2020 Ford Explorer engine problems

Related recalls

• 20V788000 · Engine

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.…

• 25V685000 · Equipment › Electrical › Engine Block Heater

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolan…

• 24V598000 · Engine

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with the Police Interceptor Utility Package. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as …

Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What owners report

• “When I was driving on the highway, the car braked really hard like brake checked. It seemed like it was part of the safety system because a light was flashing on the dash like I was gonna hit something but no car was there. Now my car keeps jolting and breaking fast even when I accelerate it will brake for half a second when I am driving. in my car keeps overheating. The mechanics tell me it’s related to something pinching off oil lines and the transmission possibly and that the recalls are poss…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 11/02/2026

• “My transmission had been getting increasingly jerky (was never a smooth ride since it was new). At 55k miles, I was driving down the road and my car started to jerk roughly and would not shift gears. It would go and jerk, hard, like I hit something. We made it home but the next day it was even worse. I noted it was jerking around 25 mph and randomly at other speeds. I drove it to Ford, where we were under the impression there was an upcoming transmission recall, but we also thought our extended …”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 10/15/2026

• “The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle was shaking excessively, with severe vibrations throughout the cabin of the vehicle. The failure was coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that while approaching a stop sign or a red light and depressing the brake pedal, the RPM was rising and the vehicle failed to stop as intended, causing the vehicle to crash into a pole in a parking lot, causing a dent to the front grille and scratches i…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 10/08/2026 · crash

• “Driving down road when motor started making noise. No lights on dash or anything then it started to buck and wouldn’t accelerate.i pulled over on the highway and shut it off and called a friend for a tow. Got the car checked out and turns out it was almost 5 quarts low on oil and has spun a rod bearing and almost locked up.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 09/24/2026

• “While driving down a main road, the speed limit changed from 40 to 55 mph. When the gas pedal was pushed, the car violently jerked, did not speed up, and proceeded to have a grinding sound emitting from the engine. No warning lights appeared. The grinding noise continued until the vehicle was placed in neutral and back in drive. We began looking into it and found a recall for the transmission. We contacted a local dealership and were told that they would not be able to inspect or address the iss…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 08/21/2026

• “I drove to work with no issues, lights or warnings. I parked and worked for 7 hours. Upon leaving and cranking the engine, it immediately showed overheated and went into limp mode. I drove it less than 100Ft, parked and called for a tow. There was no puddles or other indications of an issue. Upon towing to the closest dealership, I was informed the oil cooler failed putting coolant into the oil and "scorching" the engine and I need an entire new engine. The dealership confirmed there wouldn't be…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 07/24/2026

• “The part that is affected is the engine/transmission. When the temperature outside reaches approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the engine seizes upon starting and it will not engage in gear until it is warmed up. That's take anywhere from 5-10 min. If its not fully warmed and you try to go in reverse or drive forward, the car does a hard jump and jerk rendering the vehicle hard to steer . The engine seizes in the cold making it dangerous also, if you were in an emergency situation you would not…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 07/13/2026

• “Transmission with known defects failed at 72,000 miles under normal driving circumstances and a vehicle only six years old.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 06/25/2026

Unverified owner reports from NHTSA's public complaint database.

Check the one you're looking at

A free VIN report shows recalls that may apply, the 5-year cost, and whether it fits your budget. Then ask our AI about this exact problem.