10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 15,477 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
While driving across state, Aug 3, the transmission experienced hard shifting between first and second gear and no warning light came on the dashboard. When taking it to the dealer the next morning the car, on it's own, went into park and would not shift out. This was frightening as it just it's self down shut down. It was towed to the dealership where they found a manual override switch to free it. The car was leaking transmission fluid and a new case installed. While driving it off the lot, it started doing it again. They looked at it for a second time, Aug 10, and said a sensor needed to be reset so it could "relearn my driving habits" once again, driving it off the lot, it still had issues shifting but not as hard. I gave it the 2 weeks they said it would take for it to relearn and it made it worse! on Sept 3, it then shifted hard when decelerating from second to firs and took it straight to the dealership. While going 50mph it did a hard shift and then started to decelerate on it's own like a break was being pushed and then hard shift out of it. It is now in the shop again, 3rd time in one month, waiting for a sensor from a tsb that came out Sept 1 that "should fix the problem" but the part is on back order until October. I bought a brand new 2020 Explorer in February and this is outrageous and had this many transmission issues. These bandages are not helping.
- Troy, IL, USA
The vehicle malfunction while it was in motion on the highway going 70mph pulling a trailer. The car.would not accelerates properly and it seem like it was not shifting gears properly. The car kept going from driving to parking automatically. There were no indication lights during this process. Once the vehicle was brought to a stop, all the indication on the Ford pass app appear;powertrain malfunctions and indicator lamp. Once outside the vehicle, there was transmission fluid leaking. The car was not able to be driven and had to be towed to the nearest Ford dealership. Since it was after hours that the incident happen I was stuck in the highway for nearly 3 hrs awaiting for road side assistance from Ford I then had to sleep in the vehicle since the car broke down on highway I-71 Ohio and I reside in Florida.
- Live Oak, FL, USA
While my vehicle was in motion there was a loud clank. The car would then not accelerate properly. After stopping the vehicle there was a leak in the transmission fluid and then the car would not move. There was never any lights that appeared or any warning signs. It had to be towed to the Ford dealership at my expense. Less then 6000 miles on the vehicle.
- Smithville, TX, USA
The last week of June 2020 while driving my Explorer XLT a check brake system warning message started flashing on and off when applying the breaks. The message was difficult to read since it would go on and quickly off. My fordpass message center noted antilock break fault pre-collision assist not available hill start assist warning 40 min later fordpass noted same messages. I took it in to be serviced. They found that the electronic break booster need to be replaced. Approximately 10 days later while driving @ 35 mph I applied the breaks and the car jolted when coming to a slow stop. It definitely caught our attention we drove to our our destination around the corner. The car was off for approximately one hour. We got in the car drove down the road then when applying the breaks the jolt happened again this time more forcefully kicking our heads back. Luckily no other cars were behind me otherwise they would have slammed into us. We took the vehicle to the dealership asap. The entire drive over we drove slowly and it jolted at very application of the breaks while decelerating. At that point it was determined that my vehicle that I've only had under 4months with approximately 1300 miles on it needed a transmission replacement.
- Corpus Christi, TX, USA
I was driving going to get food and when I press on my break to slow down, I had a huge jolt, like it was shifting gears not correctly(it's an automatic)the jolt would occur when I would hit over 46mph and when I would slow down to 26mph. I brought my Explorer to the dealership and I had to have my transmission replaced by the dealership.I have heard of 3 other people who had a Ford Explorer 2020 this happened to!
- Sterling Heights, MI, USA
2020 Ford Explorer St with approximately 1,927 miles. I started the vehicle and put it into drive and it started to roll forward even though my foot was on the brake. Regardless of how hard I pushed the brake, the car continued to inch forward until I fully depressed/repressed the brake. I shut off the vehicle, waited a few minutes, and attempted to restart. Upon the attempted restart, all lights on the dashboard began flashing and the engine failed to turnover. The in-dash display then began beeping, flashing service/hazard/warning indicators, and cycling through the following error messages: -park brake fault service now; -pre-collision assist not available; -service advancetrac; -driver door ajar; -steering assist fault service required; -check park aid; -see manual; -front camera fault service required; -full accessory power active; I turned off the vehicle and attempted a few more restarts ranging in intervals from an immediate start/stop, 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes without success (same error messages displayed as described above). There were also no alert messages/notification in the fordpass mobile app indicating the above failures. My next attempt was a few hours later and the vehicle started without error, but did not give any indication that the vehicle had failed to start the previous time. I stopped/restarted the vehicle again without error and put it into reverse and then drive and there did not appear to be any failure of the brake pedal. I took the vehicle for a test drive around my neighborhood and noticed that 1st and 2nd gear appeared to shift just fine, 3rd gear made a loud grinding/vibrating noise and took longer to shift than normal, and then the vehicle did a hard shift into 4th gear. I only got up to about 35 miles per hour, but the vehicle never shifted out of 4th gear, but appeared to hold the rpms higher than normal.
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
I just pulled out from a parking lot into traffic and there was a loud clunk and warning lights appeared on the dash. One said "service advancetrac" and the other said "4WD fault service required." The vehicle would not shift out of low gear and would not accelerate over 25mph. Then, several other warning lights came on, such as "pre-collision assist not available." I took the vehicle to the dealership the next day and they were unable to repair/resolve the issue.
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence and the contact discovered an unknown leak. The vehicle was taken to boggus Ford (2521 South expressway 83, harlington, tx 78550 (956)423-2580, to be inspected. The contact was informed that when the transmission coolant system came in contact with air, the transmission coolant lines would leak. The transmission fluid system was repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.
- Los Fresnos, TX, USA
Strong jerking when slowing for corner or stop sign...sudden abrupt downshifting. Transmission failure at 8,500. Told that a ring or clip in the transmission had broken, allowing some parts to move forward. Currently waiting for a complete transmission replacement, but transmissions are evidently back-ordered.
- Springfield, MO, USA
Has happened to me a few times. Foot on brake, put the car in gear and it starts rolling. Brake pedal won't depress any further, but it definitely was not all the way in, almost like it was locked or something. Only way to get it to stop is to put it back in park or neutral and let off the brake.
- Foxboro, MA, USA
Transmission issues again. Same broken / cracked weld at transmission oil cooler. Part replaced. This is the vehicle's 3rd oil cooler (we're at 12,600 miles now)
- Houston, TX, USA
Vehicle suddenly begins jerking hard at speeds of 45 mph going down a two lane road, then wrench warning light comes on dashboard and vehicle suddenly stops and no longer will accelerate forward or reverse. Message appears and says gear will engage in low speed only, however gears no longer move the vehicle. Warning appears that powertrain issue has occurred contact your dealer, there may be a problem with the powertrain or 4X4 system. This is a new 2020 Explorer with 453 miles on it at this time. Had to have vehicle towed back to dealer.
- Ypsilanti, MI, USA
While driving on the highwaythe 'steering fault service now light' came up on the dashboard while traveling 75 mph miles on odometer 900. After stopping the car and restarting it the 'steering loss stop safely' message popped up on the dashboard I had to drive to the dealership with no power steering or any transmission options like sport, economy, regular, deep snow, no assist for uphill or downhill parking
- Flemington, NJ, USA
When trying to move the vehicle out of park, either reverse or drive the vehicle jerks into gear hard and then stalls. Tried multiple times to get the vehicle out of the drive way starts up no issue, no check engine light yet keeps stalling. This is new owned for 3 days with less than 200 miles on it.
- Inman, SC, USA
Driving the vehicle at highway speeds between 65-75 mph and noticed a medium vibration at about 2500 miles. At about 3000 miles the transmission would jerk and start whining at low speeds under mild acceleration.
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
This vehicle was a loner car that was given to me when my transmission went out on my 2020 Explorer. The transmission went out on this vehicle as well, at 1800 miles leaking transmission fluid everywhere and not shifting, making a very dangerous highway drive to the nearest dealership.
- Houston, TX, USA
Transmission went out at 3481 miles. Broke a weld at the oil cooler assembly.
- Houston, TX, USA
Transmission cooler drain system leaked metal found in transmission pan replaced with an oem transmission. Causing powertrain malfunction
- Fontana, CA, USA
We bought the car on 9/21/19 from upland Ford. We had an issue where the infotainment screen blacked out, but thankfully, after letting the car sit for an hour, all is working fine on that matter. However, very early on, we noticed rough shifts, and other red flags, coming from the drivetrain. If I had to guess, we noticed it before 3K miles. Took it to vista Ford in oxnard on 1/04/2020 (odo: 4960), where they diagnosed the transmission oil cooler. While they replaced the cooler, there are still signs of the issues... especially in the lower gears. I have concerns about damage to the transmission. The car has 6200 miles on it, as of today, 2/13. I also have an issue of the car not shifting into reverse, until after a long delay, and with some jerking. This issue has been there rom the very beginning. As a tall man (6-foot4, with 36-inch inseam), I have growing concerns about how uncomfortable it is for me to drive this car. These problems on a brand new car, from a brand like Ford, are disappointing and unacceptable.
- Oxnard, CA, USA
- Augusta, GA, USA