vehicles and there should be a recall by ford.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a routine oil change. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle began to make an abnormal knocking and squealing sound. The vehicle began to jerk. The driver turned off the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was like the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V597000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the residence. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine, turbo, and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, another vehicle collided with the passenger side of the vehicle and hit the rim. The wrench, the four-wheel drive, the brake, and the hillside warning lights illuminated after the crash. The vehicle was driven to the dealer. The vehicle was repaired for an axel that needed to be replaced, the module PMI was replaced, a revised part for the four-wheel drive shaft was replaced, and a module switch was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 61,800.

Electrical shorting caused the transmission to improperly shift stalling the vehicle on a highway

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that during cold weather conditions, the front driver’s and passenger’s side door latches failed to unlock to allow the doors to be opened. In addition, the contact was using the rear passenger’s side door to exit the vehicle safely. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and both door latching cable assemblies were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer where it was diagnosed that front door latching cable assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

Sun/Panoramic roof cloth sags if the clips that hold it in place break as they are very brittle. Happened multiple times already. Rear visibility is blocked due to it and cannot use the rear view mirror.

The car pulls on the left when driving. And ticking noise

When my truck is decreasing speed/on the downshift, there is a very hard jerk. I took it to my local Ford dealer and was told there’s an issue with my transmission.

1. Component: AWD system – Front Axle Disconnect Actuator / Intermediate Shaft • Failure Type: AWD system failed, preventing power transfer to front wheels • Availability for Inspection: Yes, diagnosed and confirmed by Zeigler Lincoln Ford 2. On Thursday, [XXX], while driving in a snowstorm with my two children, my 2020 Ford Explorer AWD system failed completely, leaving us stranded on an icy hill with no traction or ability to move. • My vehicle lost all AWD functionality, causing it to become immobilized on an active roadway in hazardous conditions. • We were trapped between two semi-trucks that were also stuck, creating a high-risk situation where a collision or multi-vehicle pileup could have occurred. • With freezing temperatures and no way to move, we were at risk of hypothermia while waiting for a tow truck. This was not an isolated issue. Ford acknowledges this AWD system defect under TSB 23-2174, meaning this failure can happen to any driver under similar conditions, creating a major safety hazard. 3. Yes. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by Zeigler Lincoln Ford, who determined it was covered under TSB 23-2174. • Ford has officially acknowledged this defect but has not issued a recall. 4. Yes. The vehicle was inspected by Zeigler Lincoln Ford, and the AWD failure was confirmed as a front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate shaft defect. • Ford issued TSB 23-2174 to address the defect, proving that this is a known issue. • However, instead of issuing a recall,

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle occasionally exceeded 85 MPH and accelerated independently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The sunroof fabric fails to retract. When opening the sunroof, the fabric sags and blocks vision in the rearview mirror. I’m overseas active duty military and have not had it inspected. No warning lights are displayed.