2020 Ford Explorer Structure & Body Problems
Owners filed 89 Structure & Body complaints for the 2020 Ford Explorer, 7% of its 1,218 total complaints, with median failure mileage at 40,000. Two crashes, one fire, and 10 injuries are tied to this area, and three related recalls cover seat and seat-switch issues.
- Structure & Body complaints
- 89
- 7% of 1,218
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 10
- Median mileage
- 40,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical body and structure symptoms owners report
- Second-row captain's chairs and seat tracks unexpectedly slide or fail to lock, letting occupants slam forward during braking.
- Driver's seat loses power adjustment range or shifts position on its own while turning or driving.
- Interior trim pieces, including the upper center console and seat trim, detach or come loose while the vehicle is moving.
- Headrests fail to lock upright and fold forward on impact, striking occupants during a crash.
- Doors and mirrors intermittently fail to operate, with reports of driver's door locking occupants in or out at random.
- One reported case of the vehicle catching fire spontaneously while being driven, resulting in a total loss.
When 2020 Ford Explorer body and structure complaints were filed
First complaint May 21, 2020, latest Aug 19, 2026.
Structure & Body recalls for the 2020 Ford Explorer
- NHTSA 26V451000Jul 14, 2026Structure & Body387,911 vehicles
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
- NHTSA 25V393000Jun 13, 2025Structure & Body304,662 vehicles
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.
- NHTSA 19V633000Aug 28, 2019Structure & Body639,137 vehicles
Seats:mid/rear assembly
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."
Risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Structure & Body complaints by Explorer model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Structure & Body complaints does the 2020 Ford Explorer have?
- NHTSA lists 89 Structure & Body complaints for the 2020 Explorer, which is 7% of the 1,218 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall related to Structure & Body issues on the 2020 Ford Explorer?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three related recalls, including campaigns 26V451000 and 25V393000 covering second-row seat switches that can bind and cause seats to unlatch or tip, and campaign 19V633000 covering seat structure inspection and replacement.
- At what mileage do these structure and body problems typically show up on the 2020 Explorer?
- NHTSA data shows a median failure mileage of 40,000 miles for Structure & Body complaints on this model year.
- Have these problems caused any crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA data links this problem area to 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 10 injuries for the 2020 Explorer.