The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle came to a complete stop in the middle of traffic. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact attempted to shift it into drive(D); however, the shifter returned to park(P) independently. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced due to a transmission rollaway issue. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train). The contact stated that a yellow light was flashing on the instrument panel, with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle during the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the fault codes listed for the transmission failure were associated with the recall.
2021 Ford Explorer: complete transmission failure
9 of the 456 complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 4
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
I had my car parked in a driveway that has a slight incline. I was buckling my child in their car seat in the back when the car started to roll backwards. The car had been parked prior and was off when the rolling occurred. Now my car is in for service requiring an entirely new transmission (under 80,000 miles) after un-smooth driving led me to bring it in.
Transmission clutch failure. As a result my 2021 ford explorer needs a new transmission.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the vehicle jerked aggressively, and the engine idled roughly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train). The contact inquired if the failure was the result of the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,954.
The transmission failed. The electrical component also failed
Transmission failed while driving leading to a sudden loss of power. Vehicle was hard to control after incident causing other vehicles to swerve around. Vehicle was taken to Ford dealership where it was recommended for a total transmission replacement due to internal transmission components that failed.
25,000 miles on it, transmission failed on my husband and I as we were pulling out onto a busy street. The car jerked forward and shot us out half way before locking completely as a semi truck was coming and almost smashed into the side of us. Luckily we were on a hill and were able to put the car into neutral & was able to roll back at the last second before we were severely injured. Car was towed to dealer as it would not drive at all. Dealer had for 3 weeks before coming back and saying the fluid was low and discolored and had several burnt clutches..again only has 25,000 miles on it..replaced the clutches and told me I was good to go. 7,000 miles later car AGAIN jerks me as im on a busy street and then completely loses all power and will not accelerate, I was barely able to pull over into a business parking lot before almost getting rear ended because I was going 30mph UNDER the speed limit!!! I didn’t even have to exit my vehicle because I could smell the burnt trans fluid from inside the cabin! Getting towed to dealer in 2 days.. this is a MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN! I have almost gotten hurt TWICE by this defect with the 10r80 transmissions! This is serious and ford needs to start addressing this problem before someone seriously gets hurt!!!!
The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving from a complete stop in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled. A message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer informed the contact's daughter that a diagnostic test cost would be charged because the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
I bought the car in 12/21/21 brand new from Hopkins Ford in Illinois drive the car just for work and school, we serviced the car and well mantained with all needed services around 1000 miles I start noticed lots of clunking noises coming out of the car right after exit the vehicle and took it to 2 diferent ford dealerships and they said was normal, which wasn't. kept driving the car I had also an issue with the panoramic roof having leaks and wasn't fixed too, around 15000 miles start noticed delay on the transmission when moving from park to reverse and also a very loud clunking noise , when moving from reverse to drive noticed de delay and and pull when the transmission engaged to drive, I use the highway around 1 time a week and noticed loose of power when accelerating so I decided to take it to the Hopkins dealership, initially they diagnose just need an update and will be ready in 5 days , they never contacted me and I call them back to ask the status because I need the SUV for my family and they gave me a Pickup TRUCK as loaner and is useless for my family, they told me it will be another 4 days, than at day 20 they said they have to replace the whole transmission , and I forced them to give me a another EXPLORER as loaner because I need that size car, I drove it and at day 29 called me and asked me for their car back and they gave me again a F150 but my car was not ready and will take another 4-5 days, magically my car was ready next day !! day 30 really? they dropped at home but with scratches in door panels and dents in the paint. they I drove the car for .3 miles and the car had the same issues , they told me to drive it for 500 miles and transmission will adapt, I drove it for 1000 miles and now the problems still and now are worse even with new transmission, vibration while driving on highway, clunking noises and lose of power , I dropped the car at the dealership already for a week and is no estimated time on repairs or how long this will take
Service bulletins that may apply
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2226
- This article supersedes 26-2287
- This article supersedes 25-2302
- For 20202026 vehicles equipped with the 10R60 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test...
- Some 2020-2026 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility/Aviator vehicles may require replacement of the front...
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2046
- Illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0A1E stored in...
- For 20212026 vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test...
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
- Risk
- Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on June 26, 2026.
Recall number 26V402000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V‑199 or 22V‑255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
- Risk
- A disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park without the parking brake applied. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S22.
Recall number 25V166000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
- Risk
- A disconnected driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt. They will also inspect the rear axle cover for damage near the bolt hole location and replace with a new cover if any damage is found. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S55.
Recall number 23V675000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.
- Risk
- A park system that is damaged may not shift into "PARK," resulting in a vehicle rollaway and increasing the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the park system for damage and repair as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S05.
Recall number 23V069000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2021 Ford Explorer transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2021 Ford Explorer?
9 of 456 owner complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer (2%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2002.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Ford Explorer?
There are 4 recalls and 78 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Ford Explorer
Backup camera 27Jerking 19Loss of power 19Stalling 19Engine failure 15Check engine light 13Wipers 12Fire or smoke 9Rollaway 9Won't start 9Adaptive cruise 8Hesitation 8Headlights 7Sunroof shattered 7Grinding brakes 6Knocking 6Fuel pump 6Slipping 6Sudden acceleration 6ABS 5Collision warning 5Fuel smell 5Harsh shifting 5Screen failure 5Overheating 5Won't shift 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2021 Ford Explorer?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history