What 1,163 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

AFTER INITIALLY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IT WAS SHIFTED TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING HIGHER THAN NORMAL. UPON MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A DIVIDED BOULEVARD THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. THERE WAS TRAFFIC COMING BUT LUCKILY IT WAS FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION BACK INTO PARK AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE. WHEN I STARTED MOVING FORWARD AGAIN IT WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST 1ST GEAR STILL. . I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT AND LET MY HUSBAND TRY TO SEE IF HE COULD FIGURE IT OUT. WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON. STILL WPULD NOT SHIFT PAST 1ST GEAR. HE ATTEMPTED TO USE MANUAL SHIFTING AND IT WOULD ONLY GO TO 2ND GEAR THEN CHUG SEVERAL TIMES AND GO COME TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP. SHUT IT OFF AGAIN AND BACK ON. THIS TIME IT SEAMED TO BE WORKING. HE PULLED OUT ON TO THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE AGAIN ALMOST STOPPED HALF WAY THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. HE PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 MIN. WHEN IT TURNED BACK ON IT WORKED FINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON AT THIS POINT. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE 10 MILE DRIVE HOME. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING AS THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A WEEK AND A HALF OLD WITH LESS THAN 600 MILES ON IT. I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION TO START WITH BUT THIS DOES NOT HELP BUILD MY CONFIDENCE. ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR 10 MONTH OLD BABY WAS IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL AND HAD WE NEEDED TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF QUICK ACCELERATION WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AND COULD VERY WELL HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE GROUND WAS DRY AND SMOOTH.

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VEHICLE STALLED WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT ONTO A HIGHWAY (65MPH). IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE ONCE PUT IN DRIVE JERKED FORWARD/BACKWARD WHEN I HIT THE GAS. THE RPMS WENT UP BUT THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVING WELL. IT STALLED AGAIN. I HAD TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS 4 MORE TIMES. IT FINALLY BEGAN TO DRIVE AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE FORD PASS APP GAVE ME AN ERROR CODE. MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. THE VEHICLE HAS 109 MILES. THE CAR IS WITH THE DEALER LESS THAN 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE.

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I BELONG TO A FORD FORUM AND THEY'RE HAS BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT AN AIR DEFLECTOR MISSING IN THE REAR BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE MUFFLERS PART # 17788. THEY'RE ARE MANY CLAIMING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IT ON THEY'RE ST LEVEL EXPLORER. PLEASE CHECK ON SEE THIS MATTER. RUMOR IS THAT AT HIGH SPEED THE WIND CAN DAMAGE THE REAR BUMPER AND RIP IT OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11299423

ON JANUARY 6, 2020, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND COULD NOT STOP. I WAS GOING AROUND 40 MPH. THEN, I BEGIN PRESSING ON THE BREAK WITH MY RIGHT FOOT AND COULD NOT STOP. NEXT, I USED BOTH FEET PRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND COULD BARELY BRING THE TRUCK TO A STOP. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WERE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING (PARKING BREAK, ALL WHEEL DRIVE, TRACTION CONTROL) ON THE DASH. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH A LOANER VEHICLE. ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2020, THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED ME TO PROVIDE ME AN UPDATE. THEY ADVISED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY ADVISED THEM THAT THIS WAS A SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (MEANING THIS INFORMATION IS KNOWN TO FORD AND ALL FORD DEALERSHIPS NOT TO THE CUSTOMERS). DEALERSHIP ADVISED REAR BREAK CALIBERS NEEDS REPLACING, REAR BREAK MOTOR NEEDS REPLACING, AND REAR BREAK PADS NEEDS REPLACING. DEALERSHIP ADVISED ALL PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11298903

MY BRAND NEW 2020 FORD EXPLORER PLATINUM TOP OF LINE MODEL (VIN [XXX]) BROKE DOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2019 AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE SEIZURE WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES AND LEFT US STRANDED WITH MY FAMILY FOR HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL AND HAD THIS HAPPENED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DOING 80 MILES PER HOUR THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AND POTENTIALLY FATAL. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE AND I AM BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE BUT FORD CANNOT PROVIDE A DATE WHEN THE ENGINE WILL BE AVAILABLE. REMEMBER....THIS VEHICLE WAS ONLY A MONTH OLD! A 2020 VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN 2019!!! THE DEALERSHIP IS BEING FANTASTIC AND TRYING TO SWAP THE VEHICLE OUT FOR ME BUT FORD HAS DENIED THEIR REQUEST. I FINALLY SPOKE WITH A FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ([XXX]) AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINES FOR THIS MODEL (YES ENGINES PLURAL!) ARE BEING SHIPPED AT THE END OF THE MONTH. I ASKED HER DIRECTLY IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE AND SHE FLAT OUT SAID "NO, YOU'RE NOT". I REGRET HAVING PURCHASED A NEW MODEL YEAR VEHICLE OF THIS EXPLORER AND NOW FULLY THINK THIS IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE. I HOPE FORD SEES THIS. I THINK THEY HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE AND SOON IT WILL COME OUT THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 2020 EXPLORER. JUST WAIT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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DEEP SLEEP MODE ACTIVATES AFTER 2 DAYS. MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE INVOLVED HAVING TO JUMP START THE CAR AFTER SETTING 3 DAYS.

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VEHICLE DOESN'T MOVE FOR LONG SECONDS WHEN I SWITCH TO REVERSE.

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I PURCHASED A 2020 FORD EXPLORER AT SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, TX. THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED 11 SEPT 2019. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON 18 SEPT 2019 IN INDIANA (MILEAGE 1896) WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTO PARK FORD IN STERGIS, MICHIGAN. THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER, WHICH I NOW KNOW IS ENDEMIC TO THIS MODEL. I WAS TOLD THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HAD ALSO CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE TRANSMISSION & OIL COOLER WERE REPLACED AND I HAD TO DRIVE FROM NEW YORK TO MICHIGAN AT MY OWN EXPENSE TO GET THE CAR WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO ME 4 OCT 2019. THIS VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM (TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER) 5 NOV 2019 (MILEAGE APPROX..5,300) IN LAREDO, TX. AT THAT TIME, THEY TOOK THE ORIGINAL CAR BACK AND GAVE ME AN IDENTICAL, NEW 2020 FORD EXPLORER WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE DOWN WITH THE EXACT SAME TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER FAILURE.

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THIS VEHICLE WAS GIVEN TO ME ON OR ABOUT 12 NOVEMBER 2019 AS A REPLACEMENT FOR A 2020 FORD EXPLORER, VIN [XXX], PURCHASED FROM SAMES FORD IN LAREDO, WHICH TWICE HAD FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS NEW VEHICLE BROKE DOWN WHILE IN MOTION IN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM (TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER) IN NEW BOSTON, TEXAS ON 22 NOV 2019 (MILEAGE 1021). JOHNSTON FORD IN NEW BOSTON COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SECURE THE PARTS AS THEY WERE IN HIGH DEMAND FROM FORD, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FULLY REPAIRED UNTIL 10 DECEMBER 2019. I INTEND TO SELL THIS VEHICLE AS SOON AS IT IS RETURNED TO ME AS I NO LONGER HAVE FAITH THAT THIS MODEL CAN BE RELIED ON FOR SAFE HIGHWAY PERFORMANCE. ON BOTH VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER A MINIMUM OF TWO HOURS OF CONSTANT HIGHWAY DRIVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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BREAKS GAVE OUT WHILE BACKING OUT OF LANE. SEPARATE ISSUE PRESSED ON GAS NO RESPONSE OR DELAYED RESPONSE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. ACTED LIKE IT WAS ALMOST OUT OF GAS BUT NOT. ALSO OTHER SMALL ISSUE IS LOUD HIGH WHISTLE NOISE ABOVE 70MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11288246

ON A 400 MILE ROAD TRIP ON A HIGHWAY, WE STARTED FEELING EXHAUST FUMES IN THE INSIDE CABIN. FELT NAUSEA AND WATERY EYES AND HAD TO STOP COUPLE OF TIME TO GET A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS IT DISAPPEARED AFTER AN HOUR. SCARY THING IS I SEE SOME ELSE ALSO HAS REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE. COULD BE VERY HAZARDOUS HAVING EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN SIDE THE CABIN.

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HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN THE FRESH AIR INTAKE-MAKING ME AND MY PASSENGERS EXTREMELY SICK-NAUSEUS, REALLY BAD HEADACHES, EXTREMELY SLEEPY, ACID REFLUX AND EVEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK HALF HOUR AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE IF WE'VE BEEN STANDING NEXT TO AN EXHAUST PIPE!!!! ONE OF THESE TIMES, IM NOT GOING TO REALISE JUST HOW TIRED ITS MAKING ME-THAT I CRASH AND KILL MYSELF OR WORSE KILL SOMEONE ELSE OR FAMILY!! SERIOUS ISSUE ANS FORD CLAIMS......NOTHING WRONG!! [XXX]!! THIS IS A DEADLY FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH RIGHT NOW!!! WAY STRONGER WHEN IDLING, NOT AS BAD IF YOU PUT THE HVAC ON RECIRCULATE CABIN AIR-BUT EVEN THAT WONT STAY ENGAGED FOR MORE THAN 15MINUTES!! THAT IN ITSELF TELLS ME THERES A FLAW WITH THE FRESH AIR INTAKE MODE DOOR SOLENOID!!! PLEASE HELP ME AND MY FAMILY. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO REV VERY HIGHLY AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER AND LEVITOWN FORD (3195 HEMPSTEAD TPKE, LEVITOWN, NY) WERE NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. *DT*JB

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