Power Train Problems of Ford Explorer - part 1

While in moderate snow attempted to go from backing up to drive and the vehicle stopped, parking brake auto engaged, powertrain (wrench) trouble light illuminated. The trouble light did not shut off after sitting overnight.

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Parked vehicle on snowy driveway, went to back to unload personal items from liftgate, and vehicle began sliding backwards towards me. Ran to the driver‘s door, got in, put on brakes, started vehicle and pulled it forward. Put it in park, and as I was exiting the vehicle, it began sliding backwards again. Rear wheels were locked. However, the front wheels were rolling. Apparently the transmission park pawl did not engage. I took pictures of the tires after the last roll. Front tracks show clear tread in the snow (rolling); rear show lines and pushed show (sliding).

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On December 26, at approximately 7:08 p. M. , I was driving on the belt parkway during a snowstorm. I was traveling in the middle lane and began to safely change lanes to the right. During the lane change, the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive system suddenly displayed an error and appeared to malfunction. Immediately after this occurred, I lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered to the right, struck the median, and flipped over twice before coming to rest on its side. Prior to the system error, I was operating the vehicle normally and driving cautiously given the weather conditions. The loss of control occurred abruptly and without warning.

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- I have experienced a sudden loss of engine power and speed on 5 occasions. Very scary and dangerous to completely lose power on the highway with cars behind you. Had to pull off onto the shoulder(s) in dangerous conditions, with two young kids in the backseat. Hazards, turn off the car, restart the car, etc. - when the power loss happens, the vehicle's dashboard lights turn on, including the engine and wrench icons along with the words "see manual. " - based on my research, I believe it may be due to a defective throttle body and/or software, related to the "terrain management system. " - problem was not reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center - no inspections by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others - no warning message is provided prior to the failure, which is another issue.

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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??.

When given gas to move from a complete stop, vehicle lost all power. After vehicle lost all power to rear wheels, warning lights flashed on cluster. Manually moved vehicle to side of road and checked under SUV to see rear axle was at a unusual angle and later discovered rear axle bolt on road. Vehicle was towed to dealership, which originally completed recall repair in July of this year, for this known issue. Repairs have been completed after 2 weeks, and was informed by dealership it was roughly 6 thousand in damages.

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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure shortly after the vehicle was serviced. The contact stated that after shifting from reverse(r) to drive(d), there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed back to another local dealer, sutton Ford (21315 central Ave, matteson, IL 60443); where it was diagnosed with a fractured rear axle bolt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

The car started hard shifting, bucking like an animal in the middle of driving 70 on the highway, hard to control, hard to stay out of traffic, started to smell like fuel was in the cabin, it took all I had to keep it in my lane and get over to safety without killing myself or someone else, took it to the dealership, they could not look at it for two weeks, took it to a different shop, he found that a wire had been cut and some hoses were zip tied to the frame ( previously only work on this car has been at dealership) he then towed it to the dealership at the two week appointment and they say its burning transmission fluid and hard shifting and needs a new transmission. The warranty expired two days before this occurred so not covered, it is a 2020 , should not have to completely replace a transmission only 74,000 miles on it . I had taken it n three times previously for hard shifting but it was an occasionally occurrence, they could never find any codes to explain so did not look further than what the computer said. That day, it did not throw any codes, until the secondary mechanic took the time to look under the hood, find the cut wire and fix that. Then he had 3 pages of codes. Now I not only have to pay the financed amount on this vehicle but I have to pay an additional 10,000 for a car that did not do its high functioning job and report a problem when I was feeling the problem and probably could have been a warranty fix before the warranty expired if the code appeared the first time, telling the computer to tell the technician to fix it.

I am filing an official safety complaint regarding my 2015 Ford Explorer sport 3. 5l due to a dangerous and sudden power-steering failure that occurred while I was driving with my children in the vehicle. There were no warning lights, alerts, or symptoms leading up to the failure. The power steering went out instantly and without any indication that something was wrong. The moment it failed, the steering wheel locked up and became extremely difficult to turn, nearly causing multiple accidents. I had children in the car at the time, and this situation created an immediate and severe safety hazard for everyone in my vehicle and on the road. After this happened, I contacted (by phone) Ford directly. Without any inspection, hesitation, or further explanation, I was immediately told that the vehicle “needs a new steering rack and pinion. ” the quoted repair cost exceeds $3,000, on a vehicle I am still paying $500 a month for. I have since discovered that there are thousands of other Ford Explorer owners reporting the exact same issue, with the same model years, same sudden failure, and the same required repair. This is clearly not an isolated incident. This pattern strongly indicates a widespread manufacturing or component defect that poses a significant risk of injury or death. I am deeply concerned that Ford has not issued a formal recall for a problem that can cause an immediate loss of steering control at highway speeds and in everyday driving conditions. The number of publicly documented complaints online demonstrates that this is a systemic and dangerous failure that should not be ignored. I am requesting that NHTSA fully investigate this issue and require Ford motor company to issue a recall for the defective steering rack/power steering system in the 2015 Ford Explorer sport 3. 5l ecoboost w/o park assist, as well as any related model years or trims using the same components. Vehicle is available for inspection.

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Since I have bought my 2020 Ford Explorer (brand new off the lot) it has had to have the turbo replaced several times now . Currently the turbo is bad again and I’m looking at a $3500 repair for a turbo that was already replaced 2 times since I bought it. I feel there is an issue with this car handling the turbos , I am a single mom of 5 kids and cannot afford to keep replacing turbos every couple years. I now have it sitting in my driveway cause it can’t be driven and still have a $740 momthly payment to pay on it and because I can’t use the car I can’t go to work anymore so I need help with this please.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting or downshifting. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed about a TSB with a similar failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the transmission. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the vehicle jerked aggressively, and the engine idled roughly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train). The contact inquired if the failure was the result of the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,954.

I would need to change many more of the points on the top, see report.

I have been hearing a roaring sound for quite some time now. Finally figured it out and it’s the rear differential on my Explorer. There’s metal shaving all in it. The plug is covered with it. The fluid is at the right amount. Does not have a hitch and I do not take it off road. It’s all highway miles.

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We received notification from Ford that there is a "rear axle bolt fracture" possible on our 2021 Ford Explorer and noted we were to contact our dealer to address. However when I reached out to the dealership (and then subsequently to Ford customer service) I was told that the issue was being treated on an "extended warranty" basis. We would recognize the issue when we noticed severe vibration and lost of mobility in the vehicle and that putting it in park would not keep the vehicle from rolling. Based on those calls, my wife could be left on the side of the road, involved in a fatal accident (to her or others) etc. , instead of addressing the issue as a preventive measure. In addition, nothing in our coversations or in their notice involved the cost to us for additional damage to the vehicle, towing or a rental car (as the dealership said they wouldn't even be able to order the bolts until the fracture occurred and they had the vehicle in their shop. The service code for this defect is 24n01. As of this date we have not experianced this issue but am trying to avoid it occurring since it is a known defect by Ford.

Had a recall at 60k miles for transmission, every since then the transmission has been breaking down at every 20k miles, I am going through my 3rd transmission now and Ford can't make their transmission right. The diagnoses is internal failure every time.

Stopped at traffic light when changed to green pushed on the gas started to roll backwards . Got it stopped and pushed on gas would barely go sounded like transmission slipping. Finally got it thru the stoplight and it started again. Got it home called local dealership took it in and have to take it back Friday morning at 8. Scary!.

Vehicle did not want to shift above 35 mph. When letting off gas - harsh downshift (with no break lights) at 25mph. Diagnosed transmission problem - repaired- Ford dealership rebuilt transmission. No warnings or messages prior to failure.

Hard shifting in lower gears when transmission warms up, hard downshifting to lower gears as well. This is extremely harmful if the shifting jerks hard, causing whiplash or can cause a wreck.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 3rd to 2nd gear as indicated on the console shift indicator. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to technical service bulletin: 22-2428. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 83,000.

On my way to visit my cousin down south my vehicle wouldnt go in park. A warning came across stating that it was a shift system fault. I went to the Ford dealership in north carolina. They werent helpful. I went to a nearby auto repair shop alerted me that it was an issue with tge powertrain that Ford covered in vehicles same as my yr make and model. Ford refused to honor it due to the fact that it doesnt fit my VIN number even though it is the very same issue presented in the other vehicle with the similar yr make and model. It is unsafe. I have a family. I would not move.

Ford Explorer recall – ongoing safety hazard in July 2025, Ford issued a recall notice for my vehicle. Shortly after, the check engine light came on. Starting October 15, 2025, my vehicle began failing to start after refueling—making noise and taking multiple attempts to start. The same issue occurred repeatedly on October 23 and October 30, worsening each time. On November 3, we brought the car to a Ford dealership. They confirmed there is no available fix for the recall and said there’s “nothing they can do. ” I explained this was a safety issue since I drive my son with a disability to therapy daily. They told me I would have to pay out of pocket for repairs even though the problem is linked to the recall. On November 8, while driving in arizona, my vehicle again failed to start after refueling. Later that day, it lost power on the road, the speed dropped suddenly, and it would not accelerate. The same stalling and jerking occurred again on November 10 while my husband was driving. We contacted Ford corporate and NHTSA, but both said nothing could be done because the recall label says the car is “still drivable. ” this is inaccurate and dangerous. The car stalls and loses acceleration randomly, creating a serious risk of an accident. On November 21, the car again failed to start after refueling. This has happened multiple times each week, and Ford continues to delay a fix. My vehicle is unsafe to drive, and this unresolved recall poses an ongoing safety hazard to my family and others on the road.

When accelerating and braking, motor rocks forward and backwards. Rpms jump erratically when this happens and when sitting stationary at a light or stop sign. Which causes the entire vehicle to vibrate. Oddly enough, fuel injector cleaner seems to help with the vehicle shaking somewhat.

The component that failed was the cdf clutch hub. Very hard shifting when accelerating from a stop and when going up hill. The problem has been confirmed by the Ford dealership. I had no warning prior to this happening. Safety concerns in that I could not accelerate quickly to avoid impending traffic.

My 2025 Ford Explorer st-line is up to date on recalls as of October 7, 2025. However, I am still experiencing engine "shudder" and hesitation at low rpms (between idle and 1500 rpm) when accelerating. The 10 speed transmission is also continuing to shift harshly at times. I am very concerned that the hesitation and shudder could be an issue when pulling out into traffic. By comparison, my previous 2017 Explorer did not exhibit this behavior, whichh I consider disconcerting. Also, this car (and all 2025 Explorer models ) injects fake engine noise into the audio speakers to make the 2. 5l engine sound more powerful. These fake "bass tones" are disturbing to some passengers with hearing aides, and per Ford's website there is no way to disable the fake noise. Thus, some people with a hearing disability cannot ride in my car without removing their hearing aides. It should be unacceptable to not be able to disable that feature. Note updated form dated 8/1/25 states fake noise cannot be turned off.

Transmission starting to fail at around 91,000 miles. Diagnosed at dealership. Just out of warranty. Other repair shops say this is a common issue. This should be a recall matter.

On [xxx]. , in heavy rush?hour traffic on [xxx] , my vehicle (~75,417 mi) suddenly lost motive power w/o warning at ~55 mph. It became immobile in a live lane, creating a roadblock and rear?end crash risk. Drivers swerved/honked. Accelerator had no effect; limited/no power?steering assist; I coasted to an in?lane stop (no safe shoulder) and activated hazards. Cluster displayed “shift sys fault—service required” and wrench icon. Attempts to restart failed; the vehicle remained disabled ~30min until a tow arrived; police responded. After tow, on a slight incline, the vehicle rolled backward when started and the parking brake was released, though the cluster showed park—clear rollaway concern. Recovery/diagnosis: towed first to autotech clinic (advised replacement trans). Then to bill brown Ford (livonia, mi): fractured planetary gear and broken park pawl; recommended full transmission replacement (~$8,500). Repair history (pre?purchase): I’ve owned the car <6 mos (now ~75k). A Ford dealer later informed me the vehicle previously had major work at taylor Ford of trans?cooler plumbing cracks between cooler and trans lines at ~34k, and major internal trans repair at ~46k (“burnt clutch a; full reassembly”). None of this appeared on carfax or was disclosed by the selling dealer. Costs/downtime: ~$700 towing/diagnostics to date; trans replacement quoted ~$8,500. Mfr/dealer response: reported to Ford on 10/13/2025, case [xxx]. Initial response: no assistance; pending. The Ford 10r60 has multiple tsbs for trans issues, but neither the dealer nor csr cited any, and no assistance has been offered. Maintenance/mods: vehicle stock; maintained per mfr schedule. Safety concern: sudden loss of propulsion in traffic + inability to move to safety, combined with a park indication that allows rollback, present significant crash/rollaway hazards. Please investigate and, if warranted, require a recall. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

There was no lights on the dash but the transmission was shifting very hard when slowing down. I took it to the dealer for service, but the dealer says the transmission is full of debris and needs a full replacement. When slowing down it was causing the vehicle to buck forward very hard advancing it forward and causing me the driver to feel forward force from the harsh bucking of the transmission.

Ford has released a technical service bulletin for this issue , however they are not being held accountable for the issue at hand that I believe poses a safety issue while driving and could cause other drivers to run into the back of your car. The TSB was posted for a part inside the transmission which is a snap ring that comes dislodged from its groove and causes harsh down shifts between gears. This has happened to thousands of owners of these vehicles with a simple internet search. To say a harsh downshift is the issue is putting it mildly. When you are decelerating and the transmission downshifts as it does, it feels as if you slammed on your brakes, however the cars behind you see no brake lights light up to tell them you just slowed down considerably which could cause a pile up accident, especially in rush hour traffic. I feel this is the same type of recall that Ford was made to put out on all the 2011-2014 f150's where the transmission would randomly down shift to first gear on the highway. Ford has major transmission issues that cause safety concerns and I do not feel they are being held accountable on these newer vehicles. Theyve created a TSB on a known issue, yet let people drive around and pose risk of harm to themself or other drivers. Its only a matter of time until the downshift causes a major accident or pile up and people are seriously injured due to Fords negligence. They are aware of the issue and should be held to fix it for the drivers as well as everyone elses safety.

I have been seeing complainants about the 2020 Ford Explorer transmission, I just want to say that I also had transmission issues with my 2020 Ford Explorer, I had vehicle down shift issues at or around 50,000 miles, I took it back to the dealer because it was still under the 60k miles power train warr. The dealer had my Explorer for about a week to do repairs, I do remember them saying there was a technical bulletin about this problem. I still have transmission jerking issues when I am driving slowly and have to let's say step on the gas to accelerate. I am at 67,000 miles now and worried is this thing going to make it to 100k.

Transmission shifts hard from first to second gear upon acceleration, then shifts hard down at approximately 25-30mph. Dealership is aware. Has been happening since I got vehicle, but no fix has been available.

The transmission has failed due to a snap ring being dislodged. This caused substantial damage requiring complete transmission rebuild. The vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership where they have identified the issue. The serviceman stated that the snap ring failure is due to manufactures defect and that it is a well known and common failure. Ford has a service bulletin describing this issue. Failure to repair this in a timely manner will cause catastrophic failure that could lead to loss of control of the vehicle. There were no warning lights for this issue. The first symptom was harsh shifting. The vehicle was taken to the dealership the day following the first symptom but the damage had been done.

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.

Ford st 2020 just 37000 miles, the window from driver side can’t complete close when you try to roll up. When it all most close- it will automatically roll down. Tpms fails cause 4wd fault, abs turn off and a lot of warning symbol turn on like pre-collision…etc. Dealer can’t fix and claim for client need to paid for 4wd program.

Vehicle down shifts hard from 7th to 6th gear tested in manual mode but was originally feeling it while driving automatic when slowing down between 25 - 35 mph then I found a TSB that suggested trying it in manual in those gears and it happens every time.