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2020 Ford Expedition: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
76%
281 of 371 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

76% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Ford Expedition are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 96% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 36 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 69%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
281
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
407
this model year
Fires reported
7
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
18
5 crashes · 23 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN257 · 63%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER55 · 14%
ENGINE51 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM35 · 9%
SEAT BELTS34 · 8%
STRUCTURE20 · 5%

The years either side

2010
33%
17 of 58
2011
49%
34 of 71
2012
69%
77 of 118
2013
60%
52 of 92
2014
62%
38 of 72
2015
43%
68 of 164
2016
36%
75 of 215
2017
30%
101 of 356
2018
71%
240 of 373
2019
80%
310 of 489
2020
76%
281 of 407
2021
71%
162 of 232
2022
25%
26 of 112
2023
28%
17 of 64

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE09/09/20261 INJURED
My name is [XXX] [XXX] and i own a 2020 Ford Expedition Limited Max, there is a recall to inspect transmission recall#26S48/26V402. I contacted Ford dealer and stated there is no fix yet, I asked them what do i do in the meantime, stated i have to wait until Ford figures out the fix. So, in the meantime, we have to con…
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION A07/05/20261 INJURED
At highway speed of 70 mph vehicle briefly went into park and shut entire vehicle down, vert traumatized and injured my head from the brief shutdown, could have caused a fatal accident
POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE07/02/20261 INJURED
I was driving at highway speeds and parking suddenly engaged forcing vehicle to lose all power. While I was able to get the vehicle off the road it could have ended much worse. Ford recognizes this as a recall but because it it is not officially active they will not fix it unless I pay for it. Manufacturer Recall Num…

Three of 281 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (18)

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The attachment bracket for the driver's side second-row seat headrest…
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln N…
SEAT BELTS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The seat belt tension sensor may incorrectly classify a child occupant as an adult.

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2020 Ford Expedition

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.