2020 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

Powertrain malfunction/ Reduced power Bill start assist warning Pre-collision assist not available

Hard shifting in lower gears when transmission warms up, hard downshifting to lower gears as well. This is extremely harmful if the shifting jerks hard, causing whiplash or can cause a wreck.

The component that failed was the CDF Clutch Hub. Very hard shifting when accelerating from a stop and when going up hill. The problem has been confirmed by the Ford dealership. I had no warning prior to this happening. Safety concerns in that I could not accelerate quickly to avoid impending traffic.

Air Conditioner turns ON by itself even after being manually TURNED OFF, happened multiple times. This occurred with the manual start and the vehicle running / moving.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Sunroof headliner assembly failed. The headliner fabric detached and came off the track without an prior misuse or manual operation, it simply fell loose on its own. The material is now sagging and when trying to use the sunroof the fabric hangs in the line of vision causing a safety hazard. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While the issue did not cause an immediate accident, the loose headliner obstructs visibility while trying to use could become a distraction to the driver.IT blocks the driver's line of sight or interferes with airbags in an emergency. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?The failure occurred spontaneously and I have a appointment to take the dealership for further inspection. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No formal inspection has been completed at this time. The issue will be presented to a Ford service center for further evaluation. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the failure. The issue occurred suddenly and without any prior indication. The fabric and track system separated unexpectedly during normal stationary conditions.

When driving the vehicle's instrument panel cluster randomly goes blank. When it does so, all of the items related to speed control, lighting, turn signals, etc. become non-operational. Additionally, the driver has no idea what his/her speed is nor any other information about the operation of the vehicle. It is very unsafe.

The power retractable fabric sun shade / sunroof cover came out of the rails while retracting this while driving, causing the fabric to hang down in my baby's face and cause loss of rear mirror visibility.

The sunshade that covers the sunroof when not in use has separated from the track. I am told (via several forums) this is a very common issue that affects most ford explorers in some cases multiple times even after replacement. When the shade opens, rather than retract as intended it drops down into the cabin of the vehicle obscuring visibility via the rear-view mirror as well as falling on any passengers in the second row of the vehicle. This is a definite safety hazard when driving.

Ford ST 2020 just 37000 miles, the window from driver side can’t complete close when you try to roll up. When it all most close- it will automatically roll down. TPMS fails cause 4WD fault, ABS turn off and a lot of warning symbol turn on like pre-collision…etc. Dealer can’t fix and claim for client need to paid for 4WD program.

Vehicle: 2020 Ford Explorer XLT Date of Incident: October 24 2025 Approx. Mileage: 82000 Affected Component: Visibility / Defroster / Rear Window Glass Description of Problem: While the rear defroster was on, the rear window of my 2020 Ford Explorer XLT suddenly made a popping noise and began to spider-crack from a point near the defroster grid. There was no external impact to the glass. The cracking continued slowly across the entire rear window after the noise. The event occurred on October 24 2025. The vehicle was parked outdoors in normal fall weather conditions in Pennsylvania, and the rear defroster had been turned on to clear condensation. This appears to be a rear defroster thermal event, similar to issues described in Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program N192265660, which addressed defroster overheating and rear-window damage in certain Ford vehicles. The defect presents a safety concern, as the rear glass integrity is compromised and visibility is reduced. I have photographs of the crack pattern and plan to have the the window replaced by safelite. It is not safe to drive to a dealership. Please investigate this potential manufacturing or electrical defect affecting 2020 Ford Explorer models.