general problems of the 2020 Ford Expedition - part 1

SUV jerks when shifting, hard shifts, transmission fails to shift preventing driver to speed up resulting in hazardous driving condition when entering a highway. Metal shards recovered from transmission fluid checks. Occurs consistently when moving to higher speeds, I. E. Acceleration from red light to green light. Or entering highways, freeways when acceleration is needed.

The transmission has now stalled in 2 situations within 7 days. Stops pulling for about 30 seconds, then a loud pop occurs as the transmission kicks back in to working. 53,000 miles on the vehicle, no warning lights came on or currently on.

While merging on to highway vehicle made loud clunk, transmission slipped and vehicle went into fail safe mode(limp mode). Vehicle would not accelerate when pushing on gas pedal for 8 seconds. Tractor trailer truck behind us slammed on its brakes as well as 3 other vehicles due to tractor trailer truck swerving in lanes to stop. Was almost rear ended by tractor trailer truck. Vehicle has TSB’s on 10 speed 10r80 transmissions but no recalls. Vehicle does not throw code so vehicle can not be assessed or repaired according to dealership and Ford motor company. This is a huge fatality risk and safety issue regarding multiple claims of the 10r80 transmissions in the newer Ford Expeditions.

While driving my 2020 Ford Expedition at approximately 50-60 mph, the vehicle experienced a sudden, unintended downshift without driver input. The dashboard gear indicator abruptly dropped to "1st gear. " this caused rapid deceleration and a mechanical "chattering/popcorn" noise as the transmission struggled to find a gear. The loss of power in traffic created an immediate safety hazard and risk of a rear-end collision. A certified Ford dealership (river view Ford - oswego, IL) has diagnosed this as an internal transmission failure.

The 10-speed automatic transmission has harsh/ erratic shifting, clunking, hesitation and power loss. We were turning on to a 4-lane highway. The Expedition lost power and would not go. A vehicle almost ran into the back of the Expedition. When we tried to accelerate the transmission made a clunking/ grinding sound and finally went into a gear. Yes, the problem has been reproduced by the Ford dealership. It is scheduled to be inspected this week. There were no warning lamps or messages or other symptoms of the problem. The problem started a week ago.

My Ford Expedition (2-wheel drive) is experiencing jerking at variety of speeds, (changing gears, slowing down) and will sometimes get stuck in gear when I press the gas. Today, as I was entering the freeway, I pressed the accelerator and the transmission did not engage—there was no power at all until I released the gas pedal and pressed it again, at which point it finally engaged. This issue happens intermittently and is a serious safety concern, especially because I cannot predict whether the vehicle will hesitate or fail to respond when accelerating.

Transmission clucks when changing gears.

Transmission will randomly jump while accelerating and downshift to the point that we have to get to the interstate shoulder. This has happened many times.

2020 Ford Expedition with 38,094 miles started having delayed and rough shifting a few days after my warranty was out on December 12th. 2024. I had looked up the issue before I took it in and found all these complaints and was worried mine was having this same issue. Took to our Ford dealer and it was confirmed that my 10r80 transmission had failed and my cdf drum is worn and quoted 5600 to fix! they refuse to cover the cost knowing I and 1000's of others have had this same issue. Ford refuses to acknowledge it and the consumer is left with bill. I have owned 2 Ford explorers and 2 Expeditions in my driving life and feel like they have screwed me over. This needs to be resolved. They need to be held accountable! I am at a loss here and cant afford this fix so does a practically new ( by mileage terms ) car just sit in the yard and rot now??.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25e070000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that he lived near a school zone and was concerned that the failure could occur, causing the vehicle to strike and injure children on the road. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact that the vehicle was safe to drive because the recall was not a safety recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The power liftgate system appears to be malfunctioning. The vehicle intermittently displays a warning that the liftgate is open when it is fully closed and secured. When this occurs, the liftgate will not open using the exterior handle, interior button, or key fob. Additionally, the false “liftgate open” alert triggers the vehicle’s alarm system to activate unexpectedly without any attempt to access the vehicle. The issue occurs randomly and without warning. This malfunction creates a safety risk because the liftgate cannot be opened when needed, which could prevent access to emergency supplies, child safety items, or the spare tire in an urgent situation. The false alert also causes the vehicle alarm to activate randomly, which can startle the driver and others nearby, potentially causing distraction while driving or in traffic areas. Additionally, the system incorrectly indicates that the liftgate is open, creating uncertainty about whether the vehicle is secure and safe to operate. A malfunctioning liftgate could present a hazard if the vehicle incorrectly detects an open door while in motion. Yes, the issue has been reproducible at bluebonnet Ford in new braunfels, TX. No, alerts prior to it happening, when I does alert all lights in the vehicle turn on, as well as notifications on the Ford mobile app.

I am suggesting an investigation into the 2020 model Ford Expedition relating to the 10 speed automatic transmission in this vehicle and others in previous and newer models. The problem is known and has been well documented that the transmission often fails and pops out of gear especially when accelerating and is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons while passing or climbing hills. There is not a recall for repair or replacement of these transmissions. The recommended service for this transmission occurs at 150000 miles according to the owners manual however failure often begins well before the first recommended service interval. The cost to repair or replace the equipment often exceeds $10000 and service managers are well aware of the issue.

The incident occurred while traveling at 75 mph on the interstate. The car felt like it tried to put itself in park and slammed forward violently, at that time it came up with a shift fault light on the display, it shifted to neutral so there was no movement of the vehicle it was free wheeling, then it slammed itself back in a low gear where the vehicle slammed hard and the car engine was redlined. The transmission then proceeded to shift back up into a higher gear. All this while traveling at 75 mph. My concern, if one of my kids were driving it, or the road conditions would have been wet or snowy we would of had a very different outcome. The vehicle was sent to a Ford dealer where they found a park shift failure and shift issues recommending a new transmission. Ford was not willing to warranty the transmission even with the issues experienced and forced me to pay 60 percent of the cost. I find this hard to believe since a family could've been severely injured or killed. Previous to this incident, there were no warnings, lights, or concerns, the issue came out of the blue.

I got a brand new transmission put in at the beginning of the year but my whole car spits and sputters and shakes going 45 and when I am backing up it throws me forward(almost in the car in front of me) instead of reversing and making a loud clinking noise.

My 2020 Ford Expedition platinum VIN [xxx] miles suddenly began harsh shifting violent kicking/jerking and lunging between gears while driving at highway speeds 65-80mph. The vehicle slams into gear unexpectedly and has nearly caused loss of control on multiple occasions. Dealership diagnosed cdf drum failure in the 10r80 automatic transmission requiring full transmission replacement at a cost of 8,057 (TSB 25-2132 and prior tsbs). This is a known widespread safety defect affecting thousands of 2018-2022 Ford vehicles equipped with the 10r80 transmission. Ford has issued multiple tsbs and is currently facing class-action litigation over this exact failure. Despite the clear safety implications and identical cases being approved for 100% goodwill coverage, Ford is refusing full repair coverage in my case. This defect presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Transmission stalls, shifts hard, shutters,. Had the transmission rebuilt about four months agoand similar issues are already starting with the rebuilt transmission.

2020 Ford Expedition fx4. Towing a four wheeler and motorcycle on the expressway. The SUV was in tow / haul mode and on cruise. The car downshifted to go up a incline and made a booming noise and then composed its self. Shortly after, I tried to pass a car, and the trans downshifted, made a couple of loud clunks, shuddered, lost all power. After a couple terrifying seconds it composed itself, found gear and maintained speed, acceleration was not possible as the trans would go out of gear. Further down the road, it did the same thing, clunk, clunk out of gear, no power. There were no warning lights. I took it out of tow mode and tried both sport and standard settings, both had similar issues. This was the scariest situation I have ever been in with a car mechanical issue. Note: we were ~120 miles into the 160mile trip. The oat temperature was ~45 degrees. Trans temp showed 250 degrees when acting up, and dropped to 220 by the time the trip ended. Odometer shows ~77k. Cpo, dealer maintained.

The transmission failed. It is being rebuilt when the dealership can get to it. So it's available until then. The transmission would slip, lag shifting or slam into gear sporadically and unpredictably. This caused inconvenience at best and erratic vehicle behavior that endangered myself and other drivers at worst. This has been confirmed by the dealer who recommended a rebuild with improved parts to correct this know condition/failure. Yes the Ford dealer inspected the transmission. There we never any warnings or messages to indicate anything is wrong. The symptoms progressed for a couple days before I brought it to Ford.

While overtaking another vehicle on the interstate at 75 mph, a loud clunk was heard and drive power was temporarily lost as the car slowed by 20 mph. The transmission subsequently reengaged, enabling the vehicle to regain speed. At that time, there was no traffic behind. No warning lights appeared, and the dashboard gauge indicated normal transmission temperature. The transmission fluid had been changed approximately 5,000 miles earlier during the 100,000-mile service. Since this event occurred late Friday afternoon, I was unable to contact the dealer.

I am writing to bring attention to what I believe is a serious and ongoing issue related to the design of my vehicle’s transmission system. I recently contacted Ford motor corp. Regarding this matter and was assigned a case number; however, the case was open and closed within a 5-minute conversation. I was informed that there are currently no known issues or recalls related to the transmission in my vehicle. Despite this, there is a problem I continue to experience recurring transmission problems that raise significant safety concerns while operating the vehicle at various speeds. Erratic and unreliable shifting, the transmission often feels like it is “floating” between gears, shifting abruptly, or sometimes not shifting at all. Slipping gear, there are frequent instances many of which I would consider close calls where the transmission slips during acceleration, causing a sudden and unexpected loss of power. These issues make it extremely unsafe to perform routine driving maneuvers such as pulling out from a stop sign into moving highway traffic, crossing busy intersections, merging onto highways, or responding quickly to changing traffic conditions. The inconsistent vehicle response under normal driving conditions puts not only my family, but others on the road, at significant risk. Based on my own experience and further research, I am concerned that this may be a broader, well-documented issue that has not been adequately addressed by the manufacturer. The Ford dealerships are aware of this problem and are so inundated that the current dealership cannot even see my vehicle for over a month and I am told have parts delay due to the repair demand. Given the nature and potential danger of these transmission problems, I respectfully urge a thorough investigation into this matter. Thank you for your attention to this serious concern.

Transmission exhibits harsh shifting and slippage. One scary example is when accelerating at highway speeds, transmission will occasionally and suddenly drop into first gear causing complete loss of power to the wheels. On occasion will also display transmission warning on dash and lock into 4th gear, causing vehicle to exhibit downshift breaking and rapidly slow vehicle when in traffic at highway speeds.

Transmission losing power while driving. This is a known safety hazard with this 10r80 10 speed transmission with a poorly designed cdf drum. Ford chooses to wait and hope for power train warranty to expire so can be fixed at customer’s expense. This is a safety issue. If I was entering a roadway and needed to accelerate and car had no power, a terrible accident could happen.

While driving on the interstate (I-35) and attempting to pass a vehicle, the transmission went out of gear and felt like it was in neutral for a few seconds and then ‘clunked” back into gear finally. This happened 4 times that day. This happens almost every time we go on a trip with this vehicle and is extremely dangerous to my family as well as other drivers. This seems to be a common issue with this model/year. It’s been reported to our dealer multiple times and they attempt to reprogram but doesn’t change anything. They said there’s no other fix. I have extended warranty.

Ongoing problem already had 2 repairs done to transmission. Gears o not shift properly when the gears go from 3-4 and 6-7. If I am not careful when I press on the gas and try to accelerate it does not shift gears and gets stuck on and my truck will not move more than 5-10 mph while I am trying to get on the highway at times with trailers coming full speed ahead behind me. I have reported this issue many times. There has been no remedy. The gears get stuck and make a jerking motion and movement causing truck to slow and barely move. It is not just a one time thing so I cant give a specific date as it happens often.

Component/system failure: the vehicle is experiencing a catastrophic transmission failure (specifically the 10r80 transmission) beyond what is described in Ford TSB 24-2101. The transmission slips significantly and loses all power transmission while in motion. Safety risk: my safety and the safety of other motorists are at extreme risk. While driving at highway speeds (approx. 65-70 mph), the vehicle suddenly loses the ability to maintain speed or accelerate. This causes an immediate, unexpected deceleration in high-speed traffic, nearly resulting in rear-end collisions. The system takes several seconds to "reset" or catch a gear, during which time I have zero control over the vehicle's propulsion. This is an intermittent but recurring failure that makes the vehicle unpredictable and life-threatening to operate in traffic. Confirmation/inspection: the problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealership service center and a secondary certified independent mechanic. Both confirmed the transmission is failing and cited TSB 24-2101 as the diagnostic path. The Ford dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that a full transmission replacement is required, but stated they would not provide financial assistance as the vehicle is just past the default warranty, despite the TSB acknowledging a known manufacturing defect. Symptoms/warning lamps: symptoms began approximately August 2025. There were no warning lamps prior to the first failure, although it flashes lights temporarily when the problem occurs. The primary symptom is a sudden "free-spinning" or rattling engine sensation followed by a complete loss of forward momentum. The issue has grown progressively worse over the last months and as such is not safely drivable.

Driving and transmission gear bumping hard when shifting gears. Have pulled out twice to pass and transmission made hard bump and I could not go anywhere. The last time this happened was 7/29/25 and it made a lot of clanking noise and the faulty light came on. I let off the gas and it went back in gear and I made it home and have not drove it since. Ford dealership said there was no recall on transmission but I have read alot of complaints from other 2020 Expedition owners about this problem I have 70,000. Plus miles and have taken extreme care of this vehicle.

We bought this truck new. When accelerating in “normal” transmission, mode, it would downshift and the turbos would kick in at the same time giving an unwanted surge of power. I found that driving in “sports” mode would give me more normal acceleration. Another issue I had as it got older was getting a big clank from the transmission when putting it in gear, especially in the morning when cold. I described it as hitting an anvil with a hammer. I took it to our local Ford dealer in carthage, missouri in early January 2025. The service rep said this was normal and I should let the truck warm up before shifting into gear. I told him I parked in the garage and that was not possible. He did not schedule an appointment to check it. About two weeks later on February 5, 2025 with 57,796 miles I returned to the dealer and insisted they check it before the warranty expired. They found nothing wrong. On the weekend from [xxx], I drove approximately 700 miles. During this weekend when accelerating to pass cars at highway speeds the truck would lose complete power like the transmission had shifted into neutral. This happened at least three times. I took the truck back to the Ford dealership on August 7, 2025 with mileage of 66,683. They said the transmission needed replaced. My cost was $9914. 95. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Hard downshift, loss of power.

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Expedition the contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and gear shift operates independently. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnoses. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and transferred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

Failure of transmission, leading to unsafe operation on roadway.

Info sent to Ford in working with cust service w/o action: our 2020 Expedition had 4 separate instances of slipping out of gear during a road trip (2 instances on 7/11 and 2 on 7/19). During each incident, the vehicle slipped gear at highway speed, rpms maxed out on the dial, lost all acceleration and significant speed, and the vehicle remained unresponsive for several (3-5) seconds until finally accelerating after the unresponsive period. It goes without saying that completely losing gear at highway speed while navigating traffic is a serious life and safety issue. Having that occur four times on a single round trip presents unreasonable risk. We documented the mileage and engine conditions by taking a picture of the dash after recovering from each occurrence. Those details were shared with the krieger Ford service center on 7/22. That Ford service team was not able to recover fault codes from this information. Without being able to identify a root cause based on lack of fault codes, Ford service performed a transmission relearn on 7/22. The service team confirmed this step is an initial measure due to lack of codes and not being able to see inside the sealed transmission. Abandoning further assessment in favor of a potential but unlikely quick-fix may be appropriate with an inconvenience issue, but not acceptable on one with such serious consequences. I recognize that further assessment will require additional cost. The assessment cost relative to the risk associated with not properly addressing the root cause of this dangerous issue is clearly justified. I’ve previously communicated this same situation to Ford when it occurred on a road trip in July of 2024. We contacted the dealership (germain Ford of dublin) and were deferred multiple months due to Ford's transmission tech backlog. The codes were not available by the time a service appointment was open. Without error codes and a single occurrence at that time, Ford service was unable to investigate further.

I was driving pulling off an exit incoming to a highway that needed me to speed up to catch a 65 mph traffic while I was going 35mph the car while on d for drive somehow engine rev went up to 5500 rpm no power to drive vehicle slow down to 30mph and all of the sudden a violent engine and all the body clunk as if another gear or park all of the sudden! tires stop spinning as you can hear tires screeching and this lasted a second and then transmission caught up again and started to accelerate again normally. We were almost hit from a moving truck behind us with 3 small kids in the car! this already happened 3 separate times while we are out traveling out of our hometown. 98 degrees outside dry conditions flat surface in florida got it all on dash camera on video and audio hope to get this fixed before someone gets killed!.

The transmission is consistently hesitating to switch gears, very jerky gear shift, and will sometimes completely fall out of gear. You could so easily lose control if this happened on the highway. Thank goodness we weren’t on a busy street. This isn’t the first reporting according to a simple search online and there should be a recall for safety reasons. This could be life or death for someone driving on the highway.

Transmission hesitated when entering traffic almost causing accident. This is not the first time this has happened. After the first incident I addressed the issue with the service manager. He said it’s common that this model transmission shifts rough, and has some hick ups but, nothing to worry about. It also randomly shifts into neutral randomly.

I’ve owned my 2020 Ford Expedition for just over a year. Initially, the transmission performed flawlessly. However, over time I’ve noticed a few concerning issues: at low speeds, the transmission shifts very hard. While accelerating at interstate speeds, it feels like the transmission is slipping. When I shift the vehicle into gear, it makes a loud clicking or knocking sound.