2020 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

The Shift Cable is not seating correctly causing the vehicle to slip out of gear. This mostly occurs if you are at cruising speed and then accelerate to pass a slow vehicle. The Transmission slips out of gear and then you have to decelerate to allow it to find gear. It also makes a hard clunking noise when shifting out of park into drive. This is the same exact issue that was recalled for the police versions. However, my vehicle has the exact same issue and concern, verified by the Ford Technician. Mine is not covered under the recall as it only covers Police versions. So I was asked to pay $9,859 for a new transmission. I am 6,000 miles outside of warranty and have no vehicle to drive now as my 4 year old vehicle is basically totaled over a transmission. Ford Corporate declined any financial assistance even though it is a known product issue.

First my vehicle kept saying service shift system fault, then when the dealership did something to repair that, the next week they told me I need a new transmission. This put my family of seven at risk because the transmission started stalling while we were going on a trip and also had a hard time shifting to different gears and would make a clunking sound. We also started rolling backwards down a hill and barely made it up the hill. The car also started stalling while I was driving it on the interstate which almost made us get into a multi car accident at night. When I took my vehicle to one ford dealership they told me it was the transmission but when I took it to a different one they told me something else just for them to fix it and then a week later tell me it’s the transmission. My Expedition has been at the Ford dealership for over two weeks now because I’m trying to get goodwill assistance from the Ford corporate office. The warning sign that came on was service system fault and a wrench light.

My vehicle without notice just pops into neural and i get a warning on my dash it has happened several times and every time it has happened it has been on a busy freeway. Very dangerous conditions . I have taken into the ford place to get checked out. also my Ford app had notifications.

While driving on a highway at approximately 40mph, attempted to pass a slower vehicle. I accelerated and the vehicle dropped down in gear, started shuddering, lost power and the MIL light started flashing. I pulled to the side of the road and the vehicle shifted into another gear and seemed to operate normally. Vehicle is currently at the Ford dealership, where they say that I need a new transmission.

Transmission, it is available for inspections. Loss of acceleration power while at interstate speed, the otr driver behind us could barely stop quick enough. Two more occurrences happened same trip while driving from New Orleans to Lake Charles. Driving 75 in left lane, took foot off accelerator to coast and navigate into right lane and while transmission was supposed to be downshift, I lost power again and watched my RPM’s rise suddenly. Ford dealership ran diagnostics, and told me the valve body needs replaced at roughly 2k, I am 15000 out of warranty and they acted like they knew but wouldn’t help me. An independent transmission dealer in Lake Charles told me to trade the vehicle in or put a 2025 ford transmission in at 7k, the problem is, I don’t have that kind of money, and this should absolutely not be happening at 85k miles. He insisted the transmission was damaged and dangerous to be driving, and this is prevalent with the type of transmission in fords and chevy’s from 2019-2024. No warning lights or alarms came on at the time of these incidents that I recall, honestly I was too busy making sure I didn’t kill my wife and 4 kids. Apparently, this is a well known issue with these transmission, but now I’m faced with having to either trade in a vehicle that I am most likely upside down on, to no fault of my own, having to purchase a new vehicle that fits my family, or purchasing a 2025 ford transmission at the recommendation of local transmission dealer, there is no history on ford 2025 transmissions so idk if this the way to go. While I will get this figured out, I am taking the time to express my personal concern and experience in this matter and hope there are no future casualties related to this issue, which I’m afraid Ford will only address if there is, sadly.

I was driving my vehicle at 48 mph and went to accelerate; the car slips out of gear and drops into neutral, started smelling smoke. This is the 5th occurrence. Previous occurrence happened while traveling in dark, rainy weather on the interstate. I am lucky that no accident occurred. I had car serviced for this same issue in 8/2024, but they did not fix the transmission issue. The vehicle is currently at the dealership service department. The dealer has been unable to reproduce the issue as it has happened a handful of times and does not give the service department a diagnostic code upon diagnosing. The dealer service department inspected the vehicle and is saying that I need a whole new transmission, although the first time I took it in for the same issue they fixed the throttle body, which is completely unrelated to the transmission. At the time of all of the incidents, the car flashes a "system fault/failure". It happens so quickly I cannot remember exactly what it says. When service department tries to diagnose there are no diagnostic codes. No warning symbols appear on dash after car is shut-off and restarted. This seems to be a known issue with Ford 10-speed transmissions (10R80). Why have they not had to recall these? I am lucky that I have not injured in these incidents. Are they waiting for someone to get critically hurt??

The infant base was installed according to manufacturer guidelines in the rear seat of the car. Upon our testing of the stability of the infant seat when placed into the base, we realized that the seat can be pulled up from the rear connection point of the base, causing that connection to separate. Thinking perhaps this was caused by our error in connecting the infant seat to the base, we revisited the manufacturer guidelines to properly connect the infant seat to the base. Again and again we connected the seat to the base, pulled up on the handle of the seat, and were absolutely horrified and shocked to realize that the infant seat released from the rear connection of the base every time. The front connection of the seat to the base did not release, so the entire seat did not fully detach from the base, but it did partially detach with just an upward force on the carrying handle. I am happy to share videos, but I could not get them to attach to this report.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact returned the vehicle to the same dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that a hose on the transmission had not been installed correctly. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred two more times, and the vehicle was returned to the same dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the front headlights were very dim while in use. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the projector inside the headlight assemblies were defective, causing the headlights to not illuminate as needed. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Several times per month, At normal highway speeds, vehicle slips out of gear into first gear. Vehicle also grinds through gears when searching for correct gear. Transmission shifts hard under normal conditions when up shifting to third gear.