Ford Explorer 2020–2025

6th generation · U625 (Ford CD6, longitudinal RWD-based) · 2,899 complaints, 797 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 20,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 23.1% of complaints (670 reports, 224 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 37,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,500 and 72,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 13.0% of complaints (376 reports, 35 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 5,761 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 896 and 9,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (295 reports, 83 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,500 and 44,500 miles.

The engine accounts for 6.9% of complaints (201 reports, 52 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 13,800 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,000 and 80,000 miles.

The reversing camera and sensors account for 6.6% of complaints (190 reports, 70 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 23,200 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,000 and 40,000 miles.

Forward collision avoidance accounts for 5.0% of complaints (144 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 10,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,342 and 32,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2020 model year drew the most — 1,676 complaints — while 2024 drew the fewest at 26. The median year sits at 253.

That makes 2020 an outlier: roughly 6.6 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 62 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the reversing camera and sensors (11), the transmission and driveline (9), the fuel system (6). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 2,899 complaints filed against this generation, 124 reported a crash; 31 reported a fire; 122 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 4.3% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 42% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 5,761, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (62)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Ford Explorer 1991–1994
• Ford Explorer 1995–2001
• Ford Explorer 2002–2005
• Ford Explorer 2006–2010
• Ford Explorer 2011–2019