2020 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

2020 Ford Explorer with the 10r80 transmission went bad. Shuttering between 2/3 gear, neutraled out of gear. Shop wants $5,800 for a remanufactured transmission.

SUMMARY OF FACTS FOR LEGAL CONSULTATION Bad Faith Redhibition Claim — Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2545 Prepared for Attorney Consultation 1. Vehicle & Transaction Information Vehicle2020 Ford Explorer ST — AWDPurchase DateMarch 2025Purchase Structure$17,000 trade-in applied + $17,000 remaining loan balanceAdditional Warranty$2,500 paid warranty purchased through dealership at time of saleSelling DealerIndependently licensed dealership (non-Ford franchise)Warranty ServiceWarranty work performed during coverage period 2. The Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 23-2174) Ford issued TSB 23-2174 in July 2023 — nearly two years before the vehicle was sold to the client. Key facts about the TSB: •Covers: 2020–2021 Ford Explorer/Lincoln Aviator AWD vehicles •Component affected: Front Axle Disconnect Actuator (FADA) — left side •Failure mode: FADA O-ring seal failure causing AWD malfunction, triggering powertrain warning light (wrench icon) with DTCs C00A6 and/or C0631 •Required repair per TSB: Full replacement of FADA with revised intermediate shaft AND reprogramming of transfer case control module •Result of proper TSB repair: Permanently eliminates front axle disconnect capability — a fundamental, permanent change to vehicle drivetrain operation •TSB was publicly available on [XXX] at time of purchase — free, searchable by VIN 3. Critical Pre-Sale Service Record — January 2025 The dealership's own service center performed the following repair on the vehicle approximately 1–2 months before the sale to client: Date of ServiceJanuary 2025 (approx. 1–2 months pre-sale)Work Order DescriptionLeft axle disconnect/hub actuatorParts ListedMotorcraft left axle seal ONLYLabor Hours9 hoursDTCs or TSB ReferencedNone listed on work orderAWD Module ReprogrammedNot indicated on work order Critical observation: The terminology used on the dealer's own work order — "left axle disconnect/hub actuator" — mirrors the exact component language of TSB 23-2174. A technician with suffici INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMAT

My Right windshield wiper dose not working properly . When I turn on the wipers the right one don't move . Sometimes it will come up but the only one that's works right is the left one . This is a safety hazard for driving

on 2/27/26 I heard a knocking sound in my car, no warning lights came on, took it to local car place and was told there was no oil in the tank. I immediately made an appt to take it to River View Ford dealership for service. They looked at it on 3/2 and found the engine to be damaged from the turbos pulling oil out of the oil tank and sucking it into the engine. They informed me nothing was being offered to replace the engine for that year 2020 and my warranty just ended 11/25. This car is worth $70,000 new, just paid it off early, otherwise in great condition. I called the Customer service line and was told there is nothing they can do or offer and filed the complaint. My husband called back and spoke to 3 different rude people requesting someone call our dealer and talk with the service people- this didn't happen. Earlier this year this car had a differential leak that cost $3000; it also had the undercarriage of the car that holds the flex pipes up, fall apart and required the entire undercarriage to be replaced. I find it appalling that you google ST engine issues and they specifically say 2020 models have issues with and suffer from severe oil-related issues, including high oil consumption, oil starvation, and, in some cases, turbocharger failure or engine knocking. How is this not a recall? No warning signs til its too late.

The Driver's side pillar along the door and windshield blew off and almost hit the car behind me. On 10/22/24, the exact same thing happened but on the passenger side that time. Our Ford Dealer said the 2020 Ford Explorer model was not a recall item only 2017-2019 however later models also had many issues where these side pillars blew off.

Wheels / Tire Pressure Monitoring System The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on my 2020 Ford Explorer intermittently fails to detect the tire pressure in one or more tires. The system will show missing pressure readings or fail to display a reading for a tire. The vehicle may operate without accurate tire pressure information being displayed to the driver. This creates a potential safety risk because the driver may not be alerted to a low tire pressure condition. The vehicle had approximately 56,000 miles when this began, and the issue appeared without prior warning. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection by a Ford dealership.

Power Train, Automatic Transmission Issue The vehicle is a 2020 Ford Explorer XLT with approximately 71,000 miles. The automatic transmission has developed delayed engagement and harsh shifting during normal driving conditions. The issue occurs most often during low speed driving, rolling stops, and when shifting from Park into Drive or Reverse. The transmission will hesitate or pause before engaging, followed by a sudden harsh shift or jerk into gear. The condition has been reproduced multiple times during normal driving and is consistent. This behavior creates unpredictable vehicle response when I accelerate into traffic or proceed from a rolling stop. The delay followed by sudden engagement can cause the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly, which could increase the risk of a crash when entering intersections, merging into traffic, or operating near pedestrians. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection at a Ford dealership, and the issue will be evaluated under known Ford technical service bulletins addressing harsh or delayed shifting in the 10-speed automatic transmission. At this time, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. The vehicle will be inspected by an authorized Ford dealer Monday March 9, 2026. No warning lights or messages have appeared. The condition occurs without warning indicators and is noticeable through delayed engagement and harsh gear shifts. My vehicle has been regularly maintained and received the recommended 60,000 mile service prior to the issue appearing. Similar transmission complaints appear to be widely reported among owners of 2020–2022 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Found transmission fluid burnt. Found harsh 7-8 downshift and delayed engagement in various gear ranges. Suspect front support is broken causing damage to a/b clutchpacks. Internal fault. Overhaul required. Found transfer case has failed internally also. Recommend replacing transfer case at same time.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

Headlight Assembly. Low beam is "out". Check headlight assembly message appears on dash. Was told by Ford that the whole unit needed to be replaced for $1000+. Weeks later it started working normally again. How can it suddenly work when I was told the light was "out"? This has happened to MANY people with a Platinum Explorer.