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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
8,891 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2020 Ford Explorer steering problems

steering problem

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2020 Ford Explorer Owner Comments

problem #15

Jul 042023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Upon starting and before driving (still parked) steering column started making vibrating, creaking, cracking, screeching noises when adjusting to proper driving position and seems to be beginning to fail. This is worse when the vehicle has been heated by hot summer temps. I have video with audio too. I've attached Ford's TSB 22-2144 and the NHTSA ID# 10210476

- State College, PA, USA

problem #14

Nov 302022

Explorer

  • miles
Acceleration issues because of transmission slippage. Transmission slippage, upon acceleration transmission, vibration in slippage. Slipping upon acceleration, low speeds, and high speeds. Clutch plate engaging issues. When putting the car from drive into park On a slight incline, car will bounce back-and-forth roughly 1 inch before stopping.

- Manasquan, NJ, USA

problem #13

Mar 312023

Explorer

  • miles
Sudden unintended acceleration when parking; vehicle stopped with brake depressed. Vehicle suddenly accelerated and steering wheel jerked back and forth with no driver input resulting in an collision with an unoccupied parked car. No injuries. Insurance adjuster stated that Dealer found no evidence of equipment malfunction. A police report was filed (military police aboard a military base), report is pending as requires FOIA. No warning lamps or messages or other symptoms prior to failure.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #12

Feb 012023

Explorer

  • 37,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and intermittently displayed a blue screen. Additionally, while driving, the display screen would erroneously activate and cause the steering wheel to momentarily vibrate and shake. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a software update which corrected the failure; however, after a second software update was performed, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 37,000.

- Binghamton, NY, USA

problem #11

Feb 012022

Explorer

  • 34,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to simultaneously accelerate and make a left turn, the steering wheel forcefully turned in the opposite direction. During the failure the message "power steering fault, service required" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the 12-volt battery was faulty and performed a reprogramming of the steering system. After retrieving the vehicle, the failure was still present. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000.

- Lynn, MA, USA

problem #10

Jan 182022

Explorer

  • miles
The vehicle steering wheel felt loose, took the vehicle to a local Ford dealer where they found that the steering wheel bolt was loose almost to the point of falling off. They tightened up the bolt and sent me on my way.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #9

Nov 052021

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving at 70 mph the vehicle experienced the following issues all at once, the power steering shut off, all brake pressure was lost, the pre- collision system was turned off, parking brake engaged(at 70 mph) traction control system turned off, engine light turned on and all of the warning lights on the dash activated. This has happened 3 times and almost killed me twice. Ford has tried to repair this vehicle all three times and still have not corrected the issue. Ford has also refused to replace or buy back the vehicle.

- Aubrey, TX, USA

problem #8

Jul 162021

Explorer

  • 17,999 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 55 - 75 mph, the contact was switching lanes and felt the vehicle was swerving. The contact stated that there were vibrations felt coming from the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer test drove the vehicle and diagnosed that there was no failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,999.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #7

Jan 172021

Explorer

  • 17,000 miles
Transmission was grinding and stopped pulling at approximately 17,000 miles. Had car towed to dealer. There was a transmission leak. It was repaired and 6 quarts of fluid added. Since the repairs, transmission is hard shifting and jerking. I've had the car back at the dealer for steering issues 3 times. At highway speeds (65mph and above) the car wanders all over the road, like there's slack in the rack and pinion. The dealer says the alignment is okay and refuses to listen to my complaints. Have issues with the sync. The radio will randomly not let you adjust the volume and have had the back-up camera replaced. Also, randomly will not sync-up with iphone.

- Pine Bluff, AR, USA

problem #6

Jul 202020

Explorer

  • 8,000 miles
Steering wheel shakes and engine sounds as it is going to stall at speeds between, 35 and 45 mph. Ford had vehicle for two weeks total and confirmed issues. They did not know how tp fix. They said vehicle is within specifications'

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #5

Oct 282020

Explorer

  • 1,440 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle loss motive power without warning. The contact stated that he slowed down and regained control of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,440.

- Glen Cove, NY, USA

problem #4

Aug 222020

Explorer

  • 7,731 miles
On Saturday August 22, I drove my 2020 Ford Explorer Sport to work in my company parking lot. When I attempted to leave work to go home, after starting the car, I received a succession of warning notices - hill start assist not available / reverse brake assist not available / pre-collision assist not available / service advance trac / steering loss - stop safely. The car was brand new, not even a year old and has only 7,000 miles. The car was towed to summit Ford in siverthorne Colorado on August 23 where it has been for two weeks. It is absolutely outrageous that a relatively new car would have a catastrophic failure of the steering system without warning leaving me without a vehicle for over two weeks. Needless to say, I will never purchase another Ford product but they need to be held accountable for the inconvenience they have caused me with this obviously inferior product.

- Avon, CO, USA

problem #3

Jul 192020

Explorer

  • 8,300 miles
My 2020 Ford Explorer St power steering went out while the vehicle was driving in traffic on a freeway doing 70 mph going down a 6% grade at 6,000 ft. (cajon pass) while my wife was driving nearly causing a major accident.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #2

Oct 122019

Explorer

  • 1,000 miles
When outside temp is below minus 5 degrees steering is hard, at slow speed steering locked had to jerk it to control. Above 60mph steering ok. Happened at parking lot speed (locking up) and below 60mph hard steering.

- Burnsville, MN, USA

problem #1

Mar 012020

Explorer

  • 900 miles
While driving on the highwaythe 'steering fault service now light' came up on the dashboard while traveling 75 mph miles on odometer 900. After stopping the car and restarting it the 'steering loss stop safely' message popped up on the dashboard I had to drive to the dealership with no power steering or any transmission options like sport, economy, regular, deep snow, no assist for uphill or downhill parking

- Flemington, NJ, USA

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