2020 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon raising the front passenger's side power window switch, the window rolled up and then rolled back down unintentionally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the power window control module was reset. The contact stated after the dealer had performed a rearview camera recall repair on the vehicle, messages advising that the traction control and the other drive modes were inoperable were displayed. The dealer replaced the throttle body and an unknown part. Additionally, the contact stated after the dealer had lifted the vehicle for servicing, the dealer noticed that the catalytic converter, the mufflers, and the shock absorbers had failed. The dealer informed the contact that the shock absorbers were leaking fluid. The dealer determined that the catalytic converter, the mufflers, and the shock absorbers needed to be replaced. The dealer had ordered the parts. 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 70,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer XLP. The contact stated that his wife received a minor cut from the front driver’s side interior door handle because the chrome wrap on the door handle had started to deteriorate. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the interior door handle chrome was peeling and had sharp edges. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000.

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.

Ford dealer said one of the clutch's is failing. When getting up to speed it shifts fine. But when slowing down, there is a loud bang/jolt around 30 mph. The car is only 4 yrs old. This should not be happening.

The left, middle row captain seat chair passenger fails to lock in place. The back part of the chair can be easily folded down or pushed back just by pressing or pulling on it. The back part of the chair won’t stay locked in whatever position is chosen via the adjustment level on the side of the seat. None of my children are allowed to sit in that chair as I fear it could crush them or allow them to slide out of their booster seats in an accident. I have not reported this to our dealership yet, but I do intent to have my vehicle looked at soon.

When braking and slowing down between 30-25 mph the transmission catches and feels like it “bucks”. Almost to a sudden stop and I’m afraid the cars behind me are going to rear end me. I took it to my local Ford dealer where they reprogrammed and reset adaptive tables, then told me to drive it like this for 500-1000 miles to see if it worked itself out! I feel this is dangerous! I have an extended warranty 5 yr/ 60,000 miles, I’ve owned it 4 yrs with approximately 30,000 miles on it. Ford needs to just fix it!

Muffler tailpipe separated at the wield of the muffler

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal exhaust odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the odor was present while driving. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the left exhaust flex pipes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer that the manufacturer had issued a Customer Satisfaction Program: 21E11 – Left side Exhaust Flexible Pipe(s) and Left side Catalytic Converter inspection and replacement (Engine and Engine Cooling), however, the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the transmission unintendedly shifted into neutral(N), and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond while the engine revved. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and 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 75,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk abnormally while shifting gear. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 77,500.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and failed to display an image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V305000 (Back Over Prevention) for the failure. The failure mileage was 52,000.

I have a 2020 Ford Explorer and a Motorola Andriod phone. When I plug my phone into my Explorer to use the maps my display blinks like crazy the charging does not work and my phone gets so hot I am afraid it is going to start a fire. The Ford dealer I talked to said that they knew about it and do not know of any fix. I don't need my vehicle catching on fire.

The headrests of both of the back seats first locked and would not release, then suddenly released and were never able to lock back in place again. Because of the headrest mechanism failures, we cannot allow anyone to sit in the rear seats because they are not safe. We need to be able to use those seats for our children. We had them inspected by our local Ford dealer and they confirmed that this is a known issue for this model, but that there has not been a recall yet. They could fix them, but unfortunately it would be a significant cost to fix both of them out of pocket when this really is a safety issue and should be a recall. There were no warning messages other than one day they simply would not lock in place properly.

Sun Shade: Sunroof shade guide has lost the bolt securing it to the shade, will need bolt to re-secure. When retracted back sunroof Sun Shade sags, blocking rearview window. Causes driver to be unable to see out back window. No warning lamps. Problem has been inspected by ford dealership. According to ford the bolt that secures the Sun Shade to the sunroof has come out.

The rear hatch of my 2020 Ford Explorer does not open reliably. There is no manual release mechanism to open the hatch in case of failure. The only methods to open the hatch are via the button on the hatch itself, the button on the dashboard, or the key fob. When any of these are pressed, the hatch makes sounds as if it is trying to engage and open, but it does not actually open. Additionally, the vehicle dashboard displays an alert indicating that the hatch is open, even though it remains securely closed. This false alert is confusing and concerning. The problem is unpredictable and intermittent, sometimes allowing the hatch to open normally, but often failing without warning. This issue significantly limits access to the cargo area and poses a safety concern in situations where quick or emergency access to the hatch is needed. I had the vehicle inspected by a dealer regarding the hatch issue. They diagnosed the problem as a faulty hatch motor. The estimated cost to repair or replace the motor is approximately $1,300.00. Given the high cost, I am concerned about the safety and reliability of the vehicle, as well as the financial burden of any potential repairs. Because the rear hatch does not open reliably, I am forced to access the cargo area by crossing over the rear seats, which is inconvenient and unsafe, especially when carrying groceries or large items. Moreover, I am unable to access the spare tire in case of an emergency, which poses a serious safety risk.

Dashboard has separated, leather is rolled back from windshield area and has bubbled and raised on entire dash, this impedes part of my vision via the lower part of the windshield.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle experienced an unexpected downshift and seized in low gear while the RPMs became significantly elevated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced hard shifting and shuddered while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving at slow speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and 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 61,100.

Was driving vehicle and during acceleration, heard a loud bang. No warning lights came on in the small distance I continued to drive into a gas station to safety evaluate the vehicle and find the cause of the sound. Entire contents of transmission fluid pan leaked onto the ground at the gas station that the fire department had to be called to help clean and car was towed to dealership. Still no warnings at this time and car had been to dealership for oil change just few weeks prior. When care was finally turned on days later at the dealership I received a warning that the powertrain control system has detected one of the transmission shift solenoids is not responding as expected. The dealership then informed me that there was a hole in the pan and that the entire transmission needs to be replaced on a vehicle less that 4 years old and 73,960 miles on it. Per the dealership it appears as though there was some catastrophic failure inside the transmission that shot off something and damaged the pan from the inside. I believe this to be an faulty issue with Ford Manufacturing and believe that they should be at least partially liable for the cost to repair.

I was going on the hwy speeding up with the traffic , my Explorer was at 8 gear of 10 atound 60 mph when it dropped to 1st gear and the truck started to break hard , after one second or two all gears started to go up one by one . No one was hurt or crash

2020 Explorer VIN: [XXX] Summary [Recall] Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera Description The remedy is under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed june 26, 2023. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23s23. This recall expands and replaces nhtsa recall number 23v-022. Vehicles previously repaired under 23v-022 will need to have the new remedy performed. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov. Read less

While in motion a 4wd fault is detected that also makes forward pre crash unavailable. The fault resets when the engine is cycled and remains out for sporadic amounts of time I.e one week, one month, three months... Due to the fault resetting the dealer is unable to confirm cause and the sporadic nature make it difficult to replicate. The dealer was given a DTC 0f C0631-7F but was not able to verify it do to the code not being present at time of service. There is an Internal Tech. service bulletin for said code but is only before if code is present at time of service

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to open the front driver’s side door from the inside, the chrome plating fractured, causing the contact’s hand to get struck. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle for the failure. The contact was instructed to contact the local dealer for the repair and to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Headlight will stop working and turn off and then turn back on and start working again hours later.

Transmission cooler is leaking, hairline crack in cooler line on external cooler on transmission we looked online and it said 2020 ford explorers 2.3 engine that was a recall but says my specific vehicle isn’t recalled but i believe it should be.

AWD control failure creating these messages: No Hill-Assist No Collision-Assist No Traction Control Service AdvanceTrac Service AWD The result is no AWD.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the brakes, traction control, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front axle disconnect actuator or the intermediate shaft needed to be replaced with a revised part. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 21-2174. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal humming noise. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission cooler had cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer that the manufacturer was aware of the failure and had issued a Technical Service Bulletin; however, the vehicle was no longer covered for the repairs under warranty. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Vehicle "service required" light (wrench) displayed on vehicle when commuting from work to home on a Friday. Light went off next time vehicle was used, so vehicle was used to commute from home to work. During this commute, light came on approximately 25 miles from home, and then 25 miles from work (commute is 32 miles 1 way). Driver stopped vehicle and once vehicle turned off, light went off. Local Dealership was contacted (Ryan) was able to diagnose issue over computer, stating 1. the vehicle (parts are not communicating with each other) and then the light is from transmission pump overheating. He stated this is common (transmission issue) with 2020 Ford Explorers. I did research and this is correct. We agreed to bring vehicle in to be checked out instead of driving it any further. I also asked if any dealer vehicles were having issues filling up fuel at the local gas station (they fuel all vehicles there), since recently the gas pump would stop filling after 2-3 gallons when vehicle was further empty. I said this has happened 3-4 times in the last few weeks (vehicle is filled up 2x a week). Upon review, Ryan found 2 TSB (bulletins) for the vehicle and explained these are again issues with this vehicles. 1-TSB 20-2337 Automatic Transmission Clutch, Coolant Pump. 2-TSB-22-2433 Fuel filler neck and housing for the fuel filling system. I have contacted number given by previous Service Manager (Jim) 1-800-392-3673 and either customer service personnel where: upset I received this number, stating this is a dealership only number to call them. Finally given the information since vehicle was fixed/corrected prior to contacting them (dealership personnel requirement) they were not able to help-stating the department helps in financial situations only. Phone calls to the above number 3-5 times. I research and found a general number for Ford (866-436-7332), getting case [XXX}. Cust. Service Specialist Amber told me they will not help and to contact INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

the chrome is peeling from the interior driver door handle, leaving a piece of metal. This flaking/peeling metal cuts your hand when using the inside driver door handle to exit the vehicle. Ford told me it is not covered under the current recall of window switch chrome peeling (and can cut you).

The factory welds at passenger outlet on the exhaust broke.

I hit a pole in early April, and brought it to a shop - Casey’s in Brentwood - to have it fixed. The car had no warning lights or issues. They needed to take off the front of the car to repair the body damage. They discharged the car to us, and I noticed a battery light was on. We called a few days later and the owner said well I tried to call you and left a message but heard nothing. He said we needed to take it to the dealership to turn the light off. We drove it 50 miles to the dealership. The dealership said that this is not a “light to turn off” - this was a significant problem that would be an expensive repair. He said the car would not be safe to drive ultimately very long because the car could just dead stop while driving on a freeway (similar to what happened to a Tesla causing a death). They were unsure of the cause but not from hitting the pole. We brought it to our family’s nearby. We had a second opinion and the mechanic noted this is not typical damage - this is a dangerous safety issue and the car should not be driven. We called Casey’s and they said oh we had no idea, have State Farm toe it back to us. State Farm has refused to pay, saying the damage is unrelated. Caseys has now changed their story and said the light was on when they got the car. This is wildly unethical, and had I known, I would have wanted this fixed not just be allowed to drive home with my children. The first auto shop put me and my children’s lives at risk by letting us drive home without letting us know, putting it in the paperwork or investigating this. They deny it is because of their doing and they will not take accountability for potentially causing this damage. I genuinely believe they are covering it up.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, the front driver's side seat shifted backwards. Due to the failure, the front driver's side seat was installed slanted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked seat assembly and the seat assembly needed to be replaced. The contact was informed of an unknown recall notification with the similar failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. In addition, the contact was advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive until the repair was completed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

The lift ajar lights came on, lift wont lock so it goes back up umless i push it down manually but the warning light “lift ajar” keeps going on everytime i turn the engine on.im afraid that the lift would open up while im driving .

The 10R60 transmission is exhibiting a hard downshift from 7-6 gear. I know this has been a problem with several of this year make and model. Ford says its not included in the recall. I have 81,000 miles on the vehicle and have to replace the transmission that is known to have problems. No warning lights no codes were produced. Just started happening and took to the dealership

The contact owned a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the advanced traction control, 4-wheel drive pre-collision assist, and drive mode assist warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while it was raining. The contact lost control of the rear of the vehicle and the rear of the vehicle and crashed into a rail. The vehicle then crashed into a guard rail, crossed a two-lane highway, and bounced off of a concrete slab before the vehicle stopped. The contact's two children were in the vehicle. The contact and the contact's children received medical attention on the scene and were taken to the medical center. The contact and the contact's children were all treated for whiplash and concussion. The contact was also treated for nerve damage. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The contact stated that the failure had occurred previously, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer had informed the contact that there was an unknown recall with a similar failure description, however, the VIN was not associated. The vehicle had an upcoming service appointment with an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the independent mechanic was very trustworthy and served the contact's vehicle regularly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000. The VIN was not available.

Vehicle caught fire while parked after driving.

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.

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.

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 sun roof cover has come lose blocking the rear view

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway of the residence, the vehicle failed to shift into park(P). The vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was parking system damage within the transmission, and the transmission shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V069000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The backup camera fails to load. I get a blue screen or a distorted screen.

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.

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.

An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset occurred while the vehicle was in motion and resulted in park system damage. The entire transmission needs to be replaced.

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)

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.

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.

I was on [SSS], right before [SSS], traveling back from visiting family for the weekend. My vehicle suddenly lost all power while I was in the fast lane doing highway speeds. Luckily I was able to get over to the sliver of shoulder while there was no acceleration and only a brake . Although I was able to turn the vehicle off and start it again to drive from Los Angeles to Sacramento, it was the most frightening moment of my life. I have multiple recalls on this vehicle that have delayed my ability to register it in my state. I do have an open court case with Ford but they have delayed the hearing date to over a year away. 2026. There are multiple issues with this vehicle and I have not been able to drive this SUV comfortably again since my power loss experience. There may be a safety concern for others who have this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

[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)