What 1,160 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ford Explorer Gas

Service advance track 4 weel drive doesn’t work and I don’t have control on the weels

NHTSA ODI 11739025

SUMMARY OF FACTS FOR LEGAL CONSULTATION Bad Faith Redhibition Claim — Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2545 Prepared for Attorney Consultation 1. Vehicle & Transaction Information Vehicle2020 Ford Explorer ST — AWDPurchase DateMarch 2025Purchase Structure17,000 trade-in applied 17,000 remaining loan balanceAdditional Warranty2,500 paid warranty purchased through dealership at time of saleSelling DealerIndependently licensed dealership (non-Ford franchise)Warranty ServiceWarranty work performed during coverage period 2. The Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 23-2174) Ford issued TSB 23-2174 in July 2023 — nearly two years before the vehicle was sold to the client. Key facts about the TSB: •Covers: 2020–2021 Ford Explorer/Lincoln Aviator AWD vehicles •Component affected: Front Axle Disconnect Actuator (FADA) — left side •Failure mode: FADA O-ring seal failure causing AWD malfunction, triggering powertrain warning light (wrench icon) with DTCs C00A6 and/or C0631 •Required repair per TSB: Full replacement of FADA with revised intermediate shaft AND reprogramming of transfer case control module •Result of proper TSB repair: Permanently eliminates front axle disconnect capability — a fundamental, permanent change to vehicle drivetrain operation •TSB was publicly available on [XXX] at time of purchase — free, searchable by VIN 3. Critical Pre-Sale Service Record — January 2025 The dealership's own service center performed the following repair on the vehicle approximately 1–2 months before the sale to client: Date of ServiceJanuary 2025 (approx. 1–2 months pre-sale)Work Order DescriptionLeft axle disconnect/hub actuatorParts ListedMotorcraft left axle seal ONLYLabor Hours9 hoursDTCs or TSB ReferencedNone listed on work orderAWD Module ReprogrammedNot indicated on work order Critical observation: The terminology used on the dealer's own work order — "left axle disconnect/hub actuator" — mirrors the exact component language of TSB 23-2174. A technician with suffici INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11723709

Rear camera does not detect traffic passing or people walking behind the vehicle.Sometimes the screen goes blue. Crash alert goes off any time it wants. Even when parked.

NHTSA ODI 11706332

My suv was expired last dec and didnt know I just got that since April 2025 and I have to pay my own self for fix suv It not my fault and there no warranty for me check suv and fix recall

NHTSA ODI 11687009

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?
The issue pertains to a water leak in the rear liftgate area and/or water accumulation in the spare tire area, potentially accompanied by a lack of audio functionality in my 2020 Ford Explore ST as outlined in TSB 24-2044 (NHTSA ID: 102514). The affected component is the rear liftgate structure and associated seals, which allow water ingress, particularly noticeable after car washes or rainfall. The entire sound system to include any collision and impact warnings have failed to chime. 2. 
The water leak in the rear liftgate and spare tire area poses potential safety risks. Accumulated water can damage electrical components, such as wiring or audio systems, which may lead to malfunctions in critical vehicle systems. For example, water ingress could affect rear lighting, sensors, or other electronic modules, potentially compromising visibility or functionality during operation. Additionally, water accumulation may contribute to corrosion or mold growth, posing long-term structural or health risks for occupants. These issues could reduce vehicle reliability and increase the risk of accidents, especially in adverse weather conditions. 3.The issue has been acknowledged by Ford in TSB 24-2044, which provides a service procedure to identify and address the leak path. The Bill Currie Ford dealership in Tampa, FL has inspected my vehicle on several occasions, recently July 15, 2025 and confirmed water leakage in the rear liftgate area consistent with TSB 24-2044.The dealer will not repair unless I pay over $2200 for the repair, which I refuse for a manufacture defect. 4. To date, the vehicle has not been inspected by the police or insurance representatives, but the issue align with the TSB report. 5. Water observed in the spare tire & tailgate area every time since purchase. A loss of audio back in July 2023 and numerous occasions since complete failure as of January 3 2024

NHTSA ODI 11679932

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V159000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the vehicle experienced a failure with the back over prevention system. The contact stated that the image on the screen was occasionally blue, or the image was frozen. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same dealer and was informed there would be a charge for a diagnostic test and the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11667216

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the touchscreen monitor and backup camera display were extremely hot to the touch. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 104,009.

NHTSA ODI 11647429

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.

NHTSA ODI 11635174

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under Ford Recall: 23S23/NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention); related to the Camera Blue Screen however, the repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that approximately 3 years after the recall repair was completed, the digital screen failed to display the rearview image as intended and would reset once the rear door was opened and closed. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was not related to the recall repair and that a software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 11622715

360 cameras are foggy and cannot see out of them causing false readings on parking alerts.This is the same issue the f150s have a recall about but there is not one for the explorer. The foggy display is getting worse over time. Hard to tell by the picture but in not very bright areas out of direct sun you cannot see anything on the 360 camera

NHTSA ODI 11603984

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera screen was black intermittently. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 52,700.

NHTSA ODI 11598607

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and failed to display an image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V305000 (Back Over Prevention) for the failure. The failure mileage was 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 11596935

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating, and the message "Power Train Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the back-over prevention camera display screen failed to display an image, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The camera was replaced on several occasions, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11593454

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while in reverse, the camera screen went blank. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11591689

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the camera showed a blue screen when the vehicle was shifted into reverse. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11582984

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.

NHTSA ODI 11576656

My backup camera hasn’t been reliable for over 2 years. Also my audio and GPS do not work. If I put my phone in the car I cannot even answer it due to no audio. I believe it needs a download update. I have tried and tried but have not succeeded. In getting an oil change the mechanic told me it can only be done on a ford computer. This is wrong! I only have 36000 miles on it

NHTSA ODI 11576126

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.

NHTSA ODI 11572734

Drivers assist failed and caused me to cross lanes into the cable barrier on interstate 40 causing 18,000 dollars worth of damage now the parking assist no longer works

NHTSA ODI 11567961

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image turned black or blue. A message indicating that the rearview camera was inoperable was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown software update was performed several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11563090

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the rear-view camera screen was blue. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear-view camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11559497

My backup and 360 camera repeatedly fails. It maybe works 1% of the time. Ford is aware and has no resolution for the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11556333

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) and 23V675000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11554862

Please refer Complaint Number: 11507564 Manufacturer promised to release a temporary remedy by mid august. Its November ,still no temporary fix nor permanent. Dealers give a fixed response of no parts available or no remedy. Attached is the recall letter that promised a temporary fix by aug 7,2023.

NHTSA ODI 11553811

No recalls listed on this site for my vehicle, but the main center dash screen is failing about 40% of the time, preventing the back up camera from working intermittently.

NHTSA ODI 11552213