2020 Ford Explorer reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2020 Ford Explorer has 1,215 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 113 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Explorer years here — over the median of the other years, which is 49. NHTSA has 33 recalls on file, including Middle or rear assembly, Automatic transmission, and Seat belts.

2020 Ford Explorer
Photo by Benespit, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

1,215

Per year

113

Recalls

33

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (486 of 1,215), then Electrical system (185) and Engine (113). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 22,900 miles, and the middle half falls between 5,687 and 65,000 miles. Those filings include 35 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 29 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Explorer has 294 complaints, 14 per year, and the 2021 has 423 complaints, 51 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Ford Explorer. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (33)

Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2026-07-14 · NHTSA campaign 26V451000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
Vehicles affected 387,911
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2026-06-24 · NHTSA campaign 26V402000
Summary 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.
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 NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
Vehicles affected 741,195
Recall Seat belts 2026-03-17 · NHTSA campaign 26V159000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
Vehicles affected 561
Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V117000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
Vehicles affected 604,533
Recall back-over prevention, software 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V123000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C11. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
Vehicles affected 889,950
Recall equipment, electrical, engine block heater 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V685000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Remedy Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Vehicles affected 59,006
Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-06-27 · NHTSA campaign 25V442000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Remedy Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Vehicles affected 200,237
Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2025-06-13 · NHTSA campaign 25V393000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.
Vehicles affected 304,662
Recall Driveshaft 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V166000
Summary 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.
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.
Vehicles affected 4,247
Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V159000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Remedy Dealers will update the Image Processing Module 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 25S27.
Vehicles affected 49,399
Recall Seat belts 2025-02-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V093000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. The seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured. Additionally, vehicles may have an improperly secured seat belt retractor anchor bolt and/or seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped.
Remedy Dealers will inspect seat belt buckle anchor bolts in all seating positions. Additionally, dealers will inspect the seat belt retractor anchor bolt and seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped. If loose anchor bolts are found, the affected seat components will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S09.
Vehicles affected 240,510
Recall Labels 2024-11-08 · NHTSA campaign 24V852000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Vehicles affected 27,678
Recall Engine 2024-08-10 · NHTSA campaign 24V598000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with the Police Interceptor Utility Package. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as promptly as possible upon hearing unexpected engine noises, or after experiencing an unexpected engine power reduction, or seeing smoke from the engine compartment. Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software. In addition, dealers will inspect for connecting rod bearing failure and if necessary, replace the engine long block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S52.
Vehicles affected 85,238
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2024-03-08 · NHTSA campaign 24V188000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 20V-575 and 22V-252.
Vehicles affected 1,988
Recall Driveshaft 2023-10-06 · NHTSA campaign 23V675000
Summary 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.
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.
Vehicles affected 238,364
Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2023-09-08 · NHTSA campaign 23V626000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 3.0L PHEV engines. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Remedy Dealers will perform a Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) diagnostic test and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford Motor Company's number for this recall is 23S53.
Vehicles affected 2,954
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2023-05-12 · NHTSA campaign 23V342000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Remedy Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S23. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 23V-022. Vehicles previously repaired under 23V-022 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Vehicles affected 442,973
Recall back-over prevention, display 2023-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 23V305000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with a 12.1-inch Integrated Computer Screen (ICS). When the Display On/Off Button is used to turn the display to "Off" prior to placing the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera rearview image will not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will update the ICS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C14.
Vehicles affected 523
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2023-03-24 · NHTSA campaign 23V199000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L RWD, 3.3L GAS, 3.3L FHEV, or 3.0L ST powertrain. The previous powertrain control module (PCM) update completed under recall 22V-255 did not include the automatic electronic parking brake feature when the vehicle is shifted to park, as intended. In addition, the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
Remedy Dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S16.
Vehicles affected 674
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2023-02-10 · NHTSA campaign 23V069000
Summary 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.
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.
Vehicles affected 3,674
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2023-01-23 · NHTSA campaign 23V022000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Remedy Dealers will update the image processing module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 25, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S02. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 21V-735. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-735 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Vehicles affected 382,759
Recall back-over prevention, software 2021-09-22 · NHTSA campaign 21V735000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Remedy Dealers will update the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S44.
Vehicles affected 228,297
Recall suspension, rear 2021-03-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V154000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The rear lower control arm (RLCA) bolts that attach the rear lower control arms to the wheel knuckles may not have been heat-treated, which could cause them to break.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace both RLCA bolts, free of charge. The recall began on April 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S11.
Vehicles affected 49
Recall Engine 2020-12-17 · NHTSA campaign 20V788000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and replace the right hand motor mount fasteners, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S72.
Vehicles affected 1,405
Recall gasoline fuel system, storage 2020-11-24 · NHTSA campaign 20V730000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L engines and 19 gallon fuel tanks. The fuel tank inlet check valve may not be fully welded to the fuel tank shell.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank shell, free of charge. The recall began December 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S68.
Vehicles affected 17
Recall Driveshaft 2020-11-10 · NHTSA campaign 20V693000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 3.3L engine and a 10 Speed Automatic Transmission with the All Wheel Drive package. The drive shaft may fracture along the weld seam.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shaft label inspected and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S65.
Vehicles affected 10,905
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2020-09-23 · NHTSA campaign 20V575000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.
Vehicles affected 620,246
Recall seat belts, rear or other, buckle 2020-09-10 · NHTSA campaign 20V549000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with second row center seat belt buckles that may not be properly secured to the seat.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the second row center seat assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S50.
Vehicles affected 29
Recall air bags, critical fasteners 2020-08-21 · NHTSA campaign 20V497000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S48.
Vehicles affected 488
Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, hoses and fittings 2019-12-04 · NHTSA campaign 19V859000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Over time, the protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line may chafe through the plastic liquid fuel line and cause a fuel leak.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a longer protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line, as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners and interim notification on January 29, 2020. Recall began March 23, 2020. A second notice will be sent once parts are available, expected to be late in the first quarter of 2020. A renotification letter was sent on July 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S49.
Vehicles affected 3,857
Recall electrical system, wiring 2019-09-30 · NHTSA campaign 19V687000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.3L engines. The wiring harness may not have been properly secured and may contact the air conditioner compressor (A/C) pulley, potentially damaging the harness or the A/C belt.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a tie strap to the wiring harness at the hand shock tower clip, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S32.
Vehicles affected 10,655
Recall seats, front assembly, recliner 2019-08-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V633000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
Vehicles affected 639,137
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, gear position indicator 2019-08-05 · NHTSA campaign 19V575000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The Manual Park Release (MPR) cover may not be installed. In addition, the vehicles may be in Factory Mode, which disables warning alerts and does not display the transmission gear selected. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 114, "Theft Prevention" and 102, "Trans Shift Lever Seq/Starter Interlock/Trans Braking Effect."
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, install a MPR cover. Dealers will verify the instrument cluster is not in Factory Mode and clear any fault codes, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C06.
Vehicles affected 13,896

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (1215 total)

Powertrain
486
Electrical system
185
Engine
113
Back-over prevention
104
Service brakes
80
Forward collision avoidance
69
Visibility and wipers
55
Exterior lighting
53
Structure
44
Fuel and propulsion system
40
Seats
39
Suspension
35
Speed control
29
Steering
25
Engine and engine cooling
21
Lane departure
20
Seat belts
18
Wheels
16
Visibility
13
Latches, locks, and linkages
7
Air bags
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
Equipment
3
Parking brake
3
Air brakes
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Tires
2
Automatic emergency braking
1
Fire-related
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Warnings
1
Show 23 more Show less
Crash-flagged

35

Fire-flagged

10

Injury reports

29

Death reports

0

Of the 409 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 22,900 miles. The middle half fall between 5,687 and 65,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

72019110202013620218520221862023202202431820251712026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My 2020 Ford Explorer Limited has a broken transmission matching Recall 26S48. The car cannot be driven. My local dealer wants to help but has zero loaner vehicles available. Ford Corporate is refusing to fund an…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-20
  • "Passenger headlight module has blown and seems to be an issue with the 2020 Ford Explorer."
    Exterior lighting · filed 2026-09-18
  • "Vehicle: 2020 Ford Explorer XLT Active Recall: Ford #26S48 The transmission on my 2020 Ford Explorer has completely failed, leaving my vehicle inoperable and my family stranded. The vehicle is currently located at a…"
    Powertrain, Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-17
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into park(P), and the message “Shift System Fault” was displayed. The vehicle restarted and shifted…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-17
  • "I own a 2020 Ford Explorer XLT AWD, VIN 1FMSK8DH6LGA35229. While driving, my vehicle displayed “4WD Fault – Service Required” along with the powertrain wrench warning. I then became unable to select/change drive modes.…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Ford Explorer HEV SUV 4WD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 Ford Explorer HEV SUV RWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 Ford Explorer PHEV SUV 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2020 Ford Explorer PHEV SUV RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2020 Ford Explorer SUV 4WD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 Ford Explorer SUV RWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Explorer all-wheel drive 2.3L, 4-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800
Explorer all-wheel drive 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 18 24 20 MPG $3250
Explorer flex-fuel all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Explorer hybrid all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 23 26 25 MPG $2600
Explorer hybrid rear-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Rear-wheel drive 27 29 28 MPG $2300
Explorer rear-wheel drive 2.3L, 4-cyl Automatic (10-speed) Rear-wheel drive 21 28 24 MPG $2700

Specs and fitment

6th generation, 2020–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30 synthetic (2.3L/3.0L EcoBoost); 5W-20 synthetic (3.3L V6/hybrid) , 5.2 qt capacity
Tire size 255/65R18 (Base) to 275/45R21 (Platinum/ST)

Known issues for this generation

Three NHTSA recalls address the same defect on 2020-2022 Explorers: the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, which can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied. Recall 22V-255 covered 252,936 vehicles, with dealers either replacing the bushing and axle cover or updating the electronic parking brake software depending on the model. Recall 23V-199 then covered 674 vehicles whose powertrain control module update under 22V-255 had not included the automatic electronic parking brake feature, fixed with a further software update. Recall 23V-675 covered 238,364 vehicles with a hardware remedy: dealers replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt and inspect the axle cover for damage near the bolt hole. All repairs were free of charge.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Ford Explorer reliable?

The 2020 Ford Explorer has 1,215 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 113 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Explorer years here — over the median of the other years, which is 49. NHTSA has 33 recalls on file, including Middle or rear assembly, Automatic transmission, and Seat belts.

What are common problems with a 2020 Ford Explorer?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (486 of 1,215), then Electrical system (185) and Engine (113). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 22,900 miles, and the middle half falls between 5,687 and 65,000 miles. Those filings include 35 that report a crash, 10 that report a fire, and 29 that report an injury.

Is the 2020 Ford Explorer more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Explorer has 294 complaints, 14 per year, and the 2021 has 423 complaints, 51 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Ford Explorer been recalled?

The 2020 Ford Explorer has 33 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Ford Explorer?

Owners have filed 1215 complaints about the 2020 Ford Explorer with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Ford Explorer get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Ford Explorer is 23.2 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is my Ford Explorer?

2011-2019 is the 5th generation, built on a unibody platform, and 2020-onward is the 6th generation, which switched to a rear-wheel-drive-based platform shared with the Police Interceptor Utility.

Are there rear axle problems on the 6th-generation Explorer?

Yes. 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles were covered by recalls 22V-255, 23V-199, and 23V-675 for a rear axle horizontal mounting bolt that may fracture and disconnect the driveshaft, risking a loss of drive power or a rollaway.