Lemon Law Check › 2020 Ford Explorer
Complaint counts by vehicle system, from 1137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Ford Explorer:
| Power train | 422 complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 148 complaints |
| Electrical system | 132 complaints |
| Back over prevention | 61 complaints |
| Engine | 47 complaints |
| Exterior lighting | 41 complaints |
"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 app…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/31/2025
"When parked with the vehicle running a passenger exited the rear seat behind the driver. when they closed the door the drivers seat moved all the way forward and the seat back also moved forward pinning the driver to the steering wheel. after a few seconds the driver was ab…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/31/2023
"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."
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/30/2025
| Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings 04/12/2019 · 19V859000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Over time, the protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line may chafe through the plastic liquid fuel line and cause a fuel leak. |
|---|---|
| Engine 17/12/2020 · 20V788000 | 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. |
| Suspension:rear 10/03/2021 · 21V154000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The rear lower control arm (RLCA) bolts that attach the rear lower control arms to the wheel knuckles may not have been heat-treated, which … |
| Back over prevention:software 22/09/2021 · 21V735000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying. |
| Seat belts: rear/other:buckle assembly 10/09/2020 · 20V549000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with second row center seat belt buckles that may not be properly secured to the seat. |
| Power train:driveline:driveshaft 10/11/2020 · 20V693000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 3.3L engine and a 10 Speed Automatic Transmission with the All Wheel Drive package. The drive shaft may fracture along the… |
Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers. Check your specific vehicle with the free VIN recall checker.
If the same warranty problem has needed 2+ repair attempts — or your Explorer has spent 30+ days out of service — it may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash compensation under your state's lemon law. Manufacturers pay the legal fees in most states, so the case review costs you nothing.
Check My Explorer — Free →Based on 1137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas for the 2020 Ford Explorer are power train, unknown or other, electrical system.
NHTSA lists 31 recall campaigns for the 2020 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are always free at franchised dealers regardless of warranty status.
A specific vehicle qualifies as a lemon based on its own repair history, not the model's overall record. If your Explorer has had power train or other warranty problems repaired 2–4 times without success, or has spent 30+ days in the shop, it may qualify under your state's lemon law — attorneys evaluate this free of charge.
Researching this car as a buyer instead? Read the full Carivo review of the 2020 Ford Explorer.
All recall and complaint figures on this page come directly from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) federal records for this make, model, and year, fetched at page build time and cached daily. Complaint excerpts are owner-submitted reports to NHTSA, lightly truncated. Carivo is an independent data site, not a law firm; lemon law eligibility is determined solely by attorneys under your state's statute.