U.S. public vehicle records

2020 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,204 owner complaints analyzed

33 distinct recall campaigns

22,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 406 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 466 of 1,204 complaints (38.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	336	27.9%
Braking behavior	191	15.9%
Electrical and battery issues	70	5.8%
Engine operation	51	4.2%
Steering behavior	41	3.4%
Fuel system concerns	8	0.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

466

Unknown Or Other

203

Electrical System

180

Engine

113

Service Brakes

Visibility/Wiper

Exterior Lighting

Back Over Prevention

Power Train: 466; Unknown Or Other: 203; Electrical System: 180; Engine: 113; Service Brakes: 80; Visibility/Wiper: 55; Exterior Lighting: 52; Back Over Prevention: 40

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

210

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 210; 25,000 to 49,999: 58; 50,000 to 74,999: 62; 75,000 to 99,999: 41; 100,000 to 149,999: 34; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (210). 798 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2019

2020

110

2021

136

2022

2023

186

2024

202

2025

318

2026

160

2019: 7; 2020: 110; 2021: 136; 2022: 85; 2023: 186; 2024: 202; 2025: 318; 2026: 160

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 336 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 191 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 70 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11279622 · 2019-11-12 (November 12, 2019)

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 CONTINUED. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER AND LEVITOWN FORD (3195 HEMPSTEAD TPKE, LEVITOWN, NY) WERE NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11279622 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11288974 · 2019-12-13 (December 13, 2019)

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 COOLER, WHICH I NOW KNOW IS ENDEMIC TO THIS MODEL. I WAS TOLD THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HAD ALSO CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE TRANSMISSION & OIL COOLER WERE REPLACED AND I HAD TO DRIVE FROM NEW YORK TO MICHIGAN AT MY OWN EXPENSE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,896 miles reported. Look up ODI 11288974 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11308254 · 2020-02-10 (February 10, 2020)

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 ISS…

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 11308254 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11324599 · 2020-05-14 (May 14, 2020)

SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED THE SUV IT HAS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS FLASHED CROSS TRAFFIC SYSTEM FAULT, BLIND SPOT SYSTEM FAULT, AC SHUTS OFF, AND THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, ONCE THEY CHARGED THE BATTERY, THE LAST TIME THEY RESET A MODULE. IT DID IT AGAIN TODAY SO WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK. WE HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN WHILE MOVING BUT TODAY WE WERE STATIONARY WHEN IT HAPPENED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,210 miles reported. Look up ODI 11324599 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11327352 · 2020-06-05 (June 5, 2020)

THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN THE MESSAGE 'SERVICE CHARGE SYSTEM NOW'. THE BATTERY ICON APPEARED BRIEFLY ON THE DASHBOARD. I CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE SAME MESSAGE REAPPEARED EVERY 5 MINUTES. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE MESSAGE, AND TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE SOON. THEY RAN A 'DIAGNOSTIC ' AND DETERMINED IT NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR. THE VEHICLE IS SEVEN MONTHS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. IT IS STILL IN FOR SERVICE AS THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR IN STOCK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11327352 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11301763 · 2020-01-25 (January 25, 2020)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 109 miles reported. Look up ODI 11301763 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11309159 · 2020-02-14 (February 14, 2020)

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) , …

Owner-reported narrative. 78 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309159 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11308550 · 2020-02-11 (February 11, 2020)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 82 miles reported. Look up ODI 11308550 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11315531 · 2020-03-02 (March 2, 2020)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11315531 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11308257 · 2020-02-10 (February 10, 2020)

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 SL…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11308257 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11376388 · 2020-11-25 (November 25, 2020)

I HAD DRIVEN 8 HOURS, (AROUND 575MILES) INTO A 14.5 HOUR DRIVE. THE MECHANICAL SHIFT DEFAULT FLASHED ON THE DASH SCREEN & THE WRENCH SYMBOL. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. I CHECKED THE MANUAL, DID A GOOGLE SEARCH & IT SAID THIS WAS A TRANSMISSION FAULT. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD START, AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK. IT STARTED, BUT AS SOON AS THE EXPLORER WAS PUT INTO ANY GEAR, IT SHIFTED ITSELF BACK INTO PARK & MADE AN AUDIBLE "CLUNK" SOUND. I CALLED AAA TO GET IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP, WHICH WAS CHE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11376388 at NHTSA ↗