Complaint volume
1135 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
1135 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Ford Explorer, grouped by component category.
1135 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 307
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
1,135 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | TRANSMISSION ISSUES AGAIN. SAME BROKEN / CRACKED WELD AT TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. PART REPLACED. THIS IS THE VEHICLE'S 3RD OIL COOLER (WE'RE AT 12,600 MILES NOW) | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,600 |
| Mar 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | FALSE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE ALARM ISSUE - VEHICLE BELIEVES IT IS OVERHEATING WHEN IT ISN'T. THIS RESULTS IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHERE THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 50MPH AND IS EXTREMELY SLOW TO ACCELERATE CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MY EXPLORER ST MODEL 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ALL WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE SECOND TIME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY AND NEARLY COLLIDED WITH A SEMI TRUCK SINCE I LOST ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. ALL TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. MY VEHICLE HAS CURRENTLY BEEN WAITING FOR REPAIR FOR OVER 30 DAYS & ONLY HAS 13,000 MILES ON IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,020 |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | AUTO HOLD FEATURE CONTINUES TO DISPLAY FAULT. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY SAY IT'S FIXED. IM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL FAULT WHEN IM STOPPED AND CAUSE A COLLISION. FORD CUSTOMER CARE CAN BARELY UNDERSTAND ENGLISH LET ALONE LISTEN TO ME DESCRIBE THE ISSUE. FOR A VEHICLE WITH 700 MILES THIS IS RIDICULOUS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 750 |
| Mar 2020 | SERVICE BRAKES | ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT APROX. 3,000 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER TOLD BAD GROUND AT MODULE CONNECTOR. DEALER SAID WOULD HAVE TO ORDER 2 NUTS AND BOLTS WOULD CALL WHEN PARTS ARRIVED. TWO WEEKS LATER NO CALL. CALLED DEALER & GOT VOICE MAIL, LEFFT MESSAGE NO CALL BACK AFTER 2 HOURS. DEALER COULD HAVE PROVIDED LOANER TILL FIXED AS WE ARE DRIVING A CAR WITHOUT ABS BRAKES. PAID 63K AND DRIVING A VEHICLE NOT AS SAFE AS REPRESENTED AT PURCHASE AFTER ONLY 3K MILES!. THERE SHOULD BE A SERVICE LETTER AT LEAST FOR THIS PROBLEM. CONCERNED MECHANIC WILL MAKE UNAPPROVED IMPROVISED REPAIR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,800 |
| Mar 2020 | POWER TRAIN | VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGINS JERKING HARD AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH GOING DOWN A TWO LANE ROAD, THEN WRENCH WARNING LIGHT COMES ON DASHBOARD AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPS AND NO LONGER WILL ACCELERATE FORWARD OR REVERSE. MESSAGE APPEARS AND SAYS GEAR WILL ENGAGE IN LOW SPEED ONLY, HOWEVER GEARS NO LONGER MOVE THE VEHICLE. WARNING APPEARS THAT POWERTRAIN ISSUE HAS OCCURRED CONTACT YOUR DEALER, THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE POWERTRAIN OR 4X4 SYSTEM. THIS IS A NEW 2020 EXPLORER WITH 453 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO DEALER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 453 |
| Mar 2020 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN | WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYTHE 'STEERING FAULT SERVICE NOW LIGHT' CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE TRAVELING 75 MPH MILES ON ODOMETER 900. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT THE 'STEERING LOSS STOP SAFELY' MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD I HAD TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO POWER STEERING OR ANY TRANSMISSION OPTIONS LIKE SPORT, ECONOMY, REGULAR, DEEP SNOW, NO ASSIST FOR UPHILL OR DOWNHILL PARKING | Crash: No Fire: No | 900 |
| Mar 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | WHEN TRYING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE THE VEHICLE JERKS INTO GEAR HARD AND THEN STALLS. TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY STARTS UP NO ISSUE, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT YET KEEPS STALLING. THIS IS NEW OWNED FOR 3 DAYS WITH LESS THAN 200 MILES ON IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 180 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 65-75 MPH AND NOTICED A MEDIUM VIBRATION AT ABOUT 2500 MILES. AT ABOUT 3000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK AND START WHINING AT LOW SPEEDS UNDER MILD ACCELERATION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,300 |
| Feb 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN STARTING AT INTERSECTIONS OR STOPPING YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL THE FUEL IN THE TANK SLOSHING BACK AND FORTH. I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONFIRMED THE NOISE AND DOCUMENTED IT. THEY REACHED OUT TO FORD WHICH SAID THEY KNEW OF THE ISSUE AND AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO FIX. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 3481 MILES. BROKE A WELD AT THE OIL COOLER ASSEMBLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,481 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | THIS VEHICLE WAS A LONER CAR THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON MY 2020 EXPLORER. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THIS VEHICLE AS WELL, AT 1800 MILES LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERYWHERE AND NOT SHIFTING, MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS HIGHWAY DRIVE TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,800 |
| Feb 2020 | ENGINE | PURCHASED A 2020 EXPLORER ON FEB 11, NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE HOOD RIGHT WHEN I ARRIVED HOME FROM THE DEALER, CONTACTED THEM AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE NORMAL FOR A NEW VEHICLE TO HAVE SOME SMOKE IN THE BEGINNING, LATER I NOTICED THAT THE INTERIOR HEAT IS ONLY BLOWING COLD AIR SO I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO CHECK IT OUT, I REMOTE STARTED THE CAR THROUGH THE OFFICIAL FORDPASS APP AND THEN 10 MINUTES LATER I ENTERED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE COOLANT LIGHT WAS ON BEFORE I EVEN STARTED DRIVING (CAR HAS 78 MILES ON IT) , ( I ALSO GOT 2 NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE APP THAT THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING) SO I CALLED FORD TO TOW IT, NOW ITS SITTING BY FORD SERVICE FOR 2 DAYS AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT'S A COOLANT LEAK BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE IT LEAKS TO AND THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM FORD ENGINEERS ON HOW TO PROCEED, IT SEEMS LIKE FORD MAY HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM AND THIS IS POTENTIALLY PUTTING ANY EXPLORER DRIVER AT RISK OF THE VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY | Crash: No Fire: No | 78 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | TRANSMISSION COOLER DRAIN SYSTEM LEAKED METAL FOUND IN TRANSMISSION PAN REPLACED WITH AN OEM TRANSMISSION. CAUSING POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTION | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,008 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | WE BOUGHT THE CAR ON 9/21/19 FROM UPLAND FORD. WE HAD AN ISSUE WHERE THE INFOTAINMENT SCREEN BLACKED OUT, BUT THANKFULLY, AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR AN HOUR, ALL IS WORKING FINE ON THAT MATTER. HOWEVER, VERY EARLY ON, WE NOTICED ROUGH SHIFTS, AND OTHER RED FLAGS, COMING FROM THE DRIVETRAIN. IF I HAD TO GUESS, WE NOTICED IT BEFORE 3K MILES. TOOK IT TO VISTA FORD IN OXNARD ON 1/04/2020 (ODO: 4960), WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. WHILE THEY REPLACED THE COOLER, THERE ARE STILL SIGNS OF THE ISSUES... ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS 6200 MILES ON IT, AS OF TODAY, 2/13. I ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE OF THE CAR NOT SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, UNTIL AFTER A LONG DELAY, AND WITH SOME JERKING. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN THERE ROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AS A TALL MAN (6-FOOT4, WITH 36-INCH INSEAM), I HAVE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT HOW UNCOMFORTABLE IT IS FOR ME TO DRIVE THIS CAR. THESE PROBLEMS ON A BRAND NEW CAR, FROM A BRAND LIKE FORD, ARE DISAPPOINTING AND UNACCEPTABLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,960 |
| Feb 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | CRUISE CONTROL CAN NOT BE DISABLED BY PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. REQUIRES PASSING STEERING WHEEL BUTTON TO TURN OFF. ALSO "PRE-COLLISION ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE" MESSAGE COMES ON DASH EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS STARTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 82 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN | I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT STOPPED, STARTING JOLTING US... THEN NO LONGER WOULD ACCELERATE.. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WITH LESS THAN 400 MILES ON IT | Crash: No Fire: No | 400 |
| Feb 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | FUEL TANK SLOSHING AND CLUNKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK DESIGN LOCATES A PORTION OF THE GAS TANK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND BELOW THE SEATS. WHEN THE GAS TANK IS ABOVE HALF FULL, YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL THE GAS MOVING IN THE TANK, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEED, DURING TRAFFIC WITH FREQUENT STOPPING. NOT SURE HOW SAFE IS TO FEEL THE GAS MOVING INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND THE NOISE WHEN THE GAS IMPACTS THE GAS TANK WALLS. WHEN THE TANK IS FULL AND YOU BRAKE, THE FUEL SLOSHES FORWARD AND MOVES SOMETHING INSIDE AND SLAMS AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE TANK. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | THE VEHICLE IS RANDOMLY BRAKING FOR NO UNKNOWN REASON. ALMOST LIKE IF I WAS DRIVING AND PUT ON EMERGENCY BRAKE. IT MOSTLY DOES IT WHILE IN REVERSE WHEN THERE IS LITERALLY NOTHING AROUND ME. THERE IS AN OPTION AND IT HAS STILL DOES IT WITH OPTION OFF. IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED 1 ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS IN MY SONS CAR POOL LINE AT SCHOOL. OTHERWISE IT HAS CAUSED EXTREME ANXIETY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. THE BRAKE ASSIST FAULT IS ALSO ON, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND FIX TO THAT EITHER. THE DEALER (CAPITAL FORD RALEIGH) WAS AWARE OF SENSOR ISSUES, AS WELL AS FAULTS THE DAY I TOOK DELIVERY ON VEHICLE. THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD IT TO US ANYWAYS. I TOOK VEHICLE TO SERVICE DEPT THE VERY DAY AFTER WE TOOK DELIVERY. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THESE DANGEROUS ISSUES, AND I AM FORCED TO KEEP DRIVING WITH MY KIDS IN THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15 |
| Feb 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS LIKE PARKING AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE FUEL SLOSHES LOUDLY AND CAN BE HEARD INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT SLOSHES MOST NOTICEABLY WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IS ABOVE 3/4 FULL. THE FUEL MOVES SO MUCH IT SOMETIMES SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING HITTING THE FLOOR UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT OR A DRIVELINE ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 300 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY BREAKS, AS IF DETECTING A CRASH, WHEN THERE IS CLEARLY NO CAR AHEAD. VEHICLE TAKES OVER CONTROL OF BREAKS UNEXPECTEDLY. HAS HAPPENED ON REPEATED OCCASIONS AND ALREADY REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER MONTHS AGO. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,700 |
| Feb 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE EXPLORER WAS PUT INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE DROVE FORWARD ABOUT 3 FT, JERKED, THEN SLAMMED INTO REVERSE. REACTION TIME ON MY BEHALF WAS SLOW AS IT WAS UNEXPECTED, I ALMOST HIT A LIGHT POLE. THIS OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,800 |
| Jan 2020 | POWER TRAIN | AFTER INITIALLY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IT WAS SHIFTED TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING HIGHER THAN NORMAL. UPON MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A DIVIDED BOULEVARD THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. THERE WAS TRAFFIC COMING BUT LUCKILY IT WAS FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION BACK INTO PARK AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE. WHEN I STARTED MOVING FORWARD AGAIN IT WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST 1ST GEAR STILL. . I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT AND LET MY HUSBAND TRY TO SEE IF HE COULD FIGURE IT OUT. WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON. STILL WPULD NOT SHIFT PAST 1ST GEAR. HE ATTEMPTED TO USE MANUAL SHIFTING AND IT WOULD ONLY GO TO 2ND GEAR THEN CHUG SEVERAL TIMES AND GO COME TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP. SHUT IT OFF AGAIN AND BACK ON. THIS TIME IT SEAMED TO BE WORKING. HE PULLED OUT ON TO THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE AGAIN ALMOST STOPPED HALF WAY THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. HE PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 MIN. WHEN IT TURNED BACK ON IT WORKED FINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON AT THIS POINT. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE 10 MILE DRIVE HOME. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING AS THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A WEEK AND A HALF OLD WITH LESS THAN 600 MILES ON IT. I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION TO START WITH BUT THIS DOES NOT HELP BUILD MY CONFIDENCE. ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR 10 MONTH OLD BABY WAS IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL AND HAD WE NEEDED TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF QUICK ACCELERATION WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AND COULD VERY WELL HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE GROUND WAS DRY AND SMOOTH. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | POWER TRAIN | AT 4,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEARS UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST NOT DRIVE ABLE. WHILE DRIVING IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND AT 26 MILES PER HOUR IS WOULD JUMP GEARS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,000 |
| Jan 2020 | ENGINE | VEHICLE STALLED WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT ONTO A HIGHWAY (65MPH). IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE ONCE PUT IN DRIVE JERKED FORWARD/BACKWARD WHEN I HIT THE GAS. THE RPMS WENT UP BUT THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVING WELL. IT STALLED AGAIN. I HAD TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS 4 MORE TIMES. IT FINALLY BEGAN TO DRIVE AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE FORD PASS APP GAVE ME AN ERROR CODE. MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. THE VEHICLE HAS 109 MILES. THE CAR IS WITH THE DEALER LESS THAN 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 109 |
| Jan 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I BELONG TO A FORD FORUM AND THEY'RE HAS BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT AN AIR DEFLECTOR MISSING IN THE REAR BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE MUFFLERS PART # 17788. THEY'RE ARE MANY CLAIMING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IT ON THEY'RE ST LEVEL EXPLORER. PLEASE CHECK ON SEE THIS MATTER. RUMOR IS THAT AT HIGH SPEED THE WIND CAN DAMAGE THE REAR BUMPER AND RIP IT OF THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |