2020 Ford Explorer complaints

My driver window won’t stay up once it gets to the top it goes back down. The underbody is starting to detach. It is shifting hard and makes a loud noise. Worse at low speeds and applying brakes . The tire pressure sensors all went out at one time

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that after his wife had parked the vehicle, the message "Parking Malfunction" was displayed and the vehicle rolled forward. The parking brake was activated to prevent the vehicle from rolling away. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,612.

The sunroof shade malfunctioned and feel while driving obstructing view and could possibly have caused an accident. Took to dealer and they said it was a common thing that happens with the moonroof shade coming off the tracks. They said it was not covered under warranty and was going to be a 2k repair. Or pin it up and don’t use the shade. The the car is only 5 years old and shade possibly used 4 times a year. For such a new car and unused component should not fail that abruptly or severely. There is no warning light and no prior sagging to the incident. Kids were in the car and were terrified by the car roof coming down at highway speeds and completely obstructed rear visibility.

With people in the backseat, the seats decided to fold out of nowhere from the previous recall where the seat released buttons on the second row get stuck. Even though it’s very clear that these buttons need to be replaced and I took it to a Ford dealership they said that they were fine even though the buttons literally are stuck in no matter what and ever so slightly touching them causes the seats to fold. The passengers in the second row were not injured, but very easily could’ve been.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 30-45 MPH, the vehicle stopped unexpectedly. On another occasion while driving 25-35 MPH, the transmission was shifting and the vehicle bucked. There was an abnormal thumping and metal-against-metal sound coming from the vehicle. There was a grabbing coming from the vehicle. The seat belt became tight while the pretensioner had deployed after detecting the failure. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train). While preparing to tow the vehicle, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer informed the contact to pick up the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

First the fuel pump control module went out and now for the 3rd time the electrical to the fuel pump control module has faulted

Transmission with known defects failed at 72,000 miles under normal driving circumstances and a vehicle only six years old.

The front windshield wiper on my vehicle,may become inoperative. The Ford Motors says that they don't have the part to replace,and when they have it I have to pay for the repair.

We expirenced a transmission failure on our Ford Explorer. In short summary we where driving from the airport and the problem started arising of around 5th and 6th gear downshift it would be harsh and make the car lerch. Following this we got a fluid change and that didn’t help, after the fluid change the problem got worse and produced a check engine light and at one point we got stranded on the highway because the car lost power. So we started researching and took it to a third party shop who told us that the clutch A snap ring had failed and because of that we had to get a transmission rebuild and replacement of multiple valve body’s and clutch’s. The shop also told us this was not the first explorer that’s had seen this problem, and through online research we found we weren’t the only ones with this problem. The timeline of this was from the end of May to the end of July because of overseas travel.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud, dragging sound underneath the vehicle. The contact believed that an object was dragging underneath the vehicle; however, there was nothing on the roadway that could have caused the noise. Shortly afterwards, the message "System Shift to Park" was displayed. The driver pulled over and left the vehicle running, but the vehicle failed to shift out of park while attempting to resume driving. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer the following day, where the vehicle was diagnosed. The dealer determined that the powertrain control module needed to be replaced; however, the repair was denied, and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the dealer failed to repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V069000 (Power Train) and 23V675000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

ABS and parking brake. Was confirmed by the dealer & tow truck driver. No warning when I parked it, only after putting it into reverse. There were flashing ABS & Parking Brake lights plus a beeping sound.

My vehicle started downshifting hard, making a jerking motion, specifically from around 7th-6th gear. It is an automatic transmission but when I went to slow down at stop signs, stop lights, etc. it would make a jerking motion in the slow down process. It has inhibited my ability to drive it. There are times when it have difficulty accelerating. I took it to an independent mechanic shop to have them look at it. Immediately when examining the transmission fluid, it had a strong burning smell. This is not normal. This vehicle has 158,000 miles and has not had issues with the transmission before. There are no warning lights on the dash. I haven’t gotten any notifications that something is wrong in the Ford App. I cannot drive it to work or elsewhere due to the fact of the shifting and not knowing how much longer before it stops working all together. This is a known issue with the transmission my car has and yet does not have a recall.

The passenger headlamp has went out and after researching this is supposed to be a lifetime lamp and has become a common issue on these vehicles. If these lamps are malfuntioning it should be recalled because it is a safety issue specially to ones that already have vision issues at night.

Transmission failed at 83k miles

The dashboard glue melted dashboard lifting also inside other areas of the dashboard leather?? vinyl is detaching also on the drivers side

Transmission failure caused my vehicle to jump/jerk and left me out of control of the speed of my truck at times. It has been confirmed that I need a new transmission. A service light came on only after issues started. Said light would turn off once the vehicle was turned off and not come back on until driven again.

I am filing a complaint regarding a recurring safety-related electrical and AWD defect in my 2020 Ford Explorer. My vehicle repeatedly displays the following warnings while driving: “4WD Fault Service Required” “Service AdvanceTrac” “Pre-Collision Assist Not Available” “Hill Start Assist Not Available” The issue began about a year ago occurring intermittently every few weeks and disappearing after restarting the vehicle. It has progressively worsened and now appears almost immediately after driving only a few feet. The defect affects multiple critical safety systems including AWD/4WD, traction/stability control, hill assist, and collision avoidance systems. I have contacted Ford multiple times. Ford only opens customer service cases but has not provided a permanent repair. Ford is aware this is a common issue with 2020 Explorers specifically, and later model years appear to have been corrected. Numerous owners report the exact same failures online. Ford has issued service information involving software reprogramming, module communication faults, and wiring harness issues, but only Ford dealerships can perform the required programming. This appears to be a widespread manufacturing or engineering defect and creates a serious safety concern while driving. Vehicle Information: 2020 Ford Explorer Mileage: Under 55,000 miles I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this issue for a potential recall or mandatory corrective action.

My 2020 Ford Explorer XLT sustained a major transmission failure at 94,574 miles without any warning lights. On a 200 mile trip home from Long Island NY to New Jersey the car began to jerk when changing from highway speed to a complete stop due to traffic. As we slowed down the jerking was more pronounce. When reaccelerating the car again jerked forward and at sporadic times did not respond. This was very scary and stressful for my family with the fear of being hit from behind! We made it through the mile long midtown tunnel and to [XXX] were a red light turned green and as i stepped on the gas the engine reved up and the car just rolled into the intersection as i stepped on the gas a second time again the car just jerked and rolled luckily i rolled through the cross walk into a empty spot due to a fire hydrant. Backed up traffic was able to pass and my car was done. I needed to put my family in a Uber for the last 60 miles home at 250.00 dollars on a Saturday night. while i waited for a tow truck back to the Ford dealership. Thankyou AAA! After a diagnostic inspection i needed a new transmission. It took the dealer one month to repair and the cost was 8,500.00 dollars. This issue is consistent with this Ford transmission system. There is a severe safety risk with sudden loss of acceleration and erratic shifting and jerking when braking and no warning lights. This is a clear safety risk that could lead to a crash. There is enough complaints on this site to warrant am investig

I noticed fluid on the driveway. I scheduled a diagnostic about a week later began hearing a grinding noise. Took it in for repairs and was told the transmission cooler failed which led to fluid leaks from the inlet and outlet tubes where they connect to the unit. The leak caused the transmission to run dry and result in complete failure. There have been recalls specifically targeting transmission fluid leaks in certain 2020 Ford Explorers. The recall should be expanded to include this model as well.

Both my passenger and driver headlights have failed. I have paid to have them replaced. The drivers side has failed twice. The passenger side has failed 3 times. I have taken it to the dealership and they “fixed” the issue but it keeps coming back months or weeks later. The low beams are what is failing. The message on the dash says “check headlight assembly see manual” This is a safety risk to me and other people on the road. They have failed while driving. If I am driving early in the morning or late at night I can not see if there are no street lights. People also can’t see me coming. This is a major safety risk. I bought the car in August 2024. Headlights have failed 5 times since then. The dealership helped me with my first four failures. On this last failure, they said it is not covered under warranty and that I need to pay $3000 for the headlight. Five failures of headlights seems like a manufacturer issue and not something. I am doing on my end.

I was driving on the highway and I got an error of Powertrain Failure , Pre Collision assist, service advance track and hill assist unavailable. I was in the last travel lane and it dropped me down to 25mph making an extremely dangerous situation!! I took the truck to the dealer and they stated they did a software update and it fixed it. About 6 months later the same thing happened. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced the AWD module and charged me $850 I was still under the 60,000 warranty but they said it was electrical part and it wasent under warranty.

While the vehicle was under warranty, I reported a transmission problem to an authorized Ford dealership involving sudden slipping out of gear into neutral at highway speeds, resulting in momentary loss of power and acceleration. The dealership performed diagnostic testing but stated they could not identify a problem and advised that the vehicle was safe to continue driving. The condition persisted intermittently. After the warranty period expired, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic transmission failure while on a heavily traveled highway. The vehicle suddenly lost power and the rear wheels locked, creating a dangerous traffic situation requiring assistance from two state police vehicles until the vehicle could be towed. The vehicle was taken to the same Ford dealership that previously evaluated the transmission concern. The dealership then diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring replacement at a cost of approximately $9,000. I contacted Ford Headquarters regarding this issue and the prior warranty period complaint, but Ford has not responded to the matter in any way. I believe the transmission failure is a continuation of the original transmission defect that was reported during the warranty period but not repaired. I am submitting this complaint because of the significant safety risk created by sudden loss of power and rear wheel lockup while driving at highway speeds. All documentation of original issue and current repair is at the Ford Dealership.

When putting the car in reverse and moving backwards start to feel the vehicle look drive power and knock sounds. Sounds likes and feels like gear teeth or not aligned. When putting the car into drive the vehicle jumps a little and you hear a lout pop noise.

Rear bolt recall. The small leak due to technician replacing bolt caused the rear end to eventually lose all fluid.

Service advance track 4 weel drive doesn’t work and I don’t have control on the weels

When trying to accelerate on interstate drive train light and I have to pull over turn off car on interstate then start again to keep out of limping mode also when backing up car stalls jumps and makes a grinding noise need a remedy

Was driving on highway with 55 mph speed limit. Car in front slowed to turn right so i slowed briefly and then was accelerating back to speed limit and heard a loud bang and severe grinding noise after. Stopped at next safe area to inspect. Found that both cv axle boots were damaged. Was only a couple miles from home so placed hazard lights on and slowly crept the car to house for further inspection. Upon closer inspection found that when car was placed into forward gear the whole rear end would drop onto the exhaust and was causing CV axles to rub on exhaust.

Ford Explorer roof screen issues— sun shade does not retract and is now the cover sagging into the backseats when open, and is loose.

Cruise in vehicle was set to 58 mph. Vehicle shut off going around a curve and would not restart. At 40mph emergency brake set as car wasn’t running and it was coasting to a stop. I sat on the road barely off the shoulder as car would not restart and would not come out of park to be able to push the rest of the way off the road. Had it towed to a ford dealer where they replaced the fuel pump control module and they had concerns of it possibly not fixing the problem. I made it 10 miles after pickup and it did the exact same thing shuts off no warning like it ran out of gas. Get towed back to the ford dealer and they can’t duplicate the problem and say nothing is wrong and they don’t know why it randomly shuts off and loses fuel. However it still has the same codes as initially in relation to lack of fuel. I don’t feel safe driving the car as now I’ve broke down twice same problem and fear it’ll keep happening and I may not get so lucky as to not get seriously injured as I cannot move it from the road. Asked about getting rid of it and no dealership wants it because of these problems. Now I’m stuck with a $30,000 paperweight that I can’t drive safely and I can’t replace without going into a lot of debt.

Driver side headlamp low beam has burned out. They are supposed to be lifetime LED headlamps, not burn out after only 67,000 miles.

Sudden transmission issues, no warnings. Ford Explorer 2020 XLT, had sporadic issues while driving on the highway, decided not to take it to pick up my children a few hours away after sudden jerking and revving high RPM's on the highway, proceeded to take backroads home. Following day, only issue in slowing down to under 35mph with a hard jerk into first gear and delayed reaction. Transmission needs a complete replacement at about $9k, with $19k still being paid on the vehicle. Ford is refusing to acknowledge or offer any help on a known transmission issue with the 10 speed transmission in this model year.

7/2024- Harsh transmission shifts- Lost power on very busy highway on 4th of July weekend- spent 12 weeks in the shop for transmission repair 64,000 miles 3/2025- Harsh transmission shifts again- Vehicle slammed into gear very hard- 3 weeks in the shop for another transmission repair 71,000 miles 3/2026- Harsh transmission shifts again- 1 week in the shop- told it needed an adaptive relearn 88,000 miles 4/2026- Still experiencing harsh transmission shifts!!! 90,000 miles

The fabric/plastic/felt under the car is falling to pieces! It's becoming a safety hazard. This complaint is posted in a lot of forums.

Safety recall NHTSA 25V093, vehicle at dealership Cutter Ford, Aiea, Hawaii, for appointment to correct recall defect with the seat restraint bolts and the technician determined the center two rear seats failed the inspection and the bolts were defective. Cutter Ford invoice #XXX, dated January 15, 2026. Repair and correction not completed, stated back order the parts needed. On February 26, 2026, vehicle appointment at Cutter Ford for brake service and recall service, brakes completed, but informed parts for recall 25V093 on back order. On March 23, 2026, received notice from Ford Motors stating our vehicle required to be taken in for recall service for 25V093, seat restraint fasteners that are improperly secured may not effectively restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Immediately contacted Cutter Ford, and was informed that the parts are on back order, unknown date for correction of the recall defect. On March 23, 2026 contacted Ford Recall Assistance at [XXX] , case #XXX was informed parts on back order, nothing they can do at this time. On May 11, 2026, emailed Cutter Ford customer service requesting information on the back ordered recall parts and a date and time for repairs. We use our recalled vehicle daily to transport our grandchildren to and from school and to their other activities. The recall notice states that this recall defect can increase the risk of injury-the grandkids sit in car seats on the two defective seats, this is a very

The panoramic sunroof shade in my vehicle failed unexpectedly in August 2025 when I pressed the factory roof/shade retract button during normal operation. The sunshade fabric ripped and detached, causing it to hang down across the rear visibility area and partially obstruct the driver’s view through the rear of the vehicle. This created a safety hazard by reducing visibility while driving and creating a distraction. The failure occurred without misuse or modification. The defective sunroof shade assembly appears to be a design or material failure that has affected other vehicles with the same roof system. I am unable to utilize my sunroof due to visibility issues.

Vehicle with 42k miles and regular dealer maintenance suddenly stalled out in traffic, creating dangerous situation for driver and children passengers. Towed to dealership from which it was purchased. Told it was a catastrophic engine failure and had coolant and oil mixed. Dealer unwilling to explore exact cause. Vehicle 11 months past 5 year power train warranty but well under mileage.

CUSTOMER STATES THE CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON AND THERE IS A STARTING SYSTEM FAULT, PLEASE ADVISE VERIFIED CONCERN. RETRIEVED OTCS ANO P0A1E, U0120 PRESENT IN PCM. CLEARED ores AND LIGHT STAYED ON ANO BOTH RETURNED. CUSTOMER LEFT VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSIS. PULLED VEHICLE INTO BAY AND WARNING LIGHTS OFF. RETRIEVED DTCS- P0A1E, U0120 MEMORY IN PCM. CLEARED DTCS AND BOTH CLEARED. TEST DROVE VEHICLE ANO BATTERY LIGHT RETURNED WITH B11D9:09 IN BCM AND P06EF IN PCM. SUSPECT VOLTAGE CONCERN. REMOVED WIPER COWL AND TRUNK TRIM, DISCONNECTED AND WARRANTY CHARGED/TESTED BOTH BATTERIES- BOTH PASSED. REASSEMBLED VEHICLE, CLEARED DTCS AND TEST DROVE- NO CONCERNS RETURNED. TEST DROVE AGAIN NEXT DAY ANO NO CONCERNS PRESENT. CONCERN WAS MODULE ERRORS CAUSED BY DISCHARGED BATTERY FROM SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. CONCERN RESOLVED DURING DIAGNOSIS.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on several occasions, the vehicle rolled forward unintendedly, and the vehicle rolled backwards while on an incline. The contact engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle from moving while in park(P). The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Car starts to jerk all of a sudden when breaking ( from 30-26 miles) .

This vehicle has sustained a complete transmission failure at 117,000 miles. There are known issues with this 10 speed transmission that the automaker needs to own to and address. This poses a safety risk when traveling and there were no apparent signals of anything prior to this. The vehicle is a garage to have a new transmission installed and had to get a rental car to continue to work and will cost thousands of dollars out of pocket as a result of this issue.

The A-pillar trim on the driver's side is pulling away from the body of the car. The previous generation of this vehicle had the same issue and has had a recall. The trim can fly off while driving causing damage to other cars and accidents. The dealership body shop inspected the part and said that it needed replaced. I first noticed this due to the sound of wind while driving even with the windows shut. Not long after, I noticed the trim sticking out away from the body of the car.

The failure involves the automatic transmission system (10-speed 10R60) in my Ford Explorer 2020. The issue appears to be internal, affecting clutch packs and/or internal components (spring-related failure was initially noted by the dealership).Yes, the vehicle and transmission are available for inspection upon request. The transmission malfunction caused delayed engagement and loss of proper power delivery, which created unsafe driving conditions. There were moments where the vehicle hesitated or failed to respond properly when accelerating, increasing the risk of being struck in traffic or being unable to move out of the way of oncoming vehicles. This presents a clear safety concern, especially in traffic or intersections. Yes, the issue was inspected and confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership. The dealership initially diagnosed the problem as an internal transmission failure involving clutch-related components. However, those diagnostic notes were later removed or altered in the service record. I have retained screenshots of the original diagnosis as evidence. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized dealership representing Ford Motor Company. At this time, it has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. The manufacturer has not physically inspected the vehicle but has reviewed the case and offered partial financial assistance. Yes. Prior to the failure, the vehicle experienced symptoms including harsh shifting, delayed engagement when shifting

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that after pulling over, an unknown warning light illuminated. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the message to activate the electronic parking brake was displayed due to a critical fault within the shift lever and parking system. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle prior to the vehicle stalling. The vehicle was stopped and there was an abnormal burning rubber odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the messages “Charging System Fault” and “Service Steering” were displayed. The contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that her husband replaced the battery and the alternator, however the failure persisted, and the vehicle was losing automotive power. The vehicle had not been taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V687000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 113,849.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Ford Explorer (2.3L engine) experiencing a transmission-related failure. At approximately 112,000 miles, the vehicle began exhibiting a dangerous failure pattern. While braking, a loud mechanical noise occurs, followed by hesitation and inability to properly accelerate. The vehicle then displays a “Shift System Fault” warning. After this occurs, the vehicle struggles to respond when attempting to accelerate, creating a serious safety hazard, especially when merging into traffic or crossing intersections. This issue appears to be consistent with Ford Technical Service Bulletin 23-2249, indicating the manufacturer is aware of a defect involving the transmission system. Despite this, no recall has been issued, and I have been quoted a significant out-of-pocket repair cost. The sudden loss of acceleration and erratic shifting presents a clear safety risk that could lead to a crash. I am requesting that this issue be investigated for a potential recall due to the safety implications.

Vehicle stuck in park. But will go in gear but just won’t move.

On my 2020 Explorer ST, the plastic backing on the front seats is popping off and exposing the seats airbags. My dealer said ONE replacement backing would be $1400 to replace. In a facebook group I am in, multiple people have complained on the 2020 ST that theirs has done the same thing.

My vehicle is experiencing manufacturers defect identical to Ford program 21B35, yet Ford tells me my VIN is not covered under this program. Manufacturer defect includes car converter welds breaking, causing exhaust fumes to enter the cabin. This is a serious safety concern.

Sunscreen failure on panoramic roof. At approximately 55,000 miles on car the sunscreen stopped going back in correctly, with very little use. Now it falls down into the backseat and blocks the view of the rear window of the car if opened. It’s a huge safety risk and now I can’t even use this feature Of my car due to failure of the clips on the screen which is way too expensive to repair and should not have to repair on a car this new with only 80,000 miles on it.

Front end axle actuator failing and causing all safety systems to turn off, loss of power and can lead to seized up front end