YearToAvoid

2019 Ford Explorer Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 35 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2019 Ford Explorer, 12% of all complaints that year. Owners commonly report torque converter failures causing shuddering, hesitation, and loss of power, with a median failure mileage of 82,500 miles. No related recall is listed for this component.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
35
12% of 296
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
82,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle shudders or vibrates when coming to a stop or shifting into Drive or Reverse, often traced by dealers to a failing torque converter.
  • Vehicle hesitates or fails to accelerate, sometimes revving without gaining forward momentum, particularly when moving from a stop.
  • Rough or delayed gear shifts accompanied by RPM fluctuations, in some cases requiring full transmission or torque converter replacement.
  • Power transfer unit (PTU) shuddering during gear shifts, with some owners noting the issue tied to Customer Satisfaction Program 20B27.
  • Loss of power with warning lights illuminated, including an orange wrench light in reverse and instances of the powertrain warning light activating on the highway.
  • Some owners report the same failure pattern referenced in Customer Satisfaction Program 20N07 but say their vehicle was not covered despite matching build details.

When 2019 Ford Explorer transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 29, 2022, latest Aug 13, 2026.

2019 Ford Explorer transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2022Apr 2023Oct 2023Jun 2024Oct 2024Feb 2025Mar 2026
35 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2022 to Aug 2026; peak Mar 2025 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2019 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201028 (25%)
  2. 201164 (5%)
  3. 201255 (7%)
  4. 2013119 (5%)
  5. 201479 (5%)
  6. 201586 (5%)
  7. 2016214 (9%)
  8. 2017123 (7%)
  9. 201850 (7%)
  10. 201935 (12%)
  11. 2020487 (40%)
  12. 2021121 (28%)
  13. 202261 (23%)
  14. 202312 (11%)
  15. 20241 (5%)
  16. 202515 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems in the 2019 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA lists 35 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2019 Explorer, making up 12% of all complaints filed for that model year.
What is the typical mileage when transmission problems appear?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 82,500 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Ford Explorer transmission?
No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data for the 2019 Explorer's Transmission & Powertrain complaints.
What transmission symptoms do owners report most on the 2019 Explorer?
Owners most often describe shuddering or vibration when stopping or shifting, hesitation to accelerate, and torque converter failures diagnosed by dealers.
Did the transmission issues cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data for this component on the 2019 Explorer shows zero crashes, fires, or injuries reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.