2020 Ford Explorer: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Jun 16, 2026 · Transmission · WI

My vehicle started downshifting hard, making a jerking motion, specifically from around 7th-6th gear. It is an automatic transmission but when I went to slow down at stop signs, stop lights, etc. it would make a jerking motion in the slow down process. It has inhibited my ability to drive it. There are times when it have difficulty accelerating. I took it to an independent mechanic shop to have them look at it. Immediately when examining the transmission fluid, it had a strong burning smell. This is not normal. This vehicle has 158,000 miles and has not had issues with the transmission before. There are no warning lights on the dash. I haven’t gotten any notifications that something is wrong in the Ford App. I cannot drive it to work or elsewhere due to the fact of the shifting and not knowing how much longer before it stops working all together. This is a known issue with the transmission my car has and yet does not have a recall.

Filed May 16, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · MN

Fuel purge valve not working properly causing the vehicle to not start after filling with gas, needing to keep vehicle running while filling with gas, safety issue. Turbo faulty causing car to loose power while driving and towing. Safely concern for multiple reasons. Flex exhaust pipe broken and mesh ripped causing burning smell and dangerous debris.

Filed Jun 28, 2024 · Electrical · MI

I have a 2020 Ford Explorer and a Motorola Andriod phone. When I plug my phone into my Explorer to use the maps my display blinks like crazy the charging does not work and my phone gets so hot I am afraid it is going to start a fire. The Ford dealer I talked to said that they knew about it and do not know of any fix. I don't need my vehicle catching on fire.

Filed May 6, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · MD · fire

Vehicle caught fire while parked after driving.

Filed Mar 17, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · IN

I bought my 2020 Ford Explorer Platinum new in November of 2020--right during the COVID pandemic when businesses weren't opened, so there was no place to go for the largest time. I had already retired from my job of [XXX] years. I have another vehicle, Jeep Wrangler, which I try to drive, too. My Explorer only has 7,818 miles on it and my 2018 Jeep Wrangler has 10,681 miles--the point I'm trying to make is I don't go anyplace that much! I have noticed for quite sometime, my Explorer has a burning smell and the hood and front side would be so hot--it was too hot to touch! I only drive about 9 miles to the local grocery store or Walmart and by the time I get home and pull it in the garage. it's hot and smells light something burning/scorched. I'm afraid it's going to catch on fire and cause my house to burn. About two years ago, I took it over to my dealer which was at that time Bob Bowen Ford in Brazil, IN. The service manager is a dud and doesn't seem to care about troubleshooting problems. They did take the vehicle in their shop and supposedly looked at it but told me it was probably some oil that had spilled over, causing that hot smell. No, that is not the reason. The other day I had the hood up, when the heat or air conditioning is on, it starts throwing out really hot, very hot air. I also want to say the hood does not have a safety latch on it which could be another concern! I also noticed that at the top inside the vehicle, it says the passenger air bag is off. I've tried to figure out how to turn it on, but I can't find any instructions on doing that. Then, of course, like you already know, the recall on the rear camera has not been fixed. I received my letter from Ford dated November 2023, that the parts were available to repair my vehicle. I called my Ford dealer on [XXX] about getting that recall fixed and they said they couldn't get the parts. I'm going to take my Explorer over this week and let them know there is a problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

Filed Oct 23, 2023 · Transmission · OH

On September 10, 2023 our 2020 Ford Explorer ST with 26,800 miles began experiencing a harsh downshift in the transmission between gears 7 and 6. I contacted the Ford dealer where purchased (Germain Ford in Dublin, OH) however they said they could not look at it until November 2023. I contacted another Ford dealer (Buckeye Ford in London, OH) and made an appointment for Friday September 15, 2023. I drove the vehicle to them and they confirmed a transmission problem, but could not get their transmission tech to look into it until Monday September 25th. They said the vehicle was OK to drive and released it back to me. The problem continued throughout the next week and on Saturday September 23, 2023 while driving on a major roadway the vehicle began lurching and losing all power. At a stoplight on a 6 lane road, the vehicle would not move at all. The transmission was unresponsive and the car would not move. I could not even put the vehicle into neutral to try to push it out of the traffic. This put me in an incredibly dangerous situation. I ended up having it towed back to Buckeye Ford in London, OH (a $385 tow job). They had the vehicle from Saturday September 23, 2023 until Friday October 20, 2023 when they told me they had repaired the transmission and it was ready to go. I picked it up that afternoon and drove it home, but while driving, I could tell the transmission was still not shifting correctly. When I reached home I parked it in the garage and when I exited the vehicle I noticed a strong burning smell. Shortly thereafter I noticed a puddle of transmission fluid (or possibly transfer case fluid) puddling underneath the vehicle. I immediately contacted the dealer and made arrangements to have it taken back to them the next morning (Saturday October 21, 2023). I would like to know why Ford did not authorize a complete transmission replacement as there are many documented issues with this particular transmission in the 2020 Ford Explorer ST.

Filed Aug 10, 2023 · Body, Engine · NH · fire

1. The Explorer spontaneously went on fire while being driven damaging the entire front of the vehicle 2. The vehicle could have exploded affecting other vehicles as well as injured or killed the driver and passenger 3. No. Insurance Company immediately declared vehicle totaled. 4. No. Once again, vehicle was immediately declared a total loss and assigned salvage company to take possession 5. No warnings. First sign of anything wrong was flames coming from under the hood

Filed Jun 27, 2023 · Electrical · GA · fire

Vehicle caught on fire while in operation. Smoke and flames noted under the hood behind glove box.

Filed Mar 5, 2023 · Engine · NJ · fire

I parked my vehicle 2/17/2023 around 9:45pm in the parking garage of my Condominium for the night. I was awakened Saturday morning 2/18/2023 by the building fire alarm and my neighbors banging on the doors to get outside because smoke was visible from the side of the building. I exited the building and crossed the street. The entire parking garage was filled with thick black smoke. The sprinkler system had activated and the Fire Dept arrived. Through the smoke I was able to see that my 2020 Ford Explorer Limited Edition was on fire. The front end was engulfed in flames which were now shooting up the side of the building and the ceiling of the parking garage.

Filed Feb 14, 2023 · NH · fire · 2 injuries

On November 16, 2022, my 2020 Ford Explorer XLT AW, VIN # 1FMSK8DH2LBC95627, was being driven when it experienced a horrific incident of spontaneously bursting into flames. There were flames coming from under the hood and smoke inside the car. The vehicle was in traffic and had to maneuver over to the breakdown lane while the vehicle was filling with smoke in order for the occupants to escape. The Explorer’s mileage was 10,744 miles and had just recently been at the Ford dealer for regular maintenance. The vehicle had been driven that particular day approximately 100 miles without incident before it caught on fire. 1. Damage beyond repair Vehicle was totaled by insurance company 2. A spontaneous fire put everyone in the traffic area at risk 3. No reproduction of the event 4. Fire started with no warning

Filed Feb 5, 2022 · Engine · MI

Has burning smell of wires when heat is on, only has heat on drivers side, blows cold air on passenger side, had Avis Ford Dealership look at it, said it was the heater core and they don't know when it will be in stock.

Filed May 3, 2021 · Electrical · 6,000 miles · GA · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2020 ford explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked under the car port and turned off, a fire ignited causing the vehicle to burn and also causing burn damage to the home. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames and a fire report was taken at the scene. The fire department determined the fire was caused by a faulty starter inside the vehicle. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed. The contact indicated that the vehicle had not been started for 2 days prior to the incident. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 6,000.