2020 Ford Explorer Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Explorer most often describe transmission problems: rough or erratic shifting, hard downshifts, loss of gear engagement and in some cases transmission replacement. A second frequently reported theme is a rearview camera image that goes blank, blue or distorted while reversing. Both kinds of complaints appear across the mileage range, from a few hundred miles to over 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission rough shifting, hard downshifts and failure

   • 467 complaints (38%)
   • median 28,500 mi at 3.0 yrs old (193 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 27 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the 10-speed automatic shifting harshly or erratically, with hard downshifts while slowing, revving between gears, lurching or slipping out of gear, and occasionally losing forward motion. Several complaints state the vehicle was diagnosed as needing a transmission replacement; some mention coolant or metal found in the transmission. Complaints also note that parts were unavailable and that a related powertrain campaign had not been repaired yet. Reported from under 1,000 miles up to about 185,000 miles, with many complaints in the 35,000-100,000 mile range.

   Recall 26V402000Recall 23V069000Recall 23V199000Recall 22V2550004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the service history and whether any transmission work or reprogramming was done. On a test drive, pay attention to low-speed gear changes and hard downshifts when braking, and ask whether the powertrain recalls for this model year were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On two occasions, instead of changing gear, the car increased rpms like it was in neutral and then lurched back into gear. In both cases, I was able to quickly brake, but it was a terrifying situation. I was in normal drive mode, and believe the gears were shifting from first to second.”

   NHTSA complaint #11414023, filed 2021-04, 8,500 miles

   “I was driving going to get food and when I press on my break to slow down, I had a huge jolt, like it was shifting gears not correctly(it's an automatic)the jolt would occur when I would hit over 46mph and when I would slow down to 26mph. I brought my Explorer to the dealership and I had to have my transmission replaced by the dealership.I have heard of 3 other people who had a Ford Explorer 2020 this happened to!”

   NHTSA complaint #11340186, filed 2020-07, 1,100 miles
2. 2
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera blank, blue or distorted image

   • 199 complaints (16%)
   • median 8,500 mi at 1.4 yrs old (74 state mileage)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe the backup camera image failing to appear, turning blue, black, gray or washed out, or the screen going dark while reversing; some report it works again after restarting the vehicle. Several owners say the camera recall repair did not resolve the problem, and some received messages such as reverse brake assist or park aid faults. Reported from a few hundred miles up to about 58,000 miles, often within the first few thousand miles.

   Recall 24V188000Recall 25V159000Recall 23V342000Recall 23V022000Recall 21V735000Recall 26V123000Recall 25V442000Recall 20V5750001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Put the vehicle in reverse and watch the screen for a few seconds; check whether the camera-related recalls were completed and whether the owner had repeat camera concerns after repair.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The backup camera intermittently does not work when we put the vehicle in reverse. We estimate that it fails to work 10-15% of the time. The screen turns blue and we cannot use the camera to see what is behind us. We rely on the camera because the overall visibility to see behind the vehicle is poor. We believe that this issue is similar to the problem that LED Ford to recall other vehicles. Our vehicle is not included in those recalls.”

   NHTSA complaint #11415715, filed 2021-05, 6,659 miles

   “Several times when the rear camera just doesn't work - no particular reason but it's just out. It usually resumes normal operation after shutting off the car and restarting but sometimes I've had to shutdown and restart more than once (see picture from most recent issue). The emergency breaking system, particularly when moving in reverse has engaged unexpectedly numerous times without warning and without any danger or obstructions in the way of my car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11375093, filed 2020-11, 7,000 miles
3. 3
   Forward collision avoidance

   Warnings and unexpected braking from driver-assist systems

   • 381 complaints (31%)
   • median 20,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (168 state mileage)
   • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,091 (median of 22 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report pre-collision assist, reverse brake assist, hill start assist, stability control and 4WD fault messages appearing together, sometimes with the vehicle braking on its own in reverse or on open road. Some complaints say the vehicle stopped abruptly while reversing, and dealers sometimes could not reproduce the faults. Mostly reported under about 10,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test reverse and low-speed maneuvering in a clear area and watch for unexpected braking or warning messages, and ask whether any software updates or module repairs were done for these faults.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle detected possible collision and applied brakes. There was nothing anywhere near me. Then several faults appeared. Service 4wd, pre collision assist fault, stabilitrack fault, drive mode unavailable fault. Info screen went all black. I was driving at 45 MPH and a straight 2 lane road with no traffic in site. This is now the second time this has happened.”

   NHTSA complaint #11362026, filed 2020-09, 6,342 miles

   “Starting about the beginning of july my new 2020 Explorer st started slamming on the brakes in reverse, with no objects near by. Then it started throwing a fault for the reverse braking system. I have had the vehicle back to the dealer 3 times for the same issue. After the second time it had more fault codes for hill assist, forward collision, and advanced trac. After the third time at dealer they assured me the issue was fixed. Needless to say it is having the issues again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11353560, filed 2020-09, 7,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, dead display and accessory failures

   • 147 complaints (12%)
   • median 9,900 mi at 1.2 yrs old (47 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 17 quotes)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners report warning lights flashing for multiple systems, the instrument cluster going dark, windows not operating, air conditioning shutting off or blowing warm air in cool weather, and headlamp fault messages with a headlight that fails to illuminate. Some complaints mention battery junction box and fuse failures, and dealers sometimes reset modules without resolving the concern. Reported from a few hundred to about 63,000 miles, with several under 10,000 miles.

   Recall 26V117000Recall 25V6850002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that all exterior lights, windows, climate controls and the center display work, and ask whether any module resets, wiring repairs or battery junction box work were performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since we have purchased the SUV it has on multiple occasions flashed cross traffic system fault, blind spot system fault, AC shuts off, and the windows will not roll down. Have taken to the dealership twice, once they charged the battery, the last time they reset a module. It did it again today so we will have to take it back. We have had the problem happen while moving but today we were stationary when it happened.”

   NHTSA complaint #11324599, filed 2020-05, 1,210 miles

   “I purchased my 2020 Ford Explorer in february 2020. Since purchasing I've had several electrical and other problems. I wish I had never purchased Ford. I've had issues with the camera which had a recall which was fixed in november. I've also had a problem with both passenger and driver window not being operable or operating incorrectly, which stills happens periodically. I also had to have the transmission repaired due to a recall. However, I still receive messages within dash that tells me transmission not in park when backing up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11386358, filed 2021-01, 9,900 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake pedal hard with reduced stopping

   • 102 complaints (8%)
   • median 12,049 mi at 1.3 yrs old (56 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the brake pedal feeling hard or not moving as expected, with the vehicle continuing to roll at low speed, especially right after shifting into drive or reverse from a stop. Some owners mention brake system, ABS or hill start warning messages and that an electronic brake booster was replaced; others report the concern was not duplicated at the dealer. Mostly reported under about 10,000 miles, often shortly after start-up at parking-lot speeds.

   What to check: From a cold start, shift into drive and reverse in a clear area and note whether the pedal feels firm and the vehicle holds; ask for any brake booster or brake system repair records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was backing out of a parking space and I tapped the brake. The car kept going backwards so I pressed it harder. It felt like the brake became concrete and would not go down any further. I pressed harder and it finally went down. I did not receive any error messages.”

   NHTSA complaint #11400339, filed 2021-03, 4,900 miles

   “The last week of june 2020 while driving my Explorer xlt a check brake system warning message started flashing on and off when applying the breaks. The message was difficult to read since it would go on and quickly off. My fordpass message center noted antilock break fault pre-collision assist not available hill start assist warning 40 min later fordpass noted same messages. I took it in to be serviced. They found that the electronic break booster need to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11342988, filed 2020-08, 1,340 miles

Buying note. For this model year, the transmission and rearview camera complaints are the ones to look into most carefully: get the repair history, confirm which recalls were completed, and test-drive at low and highway speeds. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a scan for stored fault codes is worthwhile given the number of warning-message complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.