NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 47 recalls, 1124 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2020 Ford Explorer.
20–24 mpg combined
9.8–11.8 L/100km
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The dominant complaint pattern for the 2020 Ford Explorer centers on the powertrain, which draws by far the most owner reports. Transmission problems come up repeatedly: owners describe harsh or hard shifts, delayed engagement, sudden jerking at highway speeds, and unexpected loss of power while driving. Several owners report the vehicle needing multiple transmission repairs within a relatively short mileage span, with the same symptoms returning after service. A smaller but notable cluster of owners reports issues with the backup camera system, describing image problems or failure that affects visibility when reversing. The electrical system draws a third tier of complaints, with owners noting various anomalies including headlight failures, some on vehicles with LED lamps that were expected to last the life of the vehicle. The transmission complaints are consistent enough across reports that hard shifting and power loss at highway speeds represent the clearest recurring theme owners describe.
1,124
Total Complaints
33
Crash-Related
11
Fire-Related
27
With Injuries
By System
The 2020 Ford Explorer has 47 recalls, the most serious involving engine compartment fires, fuel leaks from chafing or poorly welded fuel lines, driveshaft failures that can cause sudden loss of drive power or rollaway, and a high-voltage battery defect on plug-in hybrid models that can ignite.
The drivetrain concerns are extensive: the rear axle mounting bolt can fracture and disconnect the driveshaft, prior repair attempts did not fully resolve this, and several follow-up recalls address vehicles where earlier fixes were incomplete. A loose motor mount can also let the axle separate from the engine. A wiring harness contacting the air conditioning pulley can short against the battery wire and start a fire, and the engine block heater can crack, leak coolant, and short circuit when plugged in.
On the restraint side, seat belt anchor bolts and buckle fasteners at multiple seating positions may be loose, and side airbag mounting fasteners in the front seat backs may not hold the airbag in place for proper deployment. Second-row easy-entry seats can unlatch or slide unexpectedly while driving. The powertrain control module can reset while driving and damage the transmission park system, preventing a shift into Park. Rear visibility is a recurring theme across many recalls: the backup camera can display a blank, distorted, or inverted image, and the windshield wiper motor can fail entirely. A missing airbag warning label rounds out the list.
At a glance
What can fail
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
The bolts securing the seat belt anchors at the second-row outer seats may not be properly tightened, potentially allowing the seat belts to come loose.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and tighten, repair, or replace the second-row outer seat belt anchor bolts as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The windshield wiper motor may fail, causing the windshield wipers to stop working properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the front wiper motors and replace them if needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The windshield wiper motor may have a manufacturing defect that causes it to fail, leaving your wipers inoperable.
What the fix does
A dealership will inspect the wiper motor and replace it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The center display screen may flip or invert when you shift into reverse, causing the rearview camera image to display upside down or backwards.
What the fix does
Ford will send you a letter with instructions for a software or hardware update to correct the display orientation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater can crack and leak coolant, which may cause it to short circuit when plugged in.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the block heater at no cost, or install a blanking plug and remove the heater cord.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater can crack and leak coolant. When plugged in, the leaked coolant may cause an electrical short circuit.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the block heater at no cost, or install a blanking plug and remove the heater cord.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image or fail to clear the image after backing up.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the rearview camera software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, causing the seats to unlatch, fold, or slide unexpectedly while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch and replace the bezel around the switch as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may not display on the screen due to video output failure in vehicles that received an incorrect repair under a previous recall.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software at no cost to restore rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A mounting bolt on the rear axle housing may break, causing the axle to shift. This can create rear noises and vibrations, and may disconnect the driveshaft and axle shafts, cutting power to the rear wheels. The vehicle could move when in Park if the parking brake is not engaged.
What the fix does
Ford will update your engine control module software to automatically set the parking brake when the transmission is shifted to Park.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture on vehicles that received incorrect repairs under previous recalls, potentially causing the driveshaft to disconnect.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost to correct the previous repair issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may not display on the SYNC screen when reversing due to a software problem in the image processing module, violating Canadian regulations requiring the rearview image to be shown.
What the fix does
Ford will update the image processing module software at a dealership to restore the rearview camera image display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Seat belt buckle anchor bolts at any seating position may not be properly tightened. The seat belt retractor and anchor bolts at the second-row center seat may also be loose.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect all seat belt anchor bolts. Loose bolts will be corrected by replacing affected seat components at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Seat belt buckle bolts and second-row center seat belt anchor or retractor bolts may not be properly tightened, causing seat belts to loosen or detach during a crash.
What the fix does
A dealer will inspect the seat belt bolts and replace any loose or damaged parts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag warning label on the dashboard may be missing, which means the vehicle doesn't have the required safety information label.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you the warning label at no cost. Letters were sent December 19, 2024. Call 1-866-436-7332 with questions.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Engine connecting rod bearing may fail, allowing oil and fuel vapor to leak into the engine compartment where they can accumulate near hot surfaces and ignition sources, risking engine compartment fire.
What the fix does
Dealers will update engine control software, inspect for bearing failure, and replace the engine if needed. All work is free.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A poor electrical connection causes the rearview camera to intermittently show a blank or distorted image, affecting rear visibility.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A rear axle mounting bolt may break, causing the axle housing to shift. This can produce clunking noises and vibrations, and may disconnect the driveshaft and axle shafts, resulting in loss of power to the rear wheels.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt, and inspect and replace the rear axle cover if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt can fracture, causing the driveshaft to disconnect from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt, and inspect and replace the rear axle cover if damaged.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A manufacturing flaw in the high voltage battery cells can cause an internal short circuit, leading to battery failure.
What the fix does
Dealers will test the battery control module and replace the high voltage battery pack if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 360-degree camera system may fail to output video, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying on the vehicle's screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The backup camera image won't display on the 12.1-inch screen if the Display On/Off Button is pressed to turn it off before reversing.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the integrated computer screen software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A rear axle mounting bolt may break, allowing the axle housing to shift. This can cause rear clunking noises and vibrations, and may disconnect the driveshaft and axle shafts, cutting power to the rear wheels. The vehicle could roll when in Park if the parking brake is not engaged.
What the fix does
Ford will update your engine control module software at a dealership to automatically engage the parking brake when the transmission is shifted to Park.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The parking brake may not engage automatically when you shift to park. Additionally, a rear axle bolt can crack, potentially causing the driveshaft to separate from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost to reprogram the automatic parking brake feature and address the axle bolt issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine control computer may reset while driving, damaging the transmission park system. This could prevent you from shifting into Park, risking unintended vehicle movement if you exit without the parking brake applied.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to have a dealership inspect the transmission park system for damage and repair it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The powertrain control module may unexpectedly reset while driving, which can damage the park system.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the park system for damage and repair it at no cost if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue in vehicles with 360-degree cameras may prevent the rearview camera image from appearing on the SYNC display when the transmission is in reverse.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will update the image processing module software to restore the rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may stop displaying because the video processing system can fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the image processing module software at no cost to restore camera functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A mounting bolt on the rear axle housing may break, allowing the axle housing to shift. This causes noise and vibration, and can disconnect the driveshaft and axle shafts, resulting in loss of power to the rear wheels.
What the fix does
Police Interceptor Utility: replace bushing and rear axle housing cover. Other models: update engine control software to engage parking brake in Park.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may crack and break, causing the driveshaft to separate from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the bushing and axle cover, or update the electronic parking brake software, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 360-degree camera system's video output may fail, causing the rearview camera image to stop displaying on your screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software at no cost to restore camera display function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts connecting the rear lower control arms to the wheel knuckles may lack proper heat treatment, causing them to break.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both rear lower control arm bolts at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts holding the right engine mount may not be tight enough. This can cause engine vibration and the axle to separate from the transmission, cutting power to the wheels.
What the fix does
A Ford or Lincoln dealer will remove and replace the right motor mount fasteners to secure the engine properly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fasteners securing the right motor mount may have been insufficiently tightened during manufacturing and could gradually loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will remove and replace the right motor mount fasteners at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel tank inlet check valve may not be fully welded to the fuel tank shell, which could cause a leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel tank shell at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driveshaft may break, causing sudden loss of power to the wheels. A separated driveshaft could damage the fuel tank and cause a fuel leak. The vehicle may also move when in Park without the parking brake engaged.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the driveshaft label and replace the driveshaft if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The drive shaft may crack at the weld seam, potentially affecting power delivery to the wheels.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the drive shaft if needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A poor electrical connection can cause the rearview camera to display a blank or distorted image intermittently, limiting rear visibility.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The second row center seat belt buckle may not be properly secured to the seat, creating a potential safety issue.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the second row center seat assembly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts holding the side airbag to the front seat back may not be tight enough, which could prevent the airbag from deploying during a crash.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to bring your vehicle to a dealer, who will check and tighten the side airbag fasteners as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The side air bag and seat back module attachments in front seat backs may not be properly tightened, potentially causing them to loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will remove front seat back panels and verify that fasteners are properly tightened.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line can wear through the liquid fuel line over time, creating a fuel leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a longer protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The protective cover on the engine fuel line may be too short, allowing the fuel line to rub against another fuel line and potentially crack, causing a fuel leak.
What the fix does
A Ford or Lincoln dealer will inspect the fuel line cover and install a longer, secure cover if needed to prevent rubbing.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The wiring harness may not be properly secured and could contact the air conditioner compressor pulley, damaging the harness or A/C belt.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a tie strap to secure the wiring harness at the hand shock tower clip.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front or rear seat recliner mechanism may be missing a critical locking pawl, causing the seat back to be loose and weak.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your seat structure and replace it if needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The manual park release lever cover may be missing. Without it, the lever can be accidentally pushed, allowing the transmission to shift out of PARK without the key in the ignition. The vehicle may also be in Factory Mode, disabling warning alerts and not showing the gear position.
What the fix does
A dealer will inspect and install the missing MPR cover if needed. The dealer will also check that Factory Mode is not enabled on the instrument cluster.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Manual Park Release cover may be missing. The vehicle may also be stuck in Factory Mode, which turns off warning alerts and hides which gear is selected.
What the fix does
Dealers will install the Manual Park Release cover if needed and check that Factory Mode is off, clearing any related fault codes.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
