Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's husband owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at 65-70 MPH on cruise control, the vehicle inadvertently downshifted, skipped a gear, and lurched forward several times. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle would skip from 3rd gear to 5th gear whenever she would depress the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, upon picking up the vehicle from the dealer and driving home, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle inadvertently decelerated instead. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the RPM of the vehicle was jumping between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH the "Power Train malfunction" warning light illuminated on the instrument panel as the vehicle went into LIMP mode. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the first time the failure occurred she pulled over had the vehicle was towed to an unknown Ford dealer as she was out of town. The contact stated that she was unaware of the diagnostic test result or repair. The contact stated that the failure had occurred multiple times. However, on the most recent failure after picking the vehicle up from the dealer the vehicle failed to stop when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle rolled into the parking lot next to the dealer and the contact had to turn the ignition off to stop the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at 10-20 MPH a week after purchasing the vehicle brand new, the vehicle started jerking. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving. However, the failure recurred while driving the entire day. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was normal as she had just started driving vehicle. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer twice where it was diagnosed that no issues were found. Additionally, the contact stated that there was steam coming through the AC vents. The contact also stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, indicating that the catalytic converter was damaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at approximately 57 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted to 2nd gear, slowing the vehicle as if the brake pedal had been depressed. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while the cruise control had been activated. The contact stated that after disengaging the cruise control, the vehicle operated as designed. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while the transmission was shifting from a lower gear to a higher gear, while depressing the accelerator pedal, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the driver's side footwell. The contact stated that the "Shift FYS Fault - Service Required" warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the dealer failed to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that after several visits to the dealer, the dealer acknowledged the failure, and a valve body replacement was performed. The contact stated that the failure returned, and the failure became more frequent. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced. The vehicle was valeted back to the residence, and the valet informed the contact that the failure was still present. The valet brought the vehicle back to the dealer, where it remained. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from tenth gear to first gear. The contact's wife drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact's wife was almost rear-ended by a tractor trailer. The vehicle was driven to the residence with the hazard lights activated. The contact test drove the vehicle and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that in 2024, two transmission software updates were performed by the dealer. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V344000 (Seat Belts), 26V368000 (Structure), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the parts to be available. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway and shifting into park(P), the parking brake engaged independently, causing the vehicle to jerk into park. The failure was intermittent. The following morning, the gear shifter shifted hard into reverse(R) while attempting to reverse out of the driveway. While driving at lower speeds under 50 MPH and coasting forward, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact attempted to continue driving but the vehicle slightly jolted forward. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and attempting to overtake a semi-truck, the vehicle shuddered, lost motive power, and made an abnormal clunking and winding sound. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal and while driving from a complete stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to Krapohl Ford (1415 E Pickard St, Mt Pleasant, MI 48858), where the transmission shifter cables were reset through a computer update; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined; however, the dealer recommended the transmission be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond, and jolted forward while responding. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal on several occasions, the vehicle failed to respond, and the engine revved as if the transmission was neutral(N). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a transmission flush was performed and the TCM was updated; however, the failure persisted. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V197000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger's side running board failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and the contact was informed that the vehicle was cleaned; however, the failure persisted. The contact demanded that the dealer repair the vehicle, and the running board motor was replaced. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure persisted and the engine overheated with black smoke coming from the vehicle. The powertrain wrench warning light illuminated with a message to check the Owner's Manual. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed back to the dealer, and it was determined that the torque converter needed to be repaired. …
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020.
Transmission complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 266 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Ford Expedition, 63% of the model year's 425 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ford Expedition transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-402 (automatic transmission, Jun 24, 2026); NHTSA recall 20V-197 (gear position indication (prndl), Apr 3, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford Expedition transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 3 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.