Model year guide

2020 Ford Explorer

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2020 Ford Explorer is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 55 on record.

2020 Ford Explorer — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2020 Ford Explorer at a glance

Safety recalls31
Owner complaints1,140
Combined23 mpg
Typical price$40,879

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2020 Ford Explorer recalls 31

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings NHTSA Campaign #19V859000 · 04/12/2019

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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a longer protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line, as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued owners and interim notification on January 29, 2020. Recall began March 23, 2020. A second notice will be sent once parts are available, expected to be …

Engine NHTSA Campaign #20V788000 · 17/12/2020

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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and replace the right hand motor mount fasteners, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S72.

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #21V154000 · 10/03/2021

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 could cause them to break.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace both RLCA bolts, free of charge. The recall began on April 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S11.

Back Over Prevention:software NHTSA Campaign #21V735000 · 22/09/2021

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.

Fix: Dealers will update the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S44.

Seat Belts: Rear/other:buckle Assembly NHTSA Campaign #20V549000 · 10/09/2020

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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the second row center seat assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S50.

Power Train:driveline:driveshaft NHTSA Campaign #20V693000 · 10/11/2020

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 weld seam.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shaft label inspected and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S65.

Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera NHTSA Campaign #20V575000 · 23/09/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FM…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage NHTSA Campaign #20V730000 · 24/11/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L engines and 19 gallon fuel tanks. The fuel tank inlet check valve may not be fully welded to the fuel tank shell.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank shell, free of charge. The recall began December 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S68.

Air Bags:critical Fasteners NHTSA Campaign #20V497000 · 21/08/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's …

Seats:front Assembly:recliner NHTSA Campaign #19V633000 · 28/08/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat …

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Electrical System:wiring NHTSA Campaign #19V687000 · 30/09/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.3L engines. The wiring harness may not have been properly secured and may contact the air conditioner compressor (A/C) pulley, potentially damaging the harness or the A/C belt.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a tie strap to the wiring harness at the hand shock tower clip, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S32.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl) NHTSA Campaign #19V575000 · 05/08/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The Manual Park Release (MPR) cover may not be installed. In addition, the vehicles may be in Factory Mode, which disables warning alerts and does not display the transmission gear selected. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 114, "Theft Preve…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, install a MPR cover. Dealers will verify the instrument cluster is not in Factory Mode and clear any fault codes, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Fo…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2020 Ford Explorer common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 1,140 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Visibility/wiper
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Forward Collision Avoidance
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

2020 Ford Explorer MPG & running costs

Combined23 mpg
City21 mpg
Highway26 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,700

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2020 Ford Explorer worth?

Low
$35,595
Typical price
$40,879
High
$46,995

From 45 comparable 2020 Ford Explorer listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2020 Ford Explorer costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$13,500
Depreciation (5 yrs)$11,200
Total$24,700
Per mile$0.33

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($40,879) with the same model 5 model-years older ($29,668), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2020 Ford Explorer trims & engines on record

Trims
XLT · Limited · ST · Platinum
Engines
2.3L 4-cyl 270 hp · 3.0L 6-cyl

2020 Ford Explorer vehicles on record

Other Ford Explorer model years

2020 Ford Explorer — frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Ford Explorer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 31 safety recalls for the 2020 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Ford Explorer?

Based on 1,140 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are power train, electrical system, visibility/wiper.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Ford Explorer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2020 Ford Explorer at about 23 mpg combined (21 city / 26 highway).

How much is a 2020 Ford Explorer worth?

Comparable 2020 Ford Explorer listings run roughly $35,595–$46,995, typically around $40,879 (from 45 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.