2020 Ford Explorer Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/12/2026

79Service Brakes complaints

6.8%Of all 1,155 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN437 · 37.8%

Unspecified / other197 · 17.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM177 · 15.3%

ENGINE110 · 9.5%

SERVICE BRAKES79 · 6.8%

Share of the 1,155 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“THE VECHILE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. MY NEW CAR HAS BEEN INCREASING SPEED ON ITS OWN. THE AGENCY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO…”NHTSA complaint 11363193 — filed 10/07/2020

“STARTING ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF JULY MY NEW 2020 EXPLORER ST STARTED SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES IN REVERSE, WITH NO OBJECTS NEAR BY. THEN IT…”NHTSA complaint 11353560 — filed 09/07/2020

“I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR VARIOUS THINGS! THERE IS A JOLT WHEN IT…”NHTSA complaint 11352507 — filed 09/01/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Ford Explorer have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Ford Explorer: 79 of 1,155 complaints on file (6.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2020 Ford Explorer have in total?

1,155 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 34 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.