Power Train Problems of Ford Explorer - part 2

Car will be in drive or reverse, start to move with foot on gas then will shift itself into park.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The transmission shifts with a harsh jerk for no apparent reason and is an intermittent not constant problem. Also when stopped at an intersection refuses to engage to power the vehicle forward for a short time 5+ second time period.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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 •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.

The specific component or system has not fully failed. However, my vehicle is currently experiencing an intermittent check engine light condition, turning off and on, which was diagnosed at a retailer producing code p0018 then at the dealership and produced code p0017. The codes relate to the engine control module (ecm) detects that the camshaft on is out of sync with the crankshaft resulting in misaligned engine timing. I have requested that the dealership further review and escalate the diagnosis to determine whether the issue aligns with any known concerns, technical service bulletins, or manufacturer-supported programs. The vehicle and any related components are available for inspection upon request. At this time, the vehicle experiences reduced engine performance, including stalling, and inability to accelerator as needed, which pose a safety risk while driving, particularly in traffic or at highway speeds. The vehicle has been inspected and confirmed by the dealership. I have also contacted the manufacturer, who advised me to work directly with the dealership to have the issue reviewed and potentially escalated. I have since requested that they further evaluate the condition and determine whether it corresponds to any known issues or manufacturer-supported repair programs. At this time, the vehicle has not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or other third parties. This check engine light and fluctuating rpm directly impacting the vehicles acceleration was the primary indicator of the issue. The manufacturer previously issued two customer satisfaction program notices to address this issue for other model year vehicles. I have attached both notices to this complaint. This demonstrates a manufacturer defect which is a safety hazard for drivers.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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.

Power train, automatic transmission issue the vehicle is a 2020 Ford Explorer XLT with approximately 71,000 miles. The automatic transmission has developed delayed engagement and harsh shifting during normal driving conditions. The issue occurs most often during low speed driving, rolling stops, and when shifting from park into drive or reverse. The transmission will hesitate or pause before engaging, followed by a sudden harsh shift or jerk into gear. The condition has been reproduced multiple times during normal driving and is consistent. This behavior creates unpredictable vehicle response when I accelerate into traffic or proceed from a rolling stop. The delay followed by sudden engagement can cause the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly, which could increase the risk of a crash when entering intersections, merging into traffic, or operating near pedestrians. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection at a Ford dealership, and the issue will be evaluated under known Ford technical service bulletins addressing harsh or delayed shifting in the 10-speed automatic transmission. At this time, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. The vehicle will be inspected by an authorized Ford dealer Monday March 9, 2026. No warning lights or messages have appeared. The condition occurs without warning indicators and is noticeable through delayed engagement and harsh gear shifts. My vehicle has been regularly maintained and received the recommended 60,000 mile service prior to the issue appearing. Similar transmission complaints appear to be widely reported among owners of 2020–2022 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Rear differential/axle bolt broke, destroying other parts and making vehicle unsafe at the moment and then inoperable. Vehicle had previously had the recall work done for this exact issue prior to any issues/damage. Dealership is repairing the vehicle under warranty, but made sure to tell us that this is a known issue and the only true way to “fix” the issue is to install an aftermarket brace (at our cost).

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The water pump is having issues with going out after the first cold snap of the year. This car was just purchased by us back in March of 2025. The car was inspected by the dealership prior to purchase as well as our personal mechanic. After further research this is a known issue especially in 2011-2020 models with economists engines. There have been class action lawsuits regarding this as well.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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).

See all problems of the 2025 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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

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.

The transmission developed a harsh engagement from part to reverse and a harsh downshift when decelerating. The vehicle would frequently not change gears at highway speeds. Inspection showed that the transmission pan was full but fluid was burnt.

The wheel locks in low speeds. It does not happen often, maybe about 3 times per year. I have brought this up to Ford dealer in encinitas CA for several years and the problem is seldom that they did not find anything wrong with it. Recently I found the recall online and brought it to their attention. I never received the notice of recall back in 2015. They are refusing service because it has been more than 10 yrs since the recall and my vehicle is at 180,000 miles. I use the car to carpool my kids and other people's kids. Please help fix the problem.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Explorer 🔎.

- 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.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Transmission had hard downshifts, whining, would. Not change gears intermittently and would clunk when going into reverse or drive. Upon inspection at the dealership, the fluid was burnt and there were chunks of gears in the transmission pan.

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.

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.

Transmission randomly kicks out of gear causing a grinding noise and loss of acceleration. This is the second transmission that has been put in this vehicle due to the same issue. No warning lamps. No codes stored. Each time it has happened has been merging on or off of a highway/interstate causing me to almost be in a rear end collision.

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.

Driving at speed and starting to slow down the vehicle downshifted hard and afterwards would shift hard on every shift. Vehicle was taken to dealership and was diagnosed with cdf drum failure. Vehicle was under 100k miles and not under warranty.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting or downshifting before slamming into gear. Several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted and worsened. There was transmission fluid odor coming from the vehicle and entering the cabin of the vehicle through the a/c vents. The contact stated that the engine unexpected revved while driving on the freeway. The contact stated that when the transmission slammed into gear, the vehicle felt like the parking brake was activated. The vehicle was taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the repairs were put on hold until the warranty had ended. Most recently, the contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly while upshifting and downshifting before slamming into gear. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact was called for assistance and went to where the vehicle was pulled over. The vehicle was driven back to the residence in limp mode. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, where it was confirmed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that the failure was more predominant during colder weather. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

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.

Everyday I get alerts saying the power train system, then I can’t use my cruise control, and many other alerts pop up.

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.