Body problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer

The driver's side pillar along the door and windshield blew off and almost hit the car behind me. On 10/22/24, the exact same thing happened but on the passenger side that time. Our Ford dealer said the 2020 Ford Explorer model was not a recall item only 2017-2019 however later models also had many issues where these side pillars blew off.

I was driving on the highway and I heard a loud bang , with grinding and a jerk I assumed the rear axel or differential something in the rear area along with smoke and I was able to swerve to the side of the highway along the grass and jump out with my kids multiple cars where behind me but I turned on my emergency lights & got out just in time before causing a accident , this is all tied to a recall that’s been fixed twice now here we are a third time and it’s back again at Ford dealership.

The panoramic sunroof rolo shade has malfunctioned and is currently sagging. This condition is expected to worsen over time, potentially obstructing driver visibility or posing a safety risk due to the possibility of entrapment or flammability. The vehicle has been brought to a certified Ford dealer for inspection; however, no additional inspections have been performed by other authorities at this time. There are no warning lights or alerts displayed in the vehicle related to this issue.

Exterior review side mirrors cause loud whistle noise when driving.

On the glass panels in between the rear and front side windows, the panels are shattering underneath both sides. When looking up online to see if anyone else has this problem, there’s all kinds of pictures of this problem posted online. . I’m including photos of mine. Have included photos of driver and passenger side.

Loose trim in the exterior rear window came loose and flew towards another can the lucky avoided the metal trim.

Vehicle has a water leak inside the cabin. We tried pouring water down the sunroof drains and can hear a gurgling sound inside the cabin and observed water entering the cabin next to the dead pedal. Took vehicle to dealership and they replaced a different part and did not solve the issue. Musty mold smell present in vehicle causing allergic reaction and reducing driver's vision posing an accident risk. Unable to drive vehicle until leak is fixed and mold is remediated.

The power liftgate does not open, and it took me 16 minutes to open it. It is a safety issue.

As my [xxx] was opening the rear passenger door of the vehicle part of the chrome trim had came loose in turn causing a laceration on his finger. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The right windshield trim is separating from vehicle. Ford has recalled 2011-2019 vehicles for this due to safety risk of trim molding coming off in traffic. My vehicle is a 2020 and seems to have same issue.

The rear hatch of my 2020 Ford Explorer does not open reliably. There is no manual release mechanism to open the hatch in case of failure. The only methods to open the hatch are via the button on the hatch itself, the button on the dashboard, or the key fob. When any of these are pressed, the hatch makes sounds as if it is trying to engage and open, but it does not actually open. Additionally, the vehicle dashboard displays an alert indicating that the hatch is open, even though it remains securely closed. This false alert is confusing and concerning. The problem is unpredictable and intermittent, sometimes allowing the hatch to open normally, but often failing without warning. This issue significantly limits access to the cargo area and poses a safety concern in situations where quick or emergency access to the hatch is needed. I had the vehicle inspected by a dealer regarding the hatch issue. They diagnosed the problem as a faulty hatch motor. The estimated cost to repair or replace the motor is approximately $1,300. 00. Given the high cost, I am concerned about the safety and reliability of the vehicle, as well as the financial burden of any potential repairs. Because the rear hatch does not open reliably, I am forced to access the cargo area by crossing over the rear seats, which is inconvenient and unsafe, especially when carrying groceries or large items. Moreover, I am unable to access the spare tire in case of an emergency, which poses a serious safety risk.

The sun roof cover has come lose blocking the rear view.

Our 3rd car (used by our daughter) has started to smell like mold. I then noticed the back seat behind the driver side was wet. All windows were up and fully closed - never left open. I soaked up the water. Days later the water returned. I did some research online and found this is a recurring issues were weld joints breakdown and then leak. In that same forum the post referenced water built up where the spare tire is keep. I just opened up the spare tire area and noticed 3" of water and the mechanism for holding down the tire is rusty, suggesting the water has been there for sometime. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the trim on passenger’s side windshield had detached from the windshield. The contact stated that the trim on the driver’s side windshield had also detached. The vehicle was diagnosed. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request??the issue pertains to a water leak in the rear liftgate area and/or water accumulation in the spare tire area, potentially accompanied by a lack of audio functionality in my 2020 Ford explore st as outlined in TSB 24-2044 (NHTSA 102514). The affected component is the rear liftgate structure and associated seals, which allow water ingress, particularly noticeable after car washes or rainfall. The entire sound system to include any collision and impact warnings have failed to chime. 2. ?the water leak in the rear liftgate and spare tire area poses potential safety risks. Accumulated water can damage electrical components, such as wiring or audio systems, which may lead to malfunctions in critical vehicle systems. For example, water ingress could affect rear lighting, sensors, or other electronic modules, potentially compromising visibility or functionality during operation. Additionally, water accumulation may contribute to corrosion or mold growth, posing long-term structural or health risks for occupants. These issues could reduce vehicle reliability and increase the risk of accidents, especially in adverse weather conditions. 3. The issue has been acknowledged by Ford in TSB 24-2044, which provides a service procedure to identify and address the leak path. The bill currie Ford dealership in tampa, FL has inspected my vehicle on several occasions, recently July 15, 2025 and confirmed water leakage in the rear liftgate area consistent with TSB 24-2044. The dealer will not repair unless I pay over $2200 for the repair, which I refuse for a manufacture defect. 4. To date, the vehicle has not been inspected by the police or insurance representatives, but the issue align with the TSB report. 5. Water observed in the spare tire & tailgate area every time since purchase. A loss of audio back in July 2023 and numerous occasions since complete failure as of January 3 2024.

The rear hatch opens unexpectedly with no command given. It happened twice while in drive pulling out of my garage. There was no audible or visual warnings the hatch was opening. The hatch impacted the garage door frame causing the glass to shatter and denting the metal. First incident was 4/2022 the second was 1/2023. Both were reported to my insurance provider and the Ford dealer. I also contacted Ford directly for reimbursement of my deductible and other expenses and they paid. See attached. Please see ssm 49015 - 2020 Explorer/aviator – partial power liftgate opening and/or false anti-theft alarm activation – liftgate ajar - built on or before 17-Feb 2020. The problem is not resolved and I no confidence the hatch won't open whie I am on the road. If it does and something falls out this would be a major safety issue.

1. The Explorer spontaneously went on fire while being driven damaging the entire front of the vehicle 2. The vehicle could have exploded affecting other vehicles as well as injured or killed the driver and passenger 3. No. Insurance company immediately declared vehicle totaled. 4. No. Once again, vehicle was immediately declared a total loss and assigned salvage company to take possession 5. No warnings. First sign of anything wrong was flames coming from under the hood.

Worked until 11am Friday 11/5/21, went back out to work night shift 10:40 ish at night to start the vehicle up to warm up (he believes that he had turned on the heat). As the officer was outside walking his dog he heard noises of glass cracking. He walked up to it and noticed the entire rear window was shattered. No point of entry or notice of vandalism.

Officer was sitting in vehicle while it was running with ac on, he pressed the max defrost button for a couple of seconds then turned it off. After about a minute or two he heard a what a loud noise and looked in his rear view mirror to see his rear window completely shattered.

We were going down the hwy about 65 no cars around our sunroof exploded we had the headliner closed and it was full of glass. We thought at first we had a blow out but we saw all the glass in the middle of the sunroof no object or mark on car.

Interior flooding, in spare tire well and all flooring areas. Six gallons of water removed. Waiting for Ford dealership to inspect. They believe a weld has gone bad.

Over the last two years, the lift gate has closed in excess of 20 times without direct actuation of the lift gate button located on the lift gate, in the driver compartment or from the key fob. A significant amount of time this includes no sounding of the lift gate closing chime. This happens when the lift gate is open, and you are standing at the rear of the vehicle. The lift gate has closed and caused the person to quickly duck out of the way to avoid getting hit in the head by the door. This action is suspect of the movement of something below the bumper to trigger the hands-free opening / closing sensor. The vehicle in question was brought into the local dealer for troubleshooting and no defects noted. A software update was performed, and the condition still exists.

Door latch failure. Door will no shut. Stuck open.

At a speed of approximately 30mph, I heard a cracking noise from the rear of my vehicle. After looking into my rear view mirror, I saw the rear window was shattered, and caving inward. It was around 90 degrees that day at 1:30 pm and I was driving on an open road. There was a CO-worker driving behind me that was witness. Nothing came down and hit the rear window.

Driver door and window vibrating when rear windows are rolled down in excess of 40 mph.

~tl- the contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while vehicle was in the stand still , and turning on the vehicle loss passenger side rear door window to open , and climate control which created a visibility hazard . The contact stated no blind spot detection, cross track, and side obstacle detection , pre collision assist not available message warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to local dealer empire Ford of huntington located at 333 w jericho turnpike, huntington, NY 11743 where it was diagnosed with needing to updated software and replace unknown module, the vehicle was repaired, however the failure recurred. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case but was recently closed. The failure mileage was approximately  8,000.

I was traveling down the highway when my vehicles hood unattached and smashed into my windshield causing extensive damage to my windshield and hood. The impact of the hood releasing and shattering my windshield caused glass to enter the cabin of my vehicle. This was an unsafe incident as I had my toddler in my backseat, and I was traveling down a busy highway at the time of the event causing my vision to be impaired by the hood. I safely maneuvered to the shoulder of the roadway and was able to pull the hood down. Following the incident, I was unable to drive my vehicle due to the windshield damage. I have since contacted my insurance agency and filed a claim for the damages. I have had the windshield replaced, totaling $886. 85. I have an appointment with my local body shop for damages to the hood.