2020 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

My vehicle is experiencing manufacturers defect identical to Ford program 21B35, yet Ford tells me my VIN is not covered under this program. Manufacturer defect includes car converter welds breaking, causing exhaust fumes to enter the cabin. This is a serious safety concern.

On my 2020 Explorer ST, the plastic backing on the front seats is popping off and exposing the seats airbags. My dealer said ONE replacement backing would be $1400 to replace. In a facebook group I am in, multiple people have complained on the 2020 ST that theirs has done the same thing.

Vehicle suffered a catastrophic drivetrain lock-up while traveling at approximately 25 mph. The rear wheels physically halted, creating an immediate loss of control and safety hazard. Upon inspection, the Rear Drive Unit (RDU) was found to have a failed pinion bearing/internal gear failure, resulting in dual fluid leaks. This is a REMEDY FAILURE related to Safety Recall 23S55 (NHTSA Campaign #23V675000). The vehicle underwent the 23S55 recall repair 90 days prior (Jan 2026). The internal failure is a direct consequence of latent fatigue and stress placed on the RDU pinion and housing due to the defective axle mounting bolts and subframe bushings addressed in the recall. Furthermore, the vehicle is within the coverage window of Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 24N01 (10-year/150,000-mile extension for Rear Axle Bolt and Housing). The dealer (Hertrich Ford) and Ford Corporate Case Management (ASO Case #XXX) have refused to authorize an Administrative Rental or acknowledge the related damage, leaving the owner in a hazardous financial and logistical situation. I am reporting this as a failure of the federal safety remedy to adequately protect the vehicle’s drivetrain from consequential damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

front end axle actuator failing and causing all safety systems to turn off, loss of power and can lead to seized up front end

Sunscreen failure on panoramic roof. At approximately 55,000 miles on car the sunscreen stopped going back in correctly, with very little use. Now it falls down into the backseat and blocks the view of the rear window of the car if opened. It’s a huge safety risk and now I can’t even use this feature Of my car due to failure of the clips on the screen which is way too expensive to repair and should not have to repair on a car this new with only 80,000 miles on it.

Three alerts appeared on my dash after starting my car. These alerts are “Pre-Collision Assist Not Available,” “Service AdvanceTrac,” and “4WD Fault Service Required.” This has been an ongoing issue with this vehicle which directly affects the safety of drivers. After discussing with other consumers, this system failure is happening more and more. While these alerts are displayed, the front end collision assist is completely nonfunctional, thus increasing the risk of an accident. The Advanced Traction Control System is also nonfunctional. Based on other consumers with the same experience, the only solution is to replace the AWD module.

On Tuesday April 7 as I was driving to work, as I was stepping on the break to pull into the parking lot and when the car hit 25 mph it jerked forward.; this was the first time I’ve ever experienced this so I didn’t think much of it. When I was leaving work that evening pulling out of the parking lot onto the main street the car jerked forward once I hit hit 35 miles an hour and then again jerking as I was slowing down to 25 to make the stop at a light this happened five or six times I live 3.9 miles away from my job. This had never happened before. I called the Ford dealership in Brentwood, Ca Bill Brant Ford as I had an oil change scheduled for Friday, April 10. They told me they would check it out at the time of my appointment. I got a call from the service department saying that my transmission was shot and then I would have to buy a new one for $8000. My car is a 2020. It has 53,000 miles on it and I need to buy a new transmission? I’ve had cars for over 10 years that had never needed a new transmission!! There was never a maintenance light or a check light, so who knows how long this was going on and I wasn’t aware and now five days after the first experience I have to replace the transmission. The service department says it is an internal issue that is why I was not seeing any warning lights… so the owner does get to know there is a problem until it’s too late far a repair?? This does not sound like something that can happen in 5 days.

Scenic sunroof shade has drooped and sagged down impeding my visibility in the rear view mirror to check traffic while backing out and seeing my grandchildren in their car seats

Thank you for your time reviewing my complaint. I've answered each of your bullet points below. - the transmission is hard shifting in low gears however no warning/no dashboard lights to indicate issue. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. - I use my car for work which includes transporting individuals to work and appointments. This hard shift happened with a passenger while on the freeway in traffic, then continued for the remainder of the ride each time I approached low speeds. - A vehicle diagnostic was performed by an independent service center/certified mechanic and no errors registered with the transmission. However the transmission diagnosis was determined by the service center driving the car and experiencing the hard shifts. I have a copy of the report. - The vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance or any other representatives. _ There were no warning lamp messages leading to the problem or a this current time and currently there are no warning lights indicating the transmission issue, although it has been diagnosed by a certified mechanic/service center as "Engine concern - neutralizing in gears between 1st & 2nd". There were sporadic episodes of this "hard shifting" within the last few months and the frequency of hard stops occurring were random. Additionally, there were no warning lamps or messages to indicate an issue. On 4/4/26 a hard shift happened on the freeway and has been consistent daily at low speeds.

The driver side headlight low beam will not work. Dealership said 1700+ labor to replace. I have looked into this and several other ford explorer platinum owners have same issue.