2020 Ford EXPLORER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Ford EXPLORER has 1611 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 20.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased a 2020 ford explorer at sames ford in laredo, tx. the vehicle was received 11 sept 2019. the vehicle broke down on 18 sept 2019 in indiana (mileage 1896) while in motion on the highway. the vehicle was towed to auto park ford in stergis, michigan. the problem was the transmission oil coo. ⚠️ 13 fire reports filed.

13 fire reports 44 crash reports 37 injuries

1611

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

20.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

445 complaints

28%

• I PURCHASED A 2020 FORD EXPLORER AT SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, TX. THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED 11 SEPT 2019. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON 18 SEPT 2019 IN INDIANA (MILEAGE 1896) WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO PARK FORD IN STERGIS, MICHIGAN. THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION OIL COO
• THIS VEHICLE WAS GIVEN TO ME ON OR ABOUT 12 NOVEMBER 2019 AS A REPLACEMENT FOR A 2020 FORD EXPLORER, VIN [XXX], PURCHASED FROM SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, WHICH TWICE HAD FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS NEW VEHICLE BROKE DOWN WHILE IN MOTION IN THE HIGHWAY
• VEHICLE DOESN'T MOVE FOR LONG SECONDS WHEN I SWITCH TO REVERSE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 6 crashes

“I PURCHASED A 2020 FORD EXPLORER AT SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, TX. THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED 11 SEPT 2019. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON 18 SEPT 2019 IN INDIANA (MILEAGE 1896) WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO PARK FORD IN STERGIS, MICHIGAN. THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION OIL COO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

199 complaints

12%

• HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN THE FRESH AIR INTAKE-MAKING ME AND MY PASSENGERS EXTREMELY SICK-NAUSEUS, REALLY BAD HEADACHES, EXTREMELY SLEEPY, ACID REFLUX AND EVEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK HALF HOUR AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE IF WE'VE BEEN STANDING NEXT TO AN EXHAUST PIPE!!!! ONE OF THESE TIME
• ON A 400 MILE ROAD TRIP ON A HIGHWAY, WE STARTED FEELING EXHAUST FUMES IN THE INSIDE CABIN. FELT NAUSEA AND WATERY EYES AND HAD TO STOP COUPLE OF TIME TO GET A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS IT DISAPPEARED AFTER AN HOUR. SCARY THING IS I SEE SOME ELSE ALSO HAS REPORTED THE SAME IS
• BREAKS GAVE OUT WHILE BACKING OUT OF LANE. SEPARATE ISSUE PRESSED ON GAS NO RESPONSE OR DELAYED RESPONSE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. ACTED LIKE IT WAS ALMOST OUT OF GAS BUT NOT. ALSO OTHER SMALL ISSUE IS LOUD HIGH WHISTLE NOISE ABOVE 70MPH.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN THE FRESH AIR INTAKE-MAKING ME AND MY PASSENGERS EXTREMELY SICK-NAUSEUS, REALLY BAD HEADACHES, EXTREMELY SLEEPY, ACID REFLUX AND EVEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK HALF HOUR AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE IF WE'VE BEEN STANDING NEXT TO AN EXHAUST PIPE!!!! ONE OF THESE TIME”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

198 complaints

12%

• VEHICLE DETECTED POSSIBLE COLLISION AND APPLIED BRAKES. THERE WAS NOTHING ANYWHERE NEAR ME. THEN SEVERAL FAULTS APPEARED. SERVICE 4WD, PRE COLLISION ASSIST FAULT, STABILITRACK FAULT, DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE FAULT. INFO SCREEN WENT ALL BLACK. I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND A STRAIGHT 2 LANE ROAD WITH NO
• 2020 FORD EXPLORER ST WITH APPROXIMATELY 5,200 MILES. YESTERDAY, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD I PUSHED THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO LUNGE BACKWARD UNTIL I FULLY DEPRESSED/REPRESSED THE B
• SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE REAR CAMERA JUST DOESN'T WORK - NO PARTICULAR REASON BUT IT'S JUST OUT. IT USUALLY RESUMES NORMAL OPERATION AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING BUT SOMETIMES I'VE HAD TO SHUTDOWN AND RESTART MORE THAN ONCE (SEE PICTURE FROM MOST RECENT ISSUE). THE EMERGENCY BREAKING SYST

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 19 crashes

“VEHICLE DETECTED POSSIBLE COLLISION AND APPLIED BRAKES. THERE WAS NOTHING ANYWHERE NEAR ME. THEN SEVERAL FAULTS APPEARED. SERVICE 4WD, PRE COLLISION ASSIST FAULT, STABILITRACK FAULT, DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE FAULT. INFO SCREEN WENT ALL BLACK. I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND A STRAIGHT 2 LANE ROAD WITH NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

179 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV VERY HIGHLY AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THE FAILURE
• DEEP SLEEP MODE ACTIVATES AFTER 2 DAYS. MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE INVOLVED HAVING TO JUMP START THE CAR AFTER SETTING 3 DAYS.
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV VERY HIGHLY AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THE FAILURE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

130 complaints

• MY BRAND NEW 2020 FORD EXPLORER PLATINUM TOP OF LINE MODEL (VIN [XXX]) BROKE DOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2019 AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE SEIZURE WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES AND LEFT US STRANDED WITH MY FAMILY FOR HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL AND HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A
• 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
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“MY BRAND NEW 2020 FORD EXPLORER PLATINUM TOP OF LINE MODEL (VIN [XXX]) BROKE DOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2019 AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE SEIZURE WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES AND LEFT US STRANDED WITH MY FAMILY FOR HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL AND HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1611 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: I PURCHASED A 2020 FORD EXPLORER AT SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, TX. THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED 11 SEPT 2019. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON 18 SEPT 2019 IN INDIANA (MILEAGE 1896) WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO PARK FORD IN STERGIS, MICHIGAN. THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION OIL COO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN THE FRESH AIR INTAKE-MAKING ME AND MY PASSENGERS EXTREMELY SICK-NAUSEUS, REALLY BAD HEADACHES, EXTREMELY SLEEPY, ACID REFLUX AND EVEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK HALF HOUR AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE IF WE'VE BEEN STANDING NEXT TO AN EXHAUST PIPE!!!! ONE OF THESE TIME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: VEHICLE DETECTED POSSIBLE COLLISION AND APPLIED BRAKES. THERE WAS NOTHING ANYWHERE NEAR ME. THEN SEVERAL FAULTS APPEARED. SERVICE 4WD, PRE COLLISION ASSIST FAULT, STABILITRACK FAULT, DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE FAULT. INFO SCREEN WENT ALL BLACK. I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND A STRAIGHT 2 LANE ROAD WITH NO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV VERY HIGHLY AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THE FAILURE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)