NHTSA Safety Recalls
2020 Ford Explorer Recalls
The 2020 Ford Explorer has 33 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on July 14, 2026.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2020 Ford Explorer. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 33
- Owner complaints
- 1,242
- Crashes reported
- 37
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
10 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2020 Ford Explorer, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
33 recalls on the 2020 Ford Explorer
Seats: mid/rear assembly
- Campaign
- 26V451000
- Reported
- July 14, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 387,911
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2025 Explorer, 1 other model
Power train: automatic transmission
- Campaign
- 26V402000
- Reported
- June 24, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 741,195
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021 Explorer, 3 other models
Seat belts
- Campaign
- 26V159000
- Reported
- March 17, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 561
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 210, seat belt anchorages
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2025 Explorer, 1 other model
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- Campaign
- 26V117000
- Reported
- March 3, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 604,533
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer, 3 other models
Back over prevention: software
- Campaign
- 26V123000
- Reported
- March 3, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 889,950
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2024 Explorer, 3 other models
Equipment: electrical: engine block heater
- Campaign
- 25V685000
- Reported
- October 10, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 59,006
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2016–2018, 2021–2023 Explorer, 8 other models
Back over prevention: software
- Campaign
- 25V442000
- Reported
- June 27, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 200,237
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2024 Explorer, 19 other models
Seats: mid/rear assembly
- Campaign
- 25V393000
- Reported
- June 13, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 304,662
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2025 Explorer, 1 other model
Back over prevention: software
- Campaign
- 25V159000
- Reported
- March 14, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 49,399
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2023 Explorer, 2 other models
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- Campaign
- 25V166000
- Reported
- March 14, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 4,247
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Seat belts
- Campaign
- 25V093000
- Reported
- February 14, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 240,510
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2021 Explorer, 1 other model
Equipment: other: labels
- Campaign
- 24V852000
- Reported
- November 8, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 27,678
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 208, occupant crash protection
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2025 Explorer, 6 other models
Engine
- Campaign
- 24V598000
- Reported
- August 9, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 85,238
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 24V188000
- Reported
- March 8, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,988
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- only the 2020 Ford Explorer
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- Campaign
- 23V675000
- Reported
- October 6, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 238,364
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery
- Campaign
- 23V626000
- Reported
- September 8, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 2,954
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and fire
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer, 1 other model
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 23V342000
- Reported
- May 12, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 442,973
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2023 Explorer, 2 other models
Back over prevention: display function
- Campaign
- 23V305000
- Reported
- April 28, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 523
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
- Campaign
- 23V199000
- Reported
- March 24, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 674
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
- Campaign
- 23V069000
- Reported
- February 10, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 3,674
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2022 Explorer
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 23V022000
- Reported
- January 23, 2023
- Vehicles affected
- up to 382,759
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021–2023 Explorer, 2 other models
Back over prevention: software
- Campaign
- 21V735000
- Reported
- September 22, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 228,297
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021 Explorer, 2 other models
Suspension: rear
- Campaign
- 21V154000
- Reported
- March 10, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 49
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Engine
- Campaign
- 20V788000
- Reported
- December 17, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,405
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2021 Explorer, 1 other model
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
- Campaign
- 20V730000
- Reported
- November 24, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 17
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and fire
- Same campaign
- only the 2020 Ford Explorer
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- Campaign
- 20V693000
- Reported
- November 10, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 10,905
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and fire
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- Campaign
- 20V575000
- Reported
- September 23, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 620,246
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 111, rear visibility
- Same campaign
- also 11 other models
Seat belts: rear/other: buckle assembly
- Campaign
- 20V549000
- Reported
- September 10, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 29
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- only the 2020 Ford Explorer
Air bags: critical fasteners
- Campaign
- 20V497000
- Reported
- August 21, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 488
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- Campaign
- 19V859000
- Reported
- December 4, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 3,857
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Electrical system: wiring
- Campaign
- 19V687000
- Reported
- September 30, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 10,655
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- only the 2020 Ford Explorer
Seats: front assembly: recliner
- Campaign
- 19V633000
- Reported
- August 28, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 639,137
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 202, head restraints
- Same campaign
- also 2018–2019 Explorer, 6 other models
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
- Campaign
- 19V575000
- Reported
- August 5, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 13,896
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 114, theft protection and rollaway prevention
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
2020 Ford Explorer complaints by year
NHTSA has received 1,242 owner complaints about the 2020 Ford Explorer, the newest on October 21, 2026. Of these, 37 describe a crash (3%) and 10 a fire; owners reported 38 injuries.
In complaints about the 2020 Ford Explorer, the component group named most often is the power train (40%), followed by the electrical system (15%) and the engine (9%).
7 of the 2020 Ford Explorer's 33 recalls also concern the power train.
Where 2020 Ford Explorer owners gave the mileage (414 complaints), the median was 23,500 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Power Train501
- Unknown Or Other210
- Electrical System188
- Engine117
- Back Over Prevention104
- Service Brakes81
Complaints received, by year
| 2019 | 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 110 | |
| 2021 | 136 | |
| 2022 | 85 | |
| 2023 | 186 | |
| 2024 | 202 | |
| 2025 | 318 | |
| 2026 | 198 |
Complaints about the 2020 Ford Explorer peaked in 2025, when NHTSA received 318. 42% arrived between 2019 and 2023, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2020 vehicles, the 2020 Ford Explorer drew 2.6× the complaints of the median Ford Explorer year in the same window: 3rd highest of the 23 ranked years.
That makes 2020 one of the Ford Explorer years to avoid by our method.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★★
- Frontal: 5/5
- Side: 5/5
- Rollover: 4/5
The 1,242 complaints about the 2020 Ford Explorer are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Ford Explorer by model year
Other 2020 Ford models
Newest record on this page: October 21, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted