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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | SEAT BELTS | I've received more than one recall notice from Ford (Recall Number: 25S09) but ever time I contact my dealer to schedule service, they say that Ford has not released the parts. I'm very concerned since this is a SAFETY recall. I'm also baffled because the letter says it's a "improperly torqued" fastener. I don't understand why they need parts for that. But what the heck do I know? Please help! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Rear view camera 360 camera when backing up is going to a blue or black screen. When it’s not going black or blue the image is very grainy and hard to see image while backing up. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission had hard downshifts, whining, would.not change gears intermittently and would clunk when going into reverse or drive. Upon inspection at the dealership, the fluid was burnt and there were chunks of gears in the transmission pan. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | 2020 Ford Explorer with the 10r80 transmission went bad. Shuttering between 2/3 gear, neutraled out of gear. Shop wants 5,800 for a remanufactured transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | SUMMARY OF FACTS FOR LEGAL CONSULTATION Bad Faith Redhibition Claim — Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2545 Prepared for Attorney Consultation 1. Vehicle & Transaction Information Vehicle2020 Ford Explorer ST — AWDPurchase DateMarch 2025Purchase Structure17,000 trade-in applied 17,000 remaining loan balanceAdditional Warranty2,500 paid warranty purchased through dealership at time of saleSelling DealerIndependently licensed dealership (non-Ford franchise)Warranty ServiceWarranty work performed during coverage period 2. The Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 23-2174) Ford issued TSB 23-2174 in July 2023 — nearly two years before the vehicle was sold to the client. Key facts about the TSB: •Covers: 2020–2021 Ford Explorer/Lincoln Aviator AWD vehicles •Component affected: Front Axle Disconnect Actuator (FADA) — left side •Failure mode: FADA O-ring seal failure causing AWD malfunction, triggering powertrain warning light (wrench icon) with DTCs C00A6 and/or C0631 •Required repair per TSB: Full replacement of FADA with revised intermediate shaft AND reprogramming of transfer case control module •Result of proper TSB repair: Permanently eliminates front axle disconnect capability — a fundamental, permanent change to vehicle drivetrain operation •TSB was publicly available on [XXX] at time of purchase — free, searchable by VIN 3. Critical Pre-Sale Service Record — January 2025 The dealership's own service center performed the following repair on the vehicle approximately 1–2 months before the sale to client: Date of ServiceJanuary 2025 (approx. 1–2 months pre-sale)Work Order DescriptionLeft axle disconnect/hub actuatorParts ListedMotorcraft left axle seal ONLYLabor Hours9 hoursDTCs or TSB ReferencedNone listed on work orderAWD Module ReprogrammedNot indicated on work order Critical observation: The terminology used on the dealer's own work order — "left axle disconnect/hub actuator" — mirrors the exact component language of TSB 23-2174. A technician with suffici INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | My Right windshield wiper dose not working properly . When I turn on the wipers the right one don't move . Sometimes it will come up but the only one that's works right is the left one . This is a safety hazard for driving | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | STRUCTURE | The Driver's side pillar along the door and windshield blew off and almost hit the car behind me. On 10/22/24, the exact same thing happened but on the passenger side that time. Our Ford Dealer said the 2020 Ford Explorer model was not a recall item only 2017-2019 however later models also had many issues where these side pillars blew off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | on 2/27/26 I heard a knocking sound in my car, no warning lights came on, took it to local car place and was told there was no oil in the tank. I immediately made an appt to take it to River View Ford dealership for service. They looked at it on 3/2 and found the engine to be damaged from the turbos pulling oil out of the oil tank and sucking it into the engine. They informed me nothing was being offered to replace the engine for that year 2020 and my warranty just ended 11/25. This car is worth $70,000 new, just paid it off early, otherwise in great condition. I called the Customer service line and was told there is nothing they can do or offer and filed the complaint. My husband called back and spoke to 3 different rude people requesting someone call our dealer and talk with the service people- this didn't happen. Earlier this year this car had a differential leak that cost $3000; it also had the undercarriage of the car that holds the flex pipes up, fall apart and required the entire undercarriage to be replaced. I find it appalling that you google ST engine issues and they specifically say 2020 models have issues with and suffer from severe oil-related issues, including high oil consumption, oil starvation, and, in some cases, turbocharger failure or engine knocking. How is this not a recall? No warning signs til its too late. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Power Train, Automatic Transmission Issue The vehicle is a 2020 Ford Explorer XLT with approximately 71,000 miles. The automatic transmission has developed delayed engagement and harsh shifting during normal driving conditions. The issue occurs most often during low speed driving, rolling stops, and when shifting from Park into Drive or Reverse. The transmission will hesitate or pause before engaging, followed by a sudden harsh shift or jerk into gear. The condition has been reproduced multiple times during normal driving and is consistent. This behavior creates unpredictable vehicle response when I accelerate into traffic or proceed from a rolling stop. The delay followed by sudden engagement can cause the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly, which could increase the risk of a crash when entering intersections, merging into traffic, or operating near pedestrians. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection at a Ford dealership, and the issue will be evaluated under known Ford technical service bulletins addressing harsh or delayed shifting in the 10-speed automatic transmission. At this time, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. The vehicle will be inspected by an authorized Ford dealer Monday March 9, 2026. No warning lights or messages have appeared. The condition occurs without warning indicators and is noticeable through delayed engagement and harsh gear shifts. My vehicle has been regularly maintained and received the recommended 60,000 mile service prior to the issue appearing. Similar transmission complaints appear to be widely reported among owners of 2020–2022 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | WHEELS | Wheels / Tire Pressure Monitoring System The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on my 2020 Ford Explorer intermittently fails to detect the tire pressure in one or more tires. The system will show missing pressure readings or fail to display a reading for a tire. The vehicle may operate without accurate tire pressure information being displayed to the driver. This creates a potential safety risk because the driver may not be alerted to a low tire pressure condition. The vehicle had approximately 56,000 miles when this began, and the issue appeared without prior warning. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection by a Ford dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Found transmission fluid burnt. Found harsh 7-8 downshift and delayed engagement in various gear ranges. Suspect front support is broken causing damage to a/b clutchpacks. Internal fault. Overhaul required. Found transfer case has failed internally also. Recommend replacing transfer case at same time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlight Assembly. Low beam is "out". Check headlight assembly message appears on dash. Was told by Ford that the whole unit needed to be replaced for $1000+. Weeks later it started working normally again. How can it suddenly work when I was told the light was "out"? This has happened to MANY people with a Platinum Explorer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | We have a 2020 Ford Explorer Limited and the sunshade for the sunroof has come off the tracks or something has broken that keeps the sunshade from operating correctly. When the sunshade is open, it hangs down blocking my view of the back window. This seems to be a problem for many people with this model car. The dealership has looked at this and quoted me $1500 for repair. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Passenger headlight, LED low beam has gone out. Daytime running lights, high beam, and turn signal still work. Tried replacing the module and it's the headlamp that is bad. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My Explorer has the optional double moonroof with an electric sunshade that opens or closes with a button. A week ago when I tried to retract the sunshade I noticed that the driver side of the fabric started drooping. After trying a few more times the roller failed to retract the fabric completely. So when I try to open the sunshade the fabric just hangs from the roller and impedes my view out the rear window, thereby creating a safety hazard | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | I own a 2020 Ford Explorer with approximately 85,776 miles. The vehicle has experienced two separate loss-of-propulsion events in traffic. On both occasions, the vehicle suddenly lost power while driving and stalled in the middle of a busy intersection. There was no prior warning of imminent engine failure. After stalling, the vehicle would crank but would not restart. The vehicle was disabled in the intersection for approximately 45 minutes to one hour each time. My family was inside the vehicle during these incidents. The vehicle displayed multiple malfunction warnings including “Shift System Fault” and messages indicating the vehicle was not in Park even when the shifter was in the Park position. The dealership, Hansel Ford of Petaluma, verified the concern and referenced Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-2249 related to internal transmission components, including the valve body and park pawl actuator system. The dealership confirmed that when the vehicle is placed in Park, it may actually remain in Neutral. This creates an additional safety risk of unintended vehicle movement. This issue presents a serious safety hazard due to: •Sudden loss of propulsion in traffic •Vehicle disabled in active intersections •Extended inability to restart •Potential rollaway risk due to Park malfunction The vehicle is currently pending major transmission-related repairs. I am submitting this complaint due to concerns about loss of propulsion and park system malfunction creating a safety risk for occupants and surrounding traffic. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Sunroof clip broke and fabric sags which can affect visibility. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The rear differential axle bolt on my vehicle has broken. There was no impact or collision prior to this failure. The vehicle suddenly made a loud noise and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road while I was driving with my [XXX] daughter in the car. This created a serious safety hazard. Although my VIN does not currently appear under an active recall, I am aware that there have been prior recalls issued for this specific issue on the same vehicle. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed promptly for safety concerns and potential coverage, as the failure occurred without warning and placed my family at risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The back camera screen went blue, even though I already replaced the camera as per the previous recall. This time, the entire screen went blue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The catalytic converters (both) on my 5-year-old Ford Explorer both failed due to cracked welds. This failure appears to be common with the v6 ecoboost engines. It happened sometime before 124000 miles, it was only noticed because my wife and daughters started complaining about headaches and sleepiness when riding in the vehicle. The failure was only noticed when a mechanic evaluated it, the failure was not noticeable otherwise. I believe this is a very dangerous condition, as the fumes were evidently getting into the vehicle somehow and causing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The estimate to repair both is $5000, but according to the repair shop, there are currently none available. Ford has acknowledged this defect in Customer Satisfaction Program 21B35 and the 2025 service bulletin covering cracked weld failures. At about the same time, the transmission suddenly. The failure is very specific, and is documented in Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2411 as a known defect. The vehicle experienced harsh shifting, delayed engagement, and ultimately complete transmission failure requiring full replacement at a cost of approximately $7000. This appears to be a widespread defect, and I believe it represents a safety concern due to unpredictable loss of drivetrain function. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | SEAT BELTS | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V093000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Driving at speed and starting to slow down the vehicle downshifted hard and afterwards would shift hard on every shift. Vehicle was taken to dealership and was diagnosed with CDF drum failure. Vehicle was under 100k miles and not under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Sun roof sun shade malfunctions and the shade sags down unable to see out of rear of vehicle, or rear view mirror. Also sags down on rear passengers and children and could cause your passengers to stop breathing from covering your face. Very dangerous. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting or downshifting before slamming into gear. Several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted and worsened. There was transmission fluid odor coming from the vehicle and entering the cabin of the vehicle through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the engine unexpected revved while driving on the freeway. The contact stated that when the transmission slammed into gear, the vehicle felt like the parking brake was activated. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the repairs were put on hold until the warranty had ended. Most recently, the contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting and downshifting before slamming into gear. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact was called for assistance and went to where the vehicle was pulled over. The vehicle was driven back to the residence in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, where it was confirmed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that the failure was more predominant during colder weather. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 50,000 |