general problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer - part 2

The rear window dropped down while driving, which was scary and wouldn't go up.

While driving. Every light on the dash started coming on. Pre-collision assist not available, 4wd fault not available, no cruise (adaptive or regular) available, reverse break assist not available, hill assist not available. Every time the vehicle was started it would these issues or would start while driving. This is an absolute safety issue and hazard. The vehicle has plenty of reports online of this happening to other. Ford was willing to give vehicle back saying it was safe to drive without fixing bc I couldn’t afford it and it wasn’t covered under the power train warranty. I was told I have to report it and if it gets enough reports something will be done. But this is an unacceptable answer and cost for something that is a safety concern.

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

Various electrical issues gps not working also drivers seat electrical.

Awd control module stopped working. Lost awd.

I have a previous file for this situation already submitted reference # 11626064. Since that filing I have had an additional occurrence of the same description. I also found a recall for 2021 Explorers which sounds to be the same as what I have experienced , below is a reference to the 2021 Explorer recall. [xxx] please confirm if the recall can be updated to include the 2020. Best regards [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the center display screen failed to turn on upon starting the vehicle. The rear air conditioner, backup camera, and heater failed to be operational due to the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the camera under NHTSA campaign number: 23v342000 (back over prevention). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and confirmed the recall repair and that the screen was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Multiple advanced service warnings. Dealer states it’s the awd module that needs to be replaced.

The transfer case module failed after a software update. The response from the bcm is no forward collision warning , emergency braking. It turned it off?? aren't they required to have these features? I bought the vehicle for those features that are no longer available?.

Multiple warnings lights from advanced drivers assistance 4x4 went accelerate and could not error code u0102 also rattling from right second row seat.

Power window switch driver window inoperative. Remaining windows works fine . Only the main driver window inoperative.

The vehicle is equipped with electric power brakes which will intermittently stop working resulting in no power brakes. It doesn't warn you that the pump has stopped working just a very hard brake pedal and no braking effort, failure to slow down.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the power window control switch failed to function properly. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the powertrain control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,518.

We been getting awd malfunctions alerts, causing the vehicle to not go into awd. Took it to the dealership they say this isn't covered under the powertrain and we need to replace the awd module on our 2020 Ford Explorer. Reading other forums, sounds like this is a common issue with the Explorer but the dealership won't cover under powertrain warranty even thought this component powers the awd part of the powertrain.

Transmission does a hard downshift from gear 7 to gear 6. There is a TSB bulletin for it but no recall. Car is under 100k miles but out of warranty and estimated to cost $3500 to repair. Also, the screen and backup camera frequently freeze or go black.

Check engine light came on. Code p0161 for O2 sensor heater circuit bank 2 sensor 2. Found massive corrosion at connector. This is the second like make/model/year vehicle we have seen this on. Mfg does not have pigtail repair kit available and entire harness would be needed to repair.

The top brake light bar on the wing over the trunk consistently fails. I have had to replace almost yearly. Water gets into the light bar causing the leds to short out and fail. This makes my brake activity difficult to see for truckers and other tall cars. This is certainly a design defect that water should get in do easily. In regards to dates, the lamp fails annually.

Tailgate does not work any longer. After a few days period of it getting progressively less functional, it just stopped working.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the charging system fault warning light illuminated, and the vehicle independently shifted into to park(p) and stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a battery junction box and fuse failure. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

While vehicle was driving in motion, all system error messages began to sequence on the dashboard (steering assist fault service required, check park aid, see manual, service advancetrac, front camera fault service required, full accessory power active, park brake fault service now, pre-collision assist not available, navigation fault). Vehicle lost acceleration and had decreased steering and braking capability. This happened on 5/20/2024 and was "repaired" by dealership then happened again on 6/21/2024. It also happened in 08/17/2021 and was repaired by dealership until most recent reoccurrences. This does not include the instances where the same error messages sequenced prevented the vehicle from even starting (for hours) leaving the motorist stranded. This is also not the first time this concern has been submitted to the NHTSA.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon raising the front passenger's side power window switch, the window rolled up and then rolled back down unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the power window control module was reset. The contact stated after the dealer had performed a rearview camera recall repair on the vehicle, messages advising that the traction control and the other drive modes were inoperable were displayed. The dealer replaced the throttle body and an unknown part. Additionally, the contact stated after the dealer had lifted the vehicle for servicing, the dealer noticed that the catalytic converter, the mufflers, and the shock absorbers had failed. The dealer informed the contact that the shock absorbers were leaking fluid. The dealer determined that the catalytic converter, the mufflers, and the shock absorbers needed to be replaced. The dealer had ordered the parts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

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.

I have a 2020 Ford Explorer and a motorola andriod phone. When I plug my phone into my Explorer to use the maps my display blinks like crazy the charging does not work and my phone gets so hot I am afraid it is going to start a fire. The Ford dealer I talked to said that they knew about it and do not know of any fix. I don't need my vehicle catching on fire.

2020 Explorer VIN:1fmsk7dh0lgc30608 summary [recall] back over prevention: sensing system: camera description the remedy is under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 26, 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. . Read more...

Awd control failure creating these messages: no hill-assist no collision-assist no traction control service advancetrac service awd the result is no awd.

I hit a pole in early April, and brought it to a shop - casey’s in brentwood - to have it fixed. The car had no warning lights or issues. They needed to take off the front of the car to repair the body damage. They discharged the car to us, and I noticed a battery light was on. We called a few days later and the owner said well I tried to call you and left a message but heard nothing. He said we needed to take it to the dealership to turn the light off. We drove it 50 miles to the dealership. The dealership said that this is not a “light to turn off” - this was a significant problem that would be an expensive repair. He said the car would not be safe to drive ultimately very long because the car could just dead stop while driving on a freeway (similar to what happened to a Tesla causing a death). They were unsure of the cause but not from hitting the pole. We brought it to our family’s nearby. We had a second opinion and the mechanic noted this is not typical damage - this is a dangerous safety issue and the car should not be driven. We called casey’s and they said OH we had no idea, have state farm toe it back to us. State farm has refused to pay, saying the damage is unrelated. Caseys has now changed their story and said the light was on when they got the car. This is wildly unethical, and had I known, I would have wanted this fixed not just be allowed to drive home with my children. The first auto shop put me and my children’s lives at risk by letting us drive home without letting us know, putting it in the paperwork or investigating this. They deny it is because of their doing and they will not take accountability for potentially causing this damage. I genuinely believe they are covering it up.

The lift ajar lights came on, lift wont lock so it goes back up umless I push it down manually but the warning light “lift ajar” keeps going on everytime I turn the engine on. Im afraid that the lift would open up while im driving .

Vehicle caught fire while parked after driving.

The backup camera fails to load. I get a blue screen or a distorted screen.

I was on highway 5, right before the grapevine, traveling back from visiting family for the weekend. My vehicle suddenly lost all power while I was in the fast lane doing highway speeds. Luckily I was able to get over to the sliver of shoulder while there was no acceleration and only a brake . Although I was able to turn the vehicle off and start it again to drive from los angeles to sacramento, it was the most frightening moment of my life. I have multiple recalls on this vehicle that have delayed my ability to register it in my state. I do have an open court case with Ford but they have delayed the hearing date to over a year away. 2026. There are multiple issues with this vehicle and I have not been able to drive this SUV comfortably again since my power loss experience. There may be a safety concern for others who have this vehicle.

The backup camera sometimes does not come on. The bluetooth connection does not work. The dash screen which displays the camera view, radio, clock, etc will sometimes remain black while the car is on. Other times, the screen will not turn off when the car is off, even after opening the driver's door, causing the battery to drain faster.

Trunk hatch will not close or open properly, intermittently works, rear camera display turns off, does not work at times, display controls work intermittently.

Tailgate latching warning is intermittent in indicating if a lift gate is actually left open. This has been a reported issue by multiple users on forums. It’s caused me to have to call airport security to make sure my tailgate was indeed latch and happened three other instances. Some users have reported that they have had their driver door entry keypad unplugged that’s shorting the car’s warning system. This now sets off my car alarm and also sends a notification via the Ford app. See other users experiencing the same issue since 2022 and Ford trying to charge customers for short, even some reporting not being able to open the lift gate at all. . Read more...

I have had the blue screen sensors replaced 3 times. This has been a recall. Now my front camera is having an error code. Yeh blue screen came on while backing up and I hit a rock. They say it has been fixed but now it is still occurring with the radio freezing and the front camera producing an error. The dealer says there’s no current fix and they have an unable to reproduce it when it is at the dealership because it happens intermittently. I have had the driveshaft replaced and the transmission I am unable to trade this car and due to the multiple safety issues and transmission issues, this car has such a long repair history that it is priced up below market value. I am afraid that I am going to have another accident or something is going to freeze up at an in opportune moment and causes collision as it did before.

Awd module is faulty and somehow not covered by powertrain warranty.