I own a 2020 Ford Explorer with approximately 85,776 miles. The vehicle has experienced two separate loss-of-propulsion events in traffic. On both occasions, the vehicle suddenly lost power while driving and stalled in the middle of a busy intersection. There was no prior warning of imminent engine failure. After stalling, the vehicle would crank but would not restart. The vehicle was disabled in the intersection for approximately 45 minutes to one hour each time. My family was inside the vehicle during these incidents. The vehicle displayed multiple malfunction warnings including “Shift System Fault” and messages indicating the vehicle was not in Park even when the shifter was in the Park position. The dealership, Hansel Ford of Petaluma, verified the concern and referenced Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-2249 related to internal transmission components, including the valve body and park pawl actuator system. The dealership confirmed that when the vehicle is placed in Park, it may actually remain in Neutral. This creates an additional safety risk of unintended vehicle movement. This issue presents a serious safety hazard due to: •Sudden loss of propulsion in traffic •Vehicle disabled in active intersections •Extended inability to restart •Potential rollaway risk due to Park malfunction The vehicle is currently pending major transmission-related repairs. I am submitting this complaint due to concerns about loss of propulsion and park system malfunction creating a safety risk for occupants and surrounding traffic.
2020 Ford Explorer transmission complaints
Page 5 of 18: complaints 101 to 130 of 507, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The catalytic converters (both) on my 5-year-old Ford Explorer both failed due to cracked welds. This failure appears to be common with the v6 ecoboost engines. It happened sometime before 124000 miles, it was only noticed because my wife and daughters started complaining about headaches and sleepiness when riding in the vehicle. The failure was only noticed when a mechanic evaluated it, the failure was not noticeable otherwise. I believe this is a very dangerous condition, as the fumes were evidently getting into the vehicle somehow and causing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The estimate to repair both is $5000, but according to the repair shop, there are currently none available. Ford has acknowledged this defect in Customer Satisfaction Program 21B35 and the 2025 service bulletin covering cracked weld failures. At about the same time, the transmission suddenly. The failure is very specific, and is documented in Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2411 as a known defect. The vehicle experienced harsh shifting, delayed engagement, and ultimately complete transmission failure requiring full replacement at a cost of approximately $7000. This appears to be a widespread defect, and I believe it represents a safety concern due to unpredictable loss of drivetrain function.
Driving at speed and starting to slow down the vehicle downshifted hard and afterwards would shift hard on every shift. Vehicle was taken to dealership and was diagnosed with CDF drum failure. Vehicle was under 100k miles and not under warranty.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting or downshifting before slamming into gear. Several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted and worsened. There was transmission fluid odor coming from the vehicle and entering the cabin of the vehicle through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the engine unexpected revved while driving on the freeway. The contact stated that when the transmission slammed into gear, the vehicle felt like the parking brake was activated. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the repairs were put on hold until the warranty had ended. Most recently, the contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting and downshifting before slamming into gear. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact was called for assistance and went to where the vehicle was pulled over. The vehicle was driven back to the residence in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, where it was confirmed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that the failure was more predominant during colder weather. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Car will be in drive or reverse, start to move with foot on gas then will shift itself into park
I was driving on the highway and I heard a loud bang , with grinding and a jerk i assumed the rear axel or differential something in the rear area along with smoke and I was able to swerve to the side of the highway along the grass and jump out with my kids multiple cars where behind me but I turned on my emergency lights & got out just in time before causing a accident , this is all tied to a recall that’s been fixed twice now here we are a third time and it’s back again at ford dealership
The vehicle has experienced repeated automatic transmission malfunctions, including harsh and delayed shifting and hesitation. These issues caused unpredictable acceleration/deceleration and hesitation when starting from a stop or merging, creating a safety risk. The condition has been confirmed by authorized Ford dealers with repairs attempted and service bulletin referenced. The transmission is available for inspection. Symptoms have recurred despite repairs. Warning indicators and abnormal shifting behavior were observed intermittently beginning around 65,000 miles.
The transmission developed a harsh engagement from part to reverse and a harsh downshift when decelerating. The vehicle would frequently not change gears at highway speeds.Inspection showed that the transmission pan was full but fluid was burnt.
I was driving my vehicle that was just over 5 years old with just over 38,000 miles on the highway out of state for a family wedding with my 3 children and wife. There were no safety lights or indications of any malfunction, but upon acceleration the transmission “was not engaging” and it would not shift up to increase speed. I pulled to the far lane and upon down shifting the vehicle was jerking forward. After getting off the next exit, the vehicle would not engage between gears and speed up. This put my family with 3 kids under 7 at extreme risk and left us stranded out of state with minimal options. The car needed to be towed and arrangements needed to be made for our family and all belongings packed in the car. It was determined that the transmission was in need of full rebuild or replacement and advised to contact Ford as it may be under warranty. My powertrain warranty was 5yrs and 60,000 miles and Ford after 2 weeks of trying to get someone to contact me back stated it’s no longer under warranty and there is nothing they can do - even with a vehicle with 38,400 miles. I received a few quotes and Ford wanted nearly $11,000 to replace. I chose to have the transmission rebuilt due to the cost and still making car payments on the vehicle. This is a known issue with this transmission. Ford has sent out reimbursements for other Explorers, but my VIN is not included in them.
Transmission randomly kicks out of gear causing a grinding noise and loss of acceleration. This is the second transmission that has been put in this vehicle due to the same issue. No warning lamps. No codes stored. Each time it has happened has been merging on or off of a highway/interstate causing me to almost be in a rear end collision.
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 this occurred, I lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered to the right, struck the median, and flipped over twice before coming to rest on its side. Prior to the system error, I was operating the vehicle normally and driving cautiously given the weather conditions. The loss of control occurred abruptly and without warning.
Vehicle did not want to shift above 35 mph. When letting off gas - harsh downshift (with no break lights) at 25mph. Diagnosed transmission problem - repaired- Ford dealership rebuilt transmission. No warnings or messages prior to failure.
My explorer was very slow/unable to accelerate onto the highway. The next time I started it there was rattling and lots of non engine noises, along with all kinds of warning lights. I took it to the dealership. In his words ‘the turbo grenaded itself into the engine. Quoted me 15k to fix/replace the engine, turbo and half shaft. I still owe 9k on it. Extended warranty that I purchased expired 4,000 miles ago. I have had multiple issues with this vehicle since I purchased it brand new in 2020. I am trading it in tomorrow🙁
The car started hard shifting, bucking like an animal in the middle of driving 70 on the highway, hard to control, hard to stay out of traffic, started to smell like fuel was in the cabin, it took all I had to keep it in my lane and get over to safety without killing myself or someone else, took it to the dealership, they could not look at it for two weeks, took it to a different shop, he found that a wire had been cut and some hoses were zip tied to the frame ( previously only work on this car has been at dealership) he then towed it to the dealership at the two week appointment and they say its burning transmission fluid and hard shifting and needs a new transmission. The warranty expired two days before this occurred so not covered, it is a 2020 , should not have to completely replace a transmission only 74,000 miles on it . I had taken it n three times previously for hard shifting but it was an occasionally occurrence, they could never find any codes to explain so did not look further than what the computer said. That day, it did not throw any codes, until the secondary mechanic took the time to look under the hood, find the cut wire and fix that. Then he had 3 pages of codes. Now I not only have to pay the financed amount on this vehicle but I have to pay an additional 10,000 for a car that did not do its high functioning job and report a problem when i was feeling the problem and probably could have been a warranty fix before the warranty expired if the code appeared the first time, telling the computer to tell the technician to fix it.
Since I have bought my 2020 Ford Explorer (brand new off the lot) it has had to have the turbo replaced several times now . Currently the turbo is bad again and I’m looking at a $3500 repair for a turbo that was already replaced 2 times since I bought it. I feel there is an issue with this car handling the turbos , I am a single mom of 5 kids and cannot afford to keep replacing turbos every couple years. I now have it sitting in my driveway cause it can’t be driven and still have a $740 momthly payment to pay on it and because I can’t use the car I can’t go to work anymore so I need help with this please
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the system then resumed normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that an unknown sensor had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that recently the liftgate failed to function as intended. The contact used the key fob to open the liftgate, and the liftgate failed to function as intended. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to open the liftgate after fifteen minutes. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact stated that one year ago, there was an abnormal sound coming from the powertrain. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where unknown sensors were replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Car was bought from Healy Ford in Goshen Ny in January 2023. Car drove fine for the first 6 months. Out of no where all the lights on the dash came on. Hill assist 4wheel drive fault power train malfunction. Collision assist I mean everything. Took it it Rea Ford they looked at it and charged me for a system update. Was good for about 8 months still had a problem when in reverse splitting out of gear then would slam back in to gear. Then the power train malfunction comes on every time I drive it, Took it back to dealership he updated the software I was told it was a bulletin not a recall and it is going to cost me over 2000.00 to fix since the update didn’t fix the problem. I am truly disappointed but stuck with ford at the moment. How can this not be a recall when you go on and see the hundreds of complaints saying the same thing.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting or downshifting. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed about a TSB with a similar failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the transmission. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Subject: Formal Complaint – 2020 Ford Explorer Transmission Failures and Unfair Coverage Practices Dear Ford Customer Service, I am writing to formally express my concern and disappointment regarding repeated transmission failures in my 2020 Ford Explorer. The vehicle required its first transmission replacement at just 4,000 miles, and again recently at approximately 100,000 miles. It has come to my attention that Ford issued a recall for transmission issues affecting a large number of 2020 Ford Explorers manufactured at the Chicago Assembly Plant during the COVID production period. My vehicle, however, narrowly falls one month outside of the official recall range. Despite this, the symptoms and failures my vehicle experienced are identical to those described in the recall and in numerous owner complaints online. I find it deeply concerning and unjust that Ford refuses to extend coverage to vehicles like mine that clearly suffer from the same manufacturing defects. It is unreasonable for a I find it deeply concerning and unjust that Ford refuses to extend coverage to vehicles like mine that clearly suffer from the same manufacturing defects. It is unreasonable for a $45,000 vehicle, only a few years old, to require two complete transmission replacements. This is not an isolated case — thousands of 2020–2022 Ford Explorer owners have reported similar failures with the same transmission model, often shortly after warranty expiration. I am requesting that Ford review this case for goodwill repair coverage or reimbursement, and to consider expanding the recall parameters to include vehicles like mine that were evidently affected by the same defective components and production issues. I have purchased over $100,000 on Ford Cars, and have only purchased Fords. I am going to purchase a brand new car in 2 years, and it most likely will not be with Ford due to their shady recall practices, and lack of care for the quality of their product and customer service.
Powertrain malfunction/ Reduced power Bill start assist warning Pre-collision assist not available
Hard shifting in lower gears when transmission warms up, hard downshifting to lower gears as well. This is extremely harmful if the shifting jerks hard, causing whiplash or can cause a wreck.
The component that failed was the CDF Clutch Hub. Very hard shifting when accelerating from a stop and when going up hill. The problem has been confirmed by the Ford dealership. I had no warning prior to this happening. Safety concerns in that I could not accelerate quickly to avoid impending traffic.
Ford ST 2020 just 37000 miles, the window from driver side can’t complete close when you try to roll up. When it all most close- it will automatically roll down. TPMS fails cause 4WD fault, ABS turn off and a lot of warning symbol turn on like pre-collision…etc. Dealer can’t fix and claim for client need to paid for 4WD program.
On my way to visit my cousin down south my vehicle wouldnt go in park. A warning came across stating that it was a shift system fault. I went to the Ford dealership in North Carolina. They werent helpful. I went to a nearby auto repair shop alerted me that it was an issue with tge powertrain that Ford covered in vehicles same as my yr make and model. Ford refused to honor it due to the fact that it doesnt fit my vin number even though it is the very same issue presented in the other vehicle with the similar yr make and model. It is unsafe. I have a family. I would not move
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 3rd to 2nd gear as indicated on the console shift indicator. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2428. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 83,000.
On [XXX]., in heavy rush‑hour traffic on [XXX] , my vehicle (~75,417 mi) suddenly lost motive power w/o warning at ~55 mph. It became immobile in a live lane, creating a roadblock and rear‑end crash risk. Drivers swerved/honked. Accelerator had no effect; limited/no power‑steering assist; I coasted to an in‑lane stop (no safe shoulder) and activated hazards. Cluster displayed “SHIFT SYS FAULT—Service Required” and wrench icon. Attempts to restart failed; the vehicle remained disabled ~30min until a tow arrived; police responded. After tow, on a slight incline, the vehicle rolled backward when started and the parking brake was released, though the cluster showed Park—clear rollaway concern. Recovery/diagnosis: Towed first to AutoTech Clinic (advised replacement trans). Then to Bill Brown Ford (Livonia, MI): fractured planetary gear and broken park pawl; recommended full transmission replacement (~$8,500). Repair history (pre‑purchase): I’ve owned the car <6 mos (now ~75k). A Ford dealer later informed me the vehicle previously had major work at Taylor Ford of MI: trans‑cooler plumbing cracks between cooler and trans lines at ~34k, and major internal trans repair at ~46k (“burnt clutch A; full reassembly”). None of this appeared on CARFAX or was disclosed by the selling dealer. Costs/downtime: ~$700 towing/diagnostics to date; trans replacement quoted ~$8,500. Mfr/dealer response: Reported to Ford on 10/13/2025, case [XXX]. Initial response: no assistance; pending. The Ford 10R60 has multiple TSBs for trans issues, but neither the dealer nor CSR cited any, and no assistance has been offered. Maintenance/mods: Vehicle stock; maintained per mfr schedule. Safety concern: Sudden loss of propulsion in traffic + inability to move to safety, combined with a Park indication that allows rollback, present significant crash/rollaway hazards. Please investigate and, if warranted, require a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Ford has released a technical service bulletin for this issue , however they are not being held accountable for the issue at hand that I believe poses a safety issue while driving and could cause other drivers to run into the back of your car. The TSB was posted for a part inside the transmission which is a snap ring that comes dislodged from its groove and causes harsh down shifts between gears. This has happened to thousands of owners of these vehicles with a simple internet search. To say a harsh downshift is the issue is putting it mildly. When you are decelerating and the transmission downshifts as it does, It feels as if you slammed on your brakes, however the cars behind you see no brake lights light up to tell them you just slowed down considerably which could cause a pile up accident, especially in rush hour traffic. I feel this is the same type of recall that Ford was made to put out on all the 2011-2014 F150's where the transmission would randomly down shift to first gear on the highway. Ford has major transmission issues that cause safety concerns and I do not feel they are being held accountable on these newer vehicles. Theyve created a TSB on a known issue, yet let people drive around and pose risk of harm to themself or other drivers. Its only a matter of time until the downshift causes a major accident or pile up and people are seriously injured due to Fords negligence. They are aware of the issue and should be held to fix it for the drivers as well as everyone elses safety.
Car vibrate and jerk when switching gears randomly. Also the control panel has went out twice. I read everywhere these vehicles have issues with transmission problems on all the 2020 and there is no recall this is. Ridiculous.
Transmission starting to fail at around 91,000 miles. Diagnosed at dealership. Just out of warranty. Other repair shops say this is a common issue. This should be a recall matter.
For new model year 20 20, and 2021 Ford developed an all-wheel-drive vehicle. This is not a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It is an all-wheel-drive vehicle that you can select manually into four-wheel-drive, but it has an automatic system that engages and disengages the front drive axle through a comp component called an FADA. Front axle disconnect actuator. Ford has problems with that actuator going bad to the point that they put out a technical service bulletin to fix this unsafe design TSB 23-2174 dated 24 July 2023. They replace the drive axle and this component and make the car full time all wheel drive. The reason was because the actuator would fail and it would damage the front differential when it locked up on the highway. My car is in Service right now getting it replaced over $3000 and it just clicked past the drivetrain warranty. Now, unfortunately, the car is redesigned into something that it wasn’t meant to be. For highway speeds it now affects fuel economy and design is different from what they sold us. It is unsafe and it is like a ticking time bomb they they’re exploding on the highway. They redesigned the cars after this to four-wheel-drive and you have to manually selected into four-wheel-drive. Ford is reworking all the parts and they’re trying to cover it up.
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