2020 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

I drove to work with no issues, lights or warnings. I parked and worked for 7 hours. Upon leaving and cranking the engine, it immediately showed overheated and went into limp mode. I drove it less than 100Ft, parked and called for a tow. There was no puddles or other indications of an issue. Upon towing to the closest dealership, I was informed the oil cooler failed putting coolant into the oil and "scorching" the engine and I need an entire new engine. The dealership confirmed there wouldn't be any warning lights of this happening.

NHTSA ID

11752617

Incident

Jul 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 85 MPH, there was an abnormal popping and grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and became aware that the flex pipe with a part of the catalytic converter attached was touching the ground. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the catalytic converter had sheared off in half, and the left side of the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11750639

Incident

May 9, 2026

Mileage

85,000 mi

The part that is affected is the engine/transmission. When the temperature outside reaches approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the engine seizes upon starting and it will not engage in gear until it is warmed up. That's take anywhere from 5-10 min. If its not fully warmed and you try to go in reverse or drive forward, the car does a hard jump and jerk rendering the vehicle hard to steer . The engine seizes in the cold making it dangerous also, if you were in an emergency situation you would not be able to move your vehicle. It has been to the Ford dealership several times. A complaint filed with Ford motor company and the issue is still NOT fixed. Parts were fixed in the engine but the problem still exists. I live in [XXX] where its cold 6-7 mints out of the year, especially overnights the temps go below 45. I would like this issue addressed and fixed properly with a new engine, but Ford has not done even given the amount of times its been in their shop with the same issue They had my car for a month and still didnt fix it properly. Its an unsafe vehicle to drive INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11749963

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

Transmission with known defects failed at 72,000 miles under normal driving circumstances and a vehicle only six years old.

NHTSA ID

11746530

Incident

May 26, 2026

I noticed fluid on the driveway. I scheduled a diagnostic about a week later began hearing a grinding noise. Took it in for repairs and was told the transmission cooler failed which led to fluid leaks from the inlet and outlet tubes where they connect to the unit. The leak caused the transmission to run dry and result in complete failure. There have been recalls specifically targeting transmission fluid leaks in certain 2020 Ford Explorers. The recall should be expanded to include this model as well.

NHTSA ID

11739225

Incident

May 6, 2026

Vehicle with 42k miles and regular dealer maintenance suddenly stalled out in traffic, creating dangerous situation for driver and children passengers. Towed to dealership from which it was purchased. Told it was a catastrophic engine failure and had coolant and oil mixed. Dealer unwilling to explore exact cause. Vehicle 11 months past 5 year power train warranty but well under mileage.

NHTSA ID

11735964

Incident

May 4, 2026

My vehicle is experiencing manufacturers defect identical to Ford program 21B35, yet Ford tells me my VIN is not covered under this program. Manufacturer defect includes car converter welds breaking, causing exhaust fumes to enter the cabin. This is a serious safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11731376

Incident

Apr 15, 2026

front end axle actuator failing and causing all safety systems to turn off, loss of power and can lead to seized up front end

NHTSA ID

11731028

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

on 2/27/26 I heard a knocking sound in my car, no warning lights came on, took it to local car place and was told there was no oil in the tank. I immediately made an appt to take it to River View Ford dealership for service. They looked at it on 3/2 and found the engine to be damaged from the turbos pulling oil out of the oil tank and sucking it into the engine. They informed me nothing was being offered to replace the engine for that year 2020 and my warranty just ended 11/25. This car is worth $70,000 new, just paid it off early, otherwise in great condition. I called the Customer service line and was told there is nothing they can do or offer and filed the complaint. My husband called back and spoke to 3 different rude people requesting someone call our dealer and talk with the service people- this didn't happen. Earlier this year this car had a differential leak that cost $3000; it also had the undercarriage of the car that holds the flex pipes up, fall apart and required the entire undercarriage to be replaced. I find it appalling that you google ST engine issues and they specifically say 2020 models have issues with and suffer from severe oil-related issues, including high oil consumption, oil starvation, and, in some cases, turbocharger failure or engine knocking. How is this not a recall? No warning signs til its too late.

NHTSA ID

11722814

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11718314

Incident

Jan 17, 2026

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🙁

NHTSA ID

11706656

Incident

Dec 17, 2025

I was driving down upper pleasant ridge road caldwell id . Had cruise control on doing 50 and all of a sudden car just stopped in the middle of the road. No warning, no noise, no smoke , no check engine light nothing. I was in the middle of the road ,in the dark. Had to call the canyon county sheriff out to help me not get hit by a car waiting on the tow truck. Put jumper cables on battery my new battery bought in jan 2025 started smoking what ever happen fried my battery . Took it to dealership waiting on info

NHTSA ID

11694060

Incident

Aug 30, 2025

On highway was accelerating to pass another vehicle the transition froze , engine revved with no acceleration ( transmission skipped) this has happened several times over the 5 years. The lasted event we documented the date and mileage it happened date 7/13/25 mileage is 34990. These skips have put us in extremely dangerous situations. Transmission has been making growling noise now under normal driving.

NHTSA ID

11689512

Incident

Jul 13, 2025

slipping gears between 1&2nd gear, harsh/delayed shifting, some power loss. Vehicle is around 120k miles

NHTSA ID

11689331

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

Bought my car 2020 and every year I have been on and off the shop to fix it. Last year I just paid them to fox my transmission gearing, clutch and axle. The other dY I have them service it again due to power train malfunction. And sent me an invoice of $1700 not including the $195 to diagnostic test for my car.

NHTSA ID

11688557

Incident

Sep 18, 2025

Ac compressor has gone out 3 times. This car year, make, is known to have this problem.

NHTSA ID

11687822

Incident

Jan 1, 2025

The weld which attaches the tail pipe to the muffler failed causing the pipe to strike the pavement while the vehicle was in motion which resulted in sparks and potential fire hazard.

NHTSA ID

11687632

Incident

Sep 13, 2025

The vehicle was purchased on 10/26/22 and the first occurrence of the issue and was reported to Autonation Ford Littleton and was dropped off by 11/02/22. The issue reported was that the engine to the vehicle would shut off and we were unable to turn it back on for a few minutes. This occurred while at a stop light in the middle of traffic. We dropped it off and they were unable to duplicate the issue. I then had the same issue reoccur and it was in the shop from 06/01/23 and the repair order was closed out on 07/31/23. They were unable to duplicate the issue again. We then had it occur again and we dropped the vehicle off on 06/28/25 and did not get it back until 08/19/25. Again, the issue was not able to be duplicated. The vehicle has shut off, and is unable to turn back on for minutes at a time, while we have been at a stop sign, a stop light, in parking lots, and even parked in our garage. The safety concern is sitting with hazards on in the middle of the road at a light surrounded by traffic. Every time it occurs, we call the dealership and set up an appointment. During the wait period, it usually happens 2-3 more times. We opt to not drive it when it begins happening this much. The vehicle has only been inspected by the dealership at this time and there were no warning lights. The engine would shut off and either go to just accessory power or no power at all. Between these repairs there was also a warning that stated: Gear Shift Malfunction. This occurred while I was on the interstate 3 different occasions and I would lose all power. I would have to keep pressing the gas pedal, hoping that it would begin accelerating. This was reported more than once as well and the entire transmission was eventually replaced.

NHTSA ID

11683296

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

This problem started about 2 months ago and it happened 3 different times so far. While driving, when pressing the gas, the vehicle will all of a sudden not go. You just drift as if the car is not getting gas. On 2 of the occasions, a shift error message appears on the dash but quickly disappears. This can be very dangerous while driving and cause an accident. I have not had the vehicle looked at yet because I feel it should apart of the new recall for the other Ford Explorers.

NHTSA ID

11678290

Incident

Jun 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Right-Hand and Left-Hand Exhaust Flexible Pipes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 21B35 (Right-Hand Catalytic Converter and Right-Hand and Left-Hand Exhaust Flexible Pipe(s) Inspection; however, the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11677295

Incident

Jul 23, 2025

Mileage

40,000 mi

Manufacture hasn’t made a remedy available for the recall and it’s past its anticipated availability date. Manufacturer Recall Number 24S52 NHTSA Recall Number 24V598

NHTSA ID

11676445

Incident

Jul 27, 2025

ADAS System malfunctions, 4WD malfunctions, Vehicle will randomly shut off during driving.

NHTSA ID

11675626

Incident

May 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop at a red traffic light, the vehicle inadvertently shut off in the middle of the roadway and failed to restart. The battery warning light was illuminated. No further information was available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA23002(Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was also referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ID

11672765

Incident

Jul 11, 2025

Mileage

112,000 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle jolted forward while parking. The brakes were locking up. While driving 5 MPH, the steering wheel locked up. The 4-WD fault light was illuminated. The contact stated that the Pre-collision Assist, Hill Assist and Reverse messages were displayed. The contact stated that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-2174. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the AWD actuator was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,156.

NHTSA ID

11672039

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

Mileage

89,156 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power after coming to a stop. The contact stated that the oil pressure message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred thirty days after an oil change. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11670274

Incident

May 15, 2025

Mileage

130,000 mi