2020 Ford Explorer: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
52%
598 of 1,140 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
52% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Ford Explorer are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 68% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 70 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 49%).
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,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE12/31/2025CRASH1 INJURED
On December 26, at approximately 7:08 p.m., I was driving on the Belt Parkway during a snowstorm. I was traveling in the middle lane and began to safely change lanes to the right. During the lane change, the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive system suddenly displayed an error and appeared to malfunction. Immediately after thi…
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR,POWER TRAIN05/17/20221 INJURED
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, unattended on an incline, the vehicle rolled backward without warning. The contact was able to place her hand on the brake and stop the vehicle. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The contact scraped her knee …
POWER TRAIN09/10/2026
I purchased my 2020 Ford Explorer in December 2020. The first incident occurred around June 2021 while I was on a road trip. While driving, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted/downshifted on its own and caused a sudden change in the vehicle's movement. At first, I thought there might be an issue with the rotary gear selec…
Three of 598 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 (35)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Over time, the protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line may chafe through the …
ENGINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened,…
SUSPENSION:REAR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The rear lower control arm (RLCA) bolts that attach the rear lower contro…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2020 Ford Explorer
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
35 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
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 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.
