FORD EXPEDITION · model year

2020 FORD EXPEDITION

433 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports, and 15 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020FORDEXPEDITION carries 433 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 13 fires, 25 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 EXPEDITION is power train with 207 filings, followed by engine (46) and unknown or other (41). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 15 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 4 investigation files overlapping the 2020 EXPEDITION. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

433
Complaints
7
Crashes
13
Fires
25
Injuries
0
Deaths
2020 FORD EXPEDITION — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

433 filings

Crashes Reported

7 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN207
ENGINE46
UNKNOWN OR OTHER41
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM29
SEAT BELTS18
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13
STRUCTURE:BODY9
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION6
AIR BAGS6
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY5
SERVICE BRAKES5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS4
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION4
VISIBILITY/WIPER3

Recalls (15)

19V63300028/08/2019

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

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

25V44200027/06/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2

20V57500023/09/2020

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

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 dist

20V57400023/09/2020

SEAT BELTS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The seat belt tension sensor may incorrectly classify a child occupant as an adult.

20V36600023/06/2020

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The attachment bracket for the driver's side second-row seat headrest may not have been sufficiently welded to the seat frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safet

25V19700023/05/2025

SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

25V34600023/05/2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Navigator vehicles that were repaired incorrectly under recall 20V262. The Pre-Collision Assist features, such as forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, are not functional due to a software error.

25V62800019/09/2025

ENGINE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. A short circuit within the battery junction box can cause an engine fire while driving or parked.

20V21700016/04/2020

SEAT BELTS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The front passenger seatbelt buckle's Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) may malfunction and may result in the seat occupant being misclassified.

22V25000014/04/2022

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

23V42000009/06/2023

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head re

24V09900009/02/2024

SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

24V85200008/11/2024

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requiremen

20V26200008/05/2020

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with camera-only Pre-Collision Assist feature. Vehicles built with the optional radar-plus-camera Pre-Collision Assist system are not affected. Due to incorrect coding of interfacing modules

20V19700003/04/2020

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually b

Recent Complaints

20260218POWER TRAIN

Component/System Failure: The vehicle is experiencing a catastrophic transmission failure (specifically the 10R80 transmission) beyond what is described in Ford TSB 24-2101. The transmission slips significantly and loses all power transmission while in motion. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of other motorists are at extreme risk. While driving at highway speeds (approx. 65-70 MPH), the vehicle suddenly loses the ability to maintain speed or accelerate. This causes an immediate, unexpected deceleration in high-speed traffic, nearly resulting in rear-end collisions. The system takes several seconds to "reset" or catch a gear, during which time I have zero control over the vehicle's propulsion. This is an intermittent but recurring failure that makes the vehicle unpredictable and life-threatening to operate in traffic. Confirmation/Inspection: The problem has been confirmed by a Ford dealership service center and a secondary certified independent mechanic. Both confirmed the tra

20260217POWER TRAIN

While driving my 2020 Ford Expedition at approximately 50-60 mph, the vehicle experienced a sudden, unintended downshift without driver input. The dashboard gear indicator abruptly dropped to "1st gear." This caused rapid deceleration and a mechanical "chattering/popcorn" noise as the transmission struggled to find a gear. The loss of power in traffic created an immediate safety hazard and risk of a rear-end collision. A certified Ford dealership (River View Ford - Oswego, IL) has diagnosed this as an internal Transmission failure.

20260217POWER TRAIN

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Ford Expedition, which is currently subject to Recall (24E13) related to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM)> Despite multiple repair attempts, the vehicle continues to experience dangerous transmission and drivability issues. While driving , the vehicle: Loses gears unexpectedly Engine RPMs rev excessively high before the transmission finally engages Hesitates and has delayed acceleration Randomly makes loud clunking noises during shifting Emits a noticeable burning smell during acceleration These issues create serious safety concerns, particularly when merging into traffic, crossing intersections, or accelerating from a stop. The delayed acceleration and gear loss place me and my passengers at risk of collision. The vehicle has been brought in multiple times for the same recall-related issue, yet the problem persists. The repair attempts have not resolved the unsafe condition. I am requesting immediate corrective action to

20260206POWER TRAIN

My Ford Expedition (2-wheel drive) is experiencing jerking at variety of speeds, (changing gears, slowing down) and will sometimes get stuck in gear when I press the gas. Today, as I was entering the freeway, I pressed the accelerator and the transmission did not engage—there was no power at all until I released the gas pedal and pressed it again, at which point it finally engaged. This issue happens intermittently and is a serious safety concern, especially because I cannot predict whether the vehicle will hesitate or fail to respond when accelerating.

20260118UNKNOWN OR OTHER

In 2023 while the vehicle was still under warranty, the vehicle would slip gears while accelerating. After being told it was fixed by a Ford dealership, it worked until 2024, as the vehicle hit 60,020 miles. Over 1000 dollars of repairs to the transmission, it is happening again. No help from either Ford or the dealership that worked on it twice.

20260109POWER TRAIN

Transmission will randomly jump while accelerating and downshift to the point that we have to get to the interstate shoulder. This has happened many times.

20260108POWER TRAIN

We bought this truck new. When accelerating in “normal” transmission, mode, it would downshift and the turbos would kick in at the same time giving an unwanted surge of power. I found that driving in “sports” mode would give me more normal acceleration. Another issue I had as it got older was getting a big clank from the transmission when putting it in gear, especially in the morning when cold. I described it as hitting an anvil with a hammer. I took it to our local Ford dealer in Carthage, Missouri in early January 2025. The Service Rep said this was normal and I should let the truck warm up before shifting into gear. I told him I parked in the garage and that was not possible. He did not schedule an appointment to check it. About two weeks later on February 5, 2025 with 57,796 miles I returned to the dealer and insisted they check it before the warranty expired. They found nothing wrong. On the weekend from [XXX], I drove approximately 700 miles. During this weekend when ac

20260106POWER TRAIN

2020 Ford Expedition with 38,094 miles started having delayed and rough shifting a few days after my warranty was out on December 12th. 2024. I had looked up the issue before I took it in and found all these complaints and was worried mine was having this same issue. Took to our ford dealer and it was confirmed that my 10R80 transmission had failed and my CDF drum is worn and quoted 5600 to fix! They refuse to cover the cost knowing I and 1000's of others have had this same issue. FORD refuses to acknowledge it and the consumer is left with bill. I have owned 2 ford Explorers and 2 Expeditions in my driving life and feel like they have screwed me over. This needs to be resolved. They need to be held accountable! I am at a loss here and cant afford this fix so does a practically new ( by mileage terms ) car just sit in the yard and rot now??

20251230UNKNOWN OR OTHER

i had the backup camera replaced last year when it failed under warranty, paid a $100 deductible to Ford. Now the backup camera has failed again. Why isn’t my vehicle included in the recall?

20251223POWER TRAIN

I am suggesting an investigation into the 2020 model Ford expedition relating to the 10 speed automatic transmission in this vehicle and others in previous and newer models. The problem is known and has been well documented that the transmission often fails and pops out of gear especially when accelerating and is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons while passing or climbing hills. There is not a recall for repair or replacement of these transmissions. The recommended service for this transmission occurs at 150000 miles according to the owners manual however failure often begins well before the first recommended service interval. The cost to repair or replace the equipment often exceeds $10000 and service managers are well aware of the issue.

20251223POWER TRAIN

My transmission started jumping gears and slipping at 65k miles. I had it checked out then and the mechanic said that these transmissions shifted rough, but they were not really sure why and that they reprogrammed the computer and that should fix it. It went on intermittently for the next 6 months to a year and I took it in again and was told they couldn't get the transmission to shift rough or skip so I would have to come back once it got worse. The longer I drove it, the worse it got until I would regularly lose all power to the wheels even at high speeds as the transmission failed to find a gear to engage. I finally took it back to the dealer again and this time they found that the front differential had failed and was full of metal shavings, the transmission was shifting really hard and missing gears and the driveshaft seal had failed and begun leaking as well. The vehicle had approximately 90k miles on it, and Ford didn't even recommend a transmission service/fluid change until 10

20251220POWER TRAIN

The incident occurred while traveling at 75 mph on the interstate. The car felt like it tried to put itself in park and slammed forward violently, at that time it came up with a shift fault light on the display, it shifted to neutral so there was no movement of the vehicle it was free wheeling, then it slammed itself back in a low gear where the vehicle slammed hard and the car engine was redlined. The transmission then proceeded to shift back up into a higher gear. All this while traveling at 75 mph. My concern, if one of my kids were driving it, or the road conditions would have been wet or snowy we would of had a very different outcome. The vehicle was sent to a Ford dealer where they found a park shift failure and shift issues recommending a new transmission. Ford was not willing to warranty the transmission even with the issues experienced and forced me to pay 60 percent of the cost. I find this hard to believe since a family could've been severely injured or killed. Previous t

20251211VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof fractured. The contact stated that there was no impact on the sunroof. In addition, the contact stated that the sunroof glass had exploded outward. The contact stated that had the sunroof had exploded from the inside, the shattered glass pieces would have fallen onto the contact's wife, who was seated in the front passenger's seat. The contact stated that as the owner of the vehicle, the sunroof had never been opened. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled for a sunroof replacement on the following day. In addition, the contact stated that, according to the internet forum, it was a known failure with similar vehicles. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Mileage: 92,000

20251202POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25E070000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that he lived near a School Zone and was concerned that the failure could occur, causing the vehicle to strike and injure children on the road. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact that the vehicle was safe to drive because the recall was not a safety recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251125POWER TRAIN

I got a brand new transmission put in at the beginning of the year but my whole car spits and sputters and shakes going 45 and when I am backing up it throws me forward(almost in the car in front of me) instead of reversing and making a loud clinking noise

20251121POWER TRAIN

My 2020 Ford Expedition Platinum VIN [XXX] miles suddenly began harsh shifting violent kicking/jerking and lunging between gears while driving at highway speeds 65-80mph. The vehicle slams into gear unexpectedly and has nearly caused loss of control on multiple occasions. Dealership diagnosed CDF drum failure in the 10R80 automatic transmission requiring full transmission replacement at a cost of 8,057 (TSB 25-2132 and prior TSBs). This is a known widespread safety defect affecting thousands of 2018-2022 Ford vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission. Ford has issued multiple TSBs and is currently facing class-action litigation over this exact failure. Despite the clear safety implications and identical cases being approved for 100% goodwill coverage, ford is refusing full repair coverage in my case. This defect presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20251114ENGINE

The SUV was driving smoothly at 55mph speed, suddenly I hit the break and tried to reaccelerate and felt a hard transmission shift, felt like metal hitting metal, felt like it was forced to shift to drive mode from parking mode. After that I started using 93 octane rated gasoline, do not observe the problem too much. I will really scary and unsafe, the whole SUV shook hard for 2sec.

20251114FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The SUV was driving smoothly at 55mph speed, suddenly I hit the break and tried to reaccelerate and felt a hard transmission shift, felt like metal hitting metal, felt like it was forced to shift to drive mode from parking mode. After that I started using 93 octane rated gasoline, do not observe the problem too much. I will really scary and unsafe, the whole SUV shook hard for 2sec.

20251106POWER TRAIN

Transmission stalls, shifts hard, shutters,. Had the transmission rebuilt about four months agoand similar issues are already starting with the rebuilt transmission.

20251104POWER TRAIN

The transmission failed. It is being rebuilt when the dealership can get to it. So it's available until then. The transmission would slip, lag shifting or slam into gear sporadically and unpredictably. This caused inconvenience at best and erratic vehicle behavior that endangered myself and other drivers at worst. This has been confirmed by the dealer who recommended a rebuild with improved parts to correct this know condition/failure. Yes the Ford dealer inspected the transmission. There we never any warnings or messages to indicate anything is wrong. The symptoms progressed for a couple days before I brought it to Ford.

Compare 2020FORDEXPEDITION to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION have?
The 2020 FORD EXPEDITION has 433 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 13 fires, 25 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION?
The 2020 FORD EXPEDITION received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION?
Yes, the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION has 15 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION?
The most-complained component for the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION is POWER TRAIN with 207 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2020 FORD EXPEDITION safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 FORD EXPEDITION has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.