2020 Ford Expedition: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Feb 17, 2026 · Transmission · FL

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Ford Expedition, which is currently subject to Recall (24E13) related to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM)> Despite multiple repair attempts, the vehicle continues to experience dangerous transmission and drivability issues. While driving , the vehicle: Loses gears unexpectedly Engine RPMs rev excessively high before the transmission finally engages Hesitates and has delayed acceleration Randomly makes loud clunking noises during shifting Emits a noticeable burning smell during acceleration These issues create serious safety concerns, particularly when merging into traffic, crossing intersections, or accelerating from a stop. The delayed acceleration and gear loss place me and my passengers at risk of collision. The vehicle has been brought in multiple times for the same recall-related issue, yet the problem persists. The repair attempts have not resolved the unsafe condition. I am requesting immediate corrective action to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate. This ongoing defect presents a clear safety hazard.

Filed Oct 23, 2024 · Engine, Transmission · 20,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the transmission was shifting hard and unintendedly shifted to various gears continuously. The power train warning light was illuminated. The message "Power Train - Engine Failure - See Owner’s Manual" was displayed. Additionally, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the transmission assembly. The message "Reduced Engine Power“ was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The temperature gauge displayed 285 degrees. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission yoke was replaced; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to Red McCombs Ford (8333 I-10, San Antonio, TX 78230) and to Griffith Ford Seguin (1880 I-10, Seguin, TX 78155); where the transmission was replaced and rebuilt several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the transmission was shifting hard and was continuously shifting from high gear to low gear. The check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Another driver honked and drew the contact's attention. The contact noticed a trail of white smoke and that there was smoke coming from the engine bay. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The vehicle was taken back to the first dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could no longer assist in covering the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Filed Oct 14, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · TX · fire

I was driving 70mph when suddenly a red alert on the dashboard said coolant alert 402 degrees the car was not heating up at all before that. I pulled to the side of the road right away. Smoke started coming out trunk ran and in less than 2 minutes the car was on fire.

Filed May 17, 2024 · Transmission · 38,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked significantly. The contact stated that the failure occurred mostly while shifting into a lower gear. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as needed while driving at a consistent speed. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was overheating while driving. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, where the transmission was rebuilt, and reprogrammed. Additionally, the dealer replaced the transmission fluid and a cooling system valve; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that on one occasion, the vehicle jerked significantly, causing both the contact and his daughter to feel nauseated and the contact's daughter vomited. The contact stated that while driving on a congested road, the transmission overheated to 250 degrees. Additionally, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the front driver's side of the vehicle, and there was a burning odor coming through the vents. The contact stated that he sustained headaches due to the burning odor. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the vehicle temperature was 234 degrees. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that Ford engineers were scheduled to arrive at the dealer to diagnose the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Filed Jan 11, 2024 · Electrical · FL · fire

My check charging system light came on at a drive thru and the truck put itself in park and shut off. I tried to start it back up and wouldn’t start but the starter keep trying which lead to an electrical fire and the only way to get it to stop was to disconnect the battery. I was not even able to get the truck in neutral to push it out of the way. Even following the steps that it says by pressing both the brake and gas pedal and moving the knob. It would just go back in park. I had to have a tow truck to come remove my truck out of the drive thru is was blocking. My concern is that if this happened in a garage while using the remote start, it could’ve completely caught fire had not, I’ve been paying attention.

Filed Oct 24, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · VT · fire

I was sitting at the kitchen table with my children doing some painting projects for Halloween and my car started smoking, my alarms started going off and within a matter of minutes my car was completely engulfed in flames, I grabbed my kids and ran outside as the car was close to our house and we then called 911. By the time the fire department arrived the car was a complete loss, and my house has sustained minor damages.

Filed Aug 10, 2023 · Transmission · 42,000 miles · AR

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the driver’s and passenger’s side running board failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and the contact was informed that the vehicle was cleaned; however, the failure persisted. The contact demanded that the dealer repair the vehicle, and the running board motor was replaced. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure persisted and the engine overheated with black smoke coming from the vehicle. The powertrain wrench warning light illuminated with a message to check the Owner's Manual. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed back to the dealer, and it was determined that the torque converter needed to be repaired. The vehicle remained unrepaired at the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

Filed Jan 17, 2021 · 8,207 miles · MS · fire

2020 expedition. Caught on fire spontaneously and burned down