Fuel Economy
19–28MPG
Gas & Hybrid options available
NHTSA Complaints
1198
35 crash reports • 29 reporting injuries
Safety Recalls
34
34 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
Not Rated / Pending

EPA Fuel Economy & Powertrain Specifications

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by powertrain configuration

Powertrain Group Engine / Drivetrain City MPG Hwy MPG Combined MPG Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Standard 3.3L 6-Cyl Regular
Automatic (S10) • Rear-Wheel Drive
16–27 23–29 19–28 MPG $2,200–$3,250 / yr

NHTSA NCAP Crash Test & Safety Ratings

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP laboratory crash evaluations are not currently on file for the 2020 Ford Explorer.

Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Not Specified and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Not Specified in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Ford Explorer models.
View complete 2020 Ford Explorer crash test & safety breakdown →

Reported Problems & Owner Complaints Summary (1198)

Summary of 1198 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
1198
Crash Reports
35
Fire Reports
11
Complaints w/ Injury
29
Total Injuries
38

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Powertrain 331 complaints (4 crashes)
Back Over Prevention / Camera 56 complaints (3 crashes)
Electrical System 45 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 44 complaints (1 crash)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 42 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2020 Ford Explorer problems & component breakdown (189 categories) →

Official Safety Recalls (34)

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V687000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #19V633000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Defect Summary: 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 back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #23V305000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Defect Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with a 12.1-inch Integrated Computer Screen (ICS). When the Display On/Off Button is used to turn the display to "Off" prior to placing the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera rearview image will not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the ICS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C14.
View all 2020 Ford Explorer recalls & campaign history (34 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.