Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated
Best year
Includes the longer Expedition Max.
18 safety recalls for the 2020 Ford Expedition
Parts with a do-not-drive or park-outside recall come first, then the rest, largest first. Within a part, do-not-drive and park-outside recalls come first, then the newest. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for what is wrong, the fix and the full notice.
Risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
A short circuit within the battery junction box can cause an engine fire while driving or parked.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles, until the remedy is performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery junction box, as necessary, and remove a ground wire. On models equipped with standard-duty radiator fan motors, dealers will also install an auxiliary electrical box with a wire jumper. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numbers for this recall are 22S36 and 22S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 23, 2025.
4,632 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
NHTSA listing: EXPEDITION. Ford campaign 22S36/22S48.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
419,967 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
112,951 vehicles.
(TTY: 1-888-275-9171), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
77,574 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the incorrect classification would enable the passenger air bag to deploy instead of disabling it, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The seat belt tension sensor may incorrectly classify a child occupant as an adult.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S54.
123 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide the intended level of protection, increasing the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The front passenger seatbelt buckle's Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) may malfunction and may result in the seat occupant being misclassified.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seatbelt buckle, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S17.
1,355 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
200,237 vehicles.
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, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles.
Risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.
Fails federal standard 111 (rear visibility) · 620,246 vehicles.
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.
Risk: Inoperative pre-collision assist features that fail to perform as expected can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The Pre-Collision Assist features, such as forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, are not functional due to a software error.
Fix: Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S56.
556 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Navigator vehicles that were repaired incorrectly under recall 20V262.
Risk: If the driver is unaware that the Pre-Collision Assist feature is not enabled, they may rely on a system that is not functional, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Vehicles built with the optional radar-plus-cameraPre-Collision Assist system are not affected. Due to incorrect coding of interfacing modules, the Pre-Collision Assist feature is not enabled, and the driver cannot access the menu functions necessary to enable the Pre-Collision Assist feature.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram software for the Body Control Module, Antilock Braking System, Instrument Panel Cluster and Headlamp Control Modules, and reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S20.
25,081 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with camera-onlyPre-Collision Assist feature.
Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Fails federal standard 208 (occupant crash protection) · 27,678 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Risk: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Fix: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
Fails federal standard 202 (head restraints) · 691,133 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023F-Super Duty F-250,F-350,F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles.
Risk: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
741,195 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles.
NHTSA listing: EXPEDITION. Ford campaign 26S48.
automatic transmission · gear position indication (prndl)
Risk: If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.
55,158 vehicles.
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.
Risk: An improperly welded headrest bracket may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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 Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began July 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C12.
Fails federal standard 202 (head restraints) · 2,620 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
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.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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."
Fix: 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.
Fails federal standard 202 (head restraints) · 639,137 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020F-150 and 2019-2020F-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.
NHTSA listing: EXPEDITION. Components: Seats: front assembly, recliner; Seats: mid/rear assembly. Ford campaign 19C07.
Risk: Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.
548,463 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles.
Risk: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Fix: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S26.
652,996 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250,F-350,F-450,F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
NHTSA listing: EXPEDITION. Ford campaign 22S26.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 2 investigations that name the 2020 Ford Expedition; 1 is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150,F-250,F-350,F-450,F-550…NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: EXPEDITION. Component: Backover prevention and rearview camera (sensing system, camera).
Seat belt retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment
Recall query RQ24015Closed Jul 23, 2025 (opened Nov 15, 2024)
On November 22, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE23021 to investigate complaints of front seat belt retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY)… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA ties this investigation to recall 25V-197, listed above.
A recall query is a review of whether a recall covered the right vehicles or whether its fix works. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 430 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Expedition. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting118 · 27%
Median 70,000 miles at failure, from 19 reports with mileage
Loss of power or limp mode90 · 21%
Transmission failure or replacement65 · 15%
Median 68,000 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
Hesitation or slow acceleration50 · 12%
Median 60,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Most named: automatic transmission (6) · Median 65,600 miles at failure, from 55 reports with mileage
Engine53 · 12%
Seat belts40 · 9%
Median 66,200 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
Electrical system35 · 8%
Body structure22 · 5%
Most named: body (12)
Speed control15 · 3%
Brakes10 · 2%
Unknown or other59 · 14%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Ford Expedition recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2020 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2021 Expedition drew the most (85) and the 2020 drew 42.
Owner complaints
2020: 430 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Expedition
Model year
Complaints
2010
58
2011
71
2012
119
2013
92
2014
72
2015
164
2016
217
2017
359
2018
384
2019
531
2020
430
2021
243
2022
117
2023
65
2024
80
2025
38
2026
11
Safety recalls
2020: 18 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Expedition
Model year
Recalls
2010
0
2011
0
2012
3
2013
0
2014
0
2015
3
2016
3
2017
4
2018
14
2019
11
2020
18
2021
12
2022
12
2023
8
2024
7
2025
6
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
What are the most common 2020 Expedition problems?
In the 430 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Ford Expedition, the problems described most are jerking, lurching or harsh shifting (118), loss of power or limp mode (90), and transmission failure or replacement (65). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2020 Ford Expedition safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2020 Ford Expedition earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2020 Ford Expedition?
Yes. NHTSA has 1 open investigation that names the 2020 Ford Expedition: rearview camera FMVSS 111 noncompliance (RQ21002, opened Aug 3, 2021). It has closed 1 other. An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
How do I check if my Expedition has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: EXPEDITION.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.