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 Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V675000 (Power Train), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle with the foot on the brake pedal, the gear shifter was shifted to park(P), and the vehicle unexpectedly reversed and crashed into a nearby brick mailbox and came to a stop. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. A Police report was not filed. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled while parking the vehicle. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, another vehicle collided with the passenger side of the vehicle and hit the rim. The wrench, the four-wheel drive, the brake, and the hillside warning lights illuminated after the crash. The vehicle was driven to the dealer. The vehicle was repaired for an axel that needed to be replaced, the module PMI was replaced, a revised part for the four-wheel drive shaft was replaced, and a module switch was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 61,800.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH in the rain, the AWD disengaged and the vehicle started sliding. The contact attempted to correct the vehicle but crashed into a lamppost with the rear driver's side door. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The failure mileage was 187,307.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked while the transmission was shifting gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the crash prevention system, the traction control system, the driving mode warning lights, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was unable to change the driving mode to the current driving condition. Additionally, the vehicle unintendedly switched from 4WD to 2WD. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle, and while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the system then resumed normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that an unknown sensor had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that recently the liftgate failed to function as intended. The contact used the key fob to open the liftgate, and the liftgate failed to function as intended. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to open the liftgate after fifteen minutes. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH with her child inside the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into Park and lost motive power, nearly causing a crash. The contact was forced to veer over onto the grass because there was no shoulder. Upon restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure was not associated with the recall due to the lack of the needed diagnostic trouble codes. The contact was provided the cost for a diagnostic test and informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The contact declined to pay the fee. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting hard. While driving uphill, the transmission failed to properly shift into gear. The transmission was slow to respond while shifting gears. There were codes and warning lights related to the power train and pre-collision assist. Additionally, the powertrain, Hill Start Assist, and pre-collision warning lights were simultaneously activated and then deactivated. The TPMS warning illuminated and eventually turned off, and then became illuminated. The tire pressures were checked and were at proper inflation levels. The contact stated that the failure was possibly related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V239000 (Power Train). …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that while decelerating to approximately 25-30 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an incorrect response from the immobilizer control module. The contact was advised not to continue driving the vehicle. The contact relayed the diagnostic information to the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, upon releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle started to roll backwards. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal a second time, the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while parking the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) steered the vehicle towards traffic. The contact stated that he was able to steer the vehicle back into the lane; however, the steering wheel was very resistant. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice while driving. …
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 › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt. They will also inspect the rear axle cover for damage near the bolt hole location and replace with a new cover if any damage is found.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the park system for damage and repair as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Show 1 more recall
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 3.3L engine and a 10 Speed Automatic Transmission with the All Wheel Drive package. The drive shaft may fracture along the weld seam.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shaft label inspected and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020.
NHTSA investigations
Rear Axle Bolt Failure
On July 17, 2023, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened this Recall Query (RQ) after receiving 2 consumer complaints alleging loss of vehicle forward power and/or loss of transmission torque of the rear wheels in model year (MY) 2020-2022 Ford Explorer vehicles (subject vehicles). The RQ was opened to focus on the effectiveness of the remedies of Recalls 22V-255 and 23V-199 related to the alleged problem.
Transmission complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 499 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Ford Explorer, 40% of the model year's 1,240 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ford Explorer transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-402 (automatic transmission, Jun 24, 2026); NHTSA recall 25V-166 (driveshaft, Mar 14, 2025); NHTSA recall 23V-675 (driveshaft, Oct 6, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford Explorer transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 2 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.