Complaint volume
1134 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Ford Explorer Complaints
1134 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Ford Explorer, grouped by component category.
1134 Total complaints
33 Crash reports
10 Fire reports
27 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are power train, unknown or other, back over prevention. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 33 crash reports, 10 fire reports, 27 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 385 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 33,892 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, unknown or other, back over prevention?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Ford Explorer?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Ford Explorer
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Ford Explorer complaints?
33 Crash
10 Fire
27 Injury
0 Fatality
40 Towed
8 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Ford Explorer complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 306
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 117
BACK OVER PREVENTION 56
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 44
ENGINE 42
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 40
SERVICE BRAKES 27
VISIBILITY/WIPER 27
STRUCTURE 26
SEATS 25
1,134 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, she became aware that the rear axle had detached. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train). The vehicle was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 22,000 |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Ford changed a part that my vehicle has and now the new part does not have my sensor and requires my car to be reprogrammed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there were exhaust fumes inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic was performed. The dealer stated there were 2 cracks in the exhaust system, causing the exhaust to enter the cabin of the vehicle. The dealer also stated that both flex pipes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,000 |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 20–30 MPH and downshifting, the contact detected an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle. The driver pulled to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 69,160. | Crash: No Fire: No | 69,160 |
| Apr 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On [XXX] I was driving my 2020 explorer east bound on [XXX] just past the [XXX] intersection in Aurora, CO when all kind of warning lights lit up on the dashboard. (Parking brake engaged, pre collision prevention system failure, ABS light, check break system and other warning lights as well) the vehicle had a hard time stopping when I applied brakes almost caused a collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving, the car shifts gears and does not allow me to drive at the speed I’m at and engine strata to rev. I have to pull over, put the car in park for it to go back. I have had this issue “fixed” twice at the ford dealer. I just recently took it in and they charged me $175 to reprogram the vehicle for this issue, and it happened again 2 days later. My concern is that occurs when I’m driving, and causes me to stop, and if I am not in a place where I can stop it could be dangerous. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Took vehicle to Ford dealer to investigate whining noise at acceleration from a cold start. No warning lights. Dealer verified whine noise. Also found leak in transmission cooler. Removed and replaced transmission cooler. Not covered by a recall, although there is a recall for some vnn vehicles of same year and model for this defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving and shifting to another gear it was difficult to shift and jolted the vehicle. There was an abnormal clunking noise detected. The maintenance light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that a transmission replacement was needed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced but was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 44,000 |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of exhaust fumes was present inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the exhaust flex pipe had cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Also, while driving at various speeds the vehicle inadvertently shut off. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 24,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the messages “Four Wheel Drive Fault Service Required”, “Hill Start Assist Not Available”, “Pre-Collision Assist Not Available”, “Service Advanced Track”, and “See Manual” were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle almost stalled when the messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an unknown failure. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer. The contact stated that the warning messages recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle lost power and would not shift out of gear. The contact stated that he observed a whining noise emanating from the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it has not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 63,000 |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The Police Department where I work is experiencing a high quantity of AWD Module error messages on our 2020 Ford Explorer Interceptors. We have 14 of these vehicles and so far 5 of them have had the same issue. The latest vehicle with the error is the VIN number above. An internet search on the issue states that the AWD system is not functioning properly and recommends service ASAP. Even though we have extended warranties up to 60K miles, the issue is not being covered. We are told that the AWD module is not part of the drive train and therefore will not be covered. In all instances the module has been replaced and re-programmed. The best deal repair cost we have found at our local Ford dealerships is $698.00. Has this issue been submitted or at least investigated for a recall? The date of the LATEST incident is shown below. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I bought my 2020 Ford Explorer Platinum new in November of 2020--right during the COVID pandemic when businesses weren't opened, so there was no place to go for the largest time. I had already retired from my job of [XXX] years. I have another vehicle, Jeep Wrangler, which I try to drive, too. My Explorer only has 7,818 miles on it and my 2018 Jeep Wrangler has 10,681 miles--the point I'm trying to make is I don't go anyplace that much! I have noticed for quite sometime, my Explorer has a burning smell and the hood and front side would be so hot--it was too hot to touch! I only drive about 9 miles to the local grocery store or Walmart and by the time I get home and pull it in the garage. it's hot and smells light something burning/scorched. I'm afraid it's going to catch on fire and cause my house to burn. About two years ago, I took it over to my dealer which was at that time Bob Bowen Ford in Brazil, IN. The service manager is a dud and doesn't seem to care about troubleshooting problems. They did take the vehicle in their shop and supposedly looked at it but told me it was probably some oil that had spilled over, causing that hot smell. No, that is not the reason. The other day I had the hood up, when the heat or air conditioning is on, it starts throwing out really hot, very hot air. I also want to say the hood does not have a safety latch on it which could be another concern! I also noticed that at the top inside the vehicle, it says the passenger air bag is off. I've tried to figure out how to turn it on, but I can't find any instructions on doing that. Then, of course, like you already know, the recall on the rear camera has not been fixed. I received my letter from Ford dated November 2023, that the parts were available to repair my vehicle. I called my Ford dealer on [XXX] about getting that recall fixed and they said they couldn't get the parts. I'm going to take my Explorer over this week and let them know there is a problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | [XXX] [XXX] Description On your vehicle, a rear axle bolt may fracture. Safety Risk If your vehicle was previously repaired for this issue under recall [XXX] to apply the electronic parking brake when the vehicle is shifted to park, a further repair is needed to prevent rear axle bolt fracture. A fractured rear axle bolt will allow the rear axle housing to move out of position, resulting in severe noise and vibration. If the rear axle bolt breaks, the driveshaft or half-shafts may become disconnected, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels. Transmission torque is necessary to hold the vehicle in park and is also needed for the vehicle to move forward or backward. Loss of the vehicles forward power increases the risk of crash and injury. The loss of the primary park torque will allow the vehicle to roll in park if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of crash and injury. Remedy Parts are now available to repair your vehicle. Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer for the repair of the rear axle bolts free of charge parts and labor. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | The backup camera sometimes does not come on. The Bluetooth connection does not work. The dash screen which displays the camera view, radio, clock, etc will sometimes remain black while the car is on. Other times, the screen will not turn off when the car is off, even after opening the driver's door, causing the battery to drain faster. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | I purchased a used 2020 Ford Explorer ST. The vehicle is having significant transmission issues and I’ve owned the vehicle for five months. This is absolutely a safety issue as at times, the vehicle stalls while merging into traffic, which could cause an accident. The vehicle also sometimes downshifts randomly while traveling at highway speed, which could also cause a serious accident. I have contacted Ford and they are refusing to fix the issue and said I am responsible for all costs associated to the problem. The transmission in this particular model (10 Speed) has numerous issues and is the subject of several safety bulletins. Ford is well aware of the problem, but has not provided a remedy for this issue and has not issued a recall. Brand new, this vehicle costs approximately $64,000 and has significant safety issues approximately four years after it was built. I used this vehicle to transport my family, including my infant daughter. I believe Ford is putting my family and other families at risk by refusing to provide assistance. It should be noted, the powertrain warranty for this vehicle is 60,000 miles or five years (whichever is first). My problems began at 62,000 miles and they said there is nothing they can do. I am a police officer and my wife is a nurse. It is embarrassing and shameful that Ford would allow this vehicle to continue with these problems and not provide a remedy, even outside of warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Vehicle has 91000ish miles and I have been told by the Mall of Georgia Ford dealership my vehicle has failure in the transmission. This is a 2020 its is a 4 year old car there is no way the transmission should be going out in only last 4 years. This is our family car most of the miles are from the Hwy. I live in Atlanta Ga. This issue could have left us stranded in the middle of a 6 lane highway. Possibility resulting in a major multiple car pile up. Based on my research this is a known problem with late model Ford Explorers it is unknown if this has been inspected by. The manufacturer, police, or insurance. There was not warnings or lights that notified me of a problem. Thank you for your consideration on making Ford recall theses vehicles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | My backup camera hasn’t been reliable for over 2 years. Also my audio and GPS do not work. If I put my phone in the car I cannot even answer it due to no audio. I believe it needs a download update. I have tried and tried but have not succeeded. In getting an oil change the mechanic told me it can only be done on a ford computer. This is wrong! I only have 36000 miles on it | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | [XXX] My Ford Explorer had engine failure on the highway, just as I had entered it. The dashboard read powertrain malfunction, engine overheat, and service engine. My vehicle went from 60 mph to almost a complete stop on the highway. I had almost a dozen cars nearly rear end me as this happened. Getting off the road was just as dangerous as it only went 10mph max on the busy highway I was nearly hit several times. The vehicle was taken to an automotive shop for diagnosis. There was oil in the coolant tank and cracked head gasket, needing a new engine. The automotive shop called the ford dealer to confirm it was under warranty and was towed to the dealer at my expense [XXX]. Was told February 9th that parts were ordered for repairs. I asked the service rep Mike for a list of parts being replaced and the cause of the engine failure, he would not give me an answer and said he'd call me back. [XXX] I then asked Crystal R at Ford customer service the same questions, she said she would get back to me [XXX]. As of [XXX] Ford customer service representatives, and employees at Red McCombs Ford have gone no contact with me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Our 2020 Ford Explorer has experienced two recent Powertrain issues Event 1: 1/28/24 ~5:20pm EST Location: Highway Situation: - Following a ~200+ mile road trip our vehicle was on the last mile of highway driving - As we started to move from the middle to right lane to exit the highway, the vehicle lurched, the dashboard lit up (with a wrench icon), the vehicle speed dropped to 40-45mph in an instant, and the RPMs revved from 1-2K to ~4K - We pulled onto the shoulder and stopped - After stopping the car, we nursed the car (at low speed and high RPM) home (a total of ~3-4 miles) - The next morning the car was started, the light was off, and we took it to a Ford dealer - The dealer had the car until 2/15, at which point they replaced an Automatic Transmission Internal Wiring Harness and Solenoid Event 2: 2/24/24 ~5:00pm EST Location: Highway Situation: - Following a ~1K mile road trip our vehicle was ~30 miles from our destination - We were traveling in the left-hand lane at highway speeds when again the vehicle suddenly lurched, the dashboard lit up (with a wrench icon), the vehicle speed dropped to 40-45mph in an instant, and the RPMs revved from 1-2K to ~4K - Despite road traffic we pulled across three lanes of traffic to the shoulder, where we stopped the vehicle - After bringing the car to a complete stop, we turned the vehicle off and restarted the engine - The wrench light was off, so we started to reenter traffic in the right lane; after travelling ~50 yards at climbing speed, the dashboard lights lit up (with a wrench icon and engine light icon), the vehicle speed held ~40-45mph, and the RPMs revved around 4K - Being within ~1/2 mile from the highway exit, we managed to the nurse the car (at low speed and high RPM) to a gas station where it was flat bedded to the same dealer - As of this writing, there has been no diagnostic activity nor timetable for the vehicle’s repair | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | SEAT BELTS | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 62 MPH, the passenger’s side front seat belt was unlatched without passenger input. The occupant buckled the seat belt however, the failure recurred. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, and it was diagnosed that the seat latch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 64,000 |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was started and in park(P) in the driveway, he exited the vehicle to retrieve a package left inside the residence; however, when he returned, the vehicle had rolled down the driveway and struck a light pole across the street from the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was still in park(P) and the engine was still running. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local body shop. The vehicle was repaired. The contact had not called a local dealer or informed the manufacturer of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train) several months after the failure. The contact related the failure to the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 5,600. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,600 |
| Feb 2024 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and accelerated unintendedly. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact depressed the brake pedal continuously until the vehicle stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently while driving from a complete stop. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving downhill, and the vehicle nearly drove into highway traffic. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred while reversing in a parking lot, nearly causing the vehicle to crash into other vehicles. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer several times to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. While attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact had the vehicle towed from the middle of the road to an independent mechanic. The mechanic found that the oil pan was drenched in excess oil indicating a possible oil leak. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and turbo chargers needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in any recall. The manufacturer was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 68,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 68,000 |