2020 Ford Expedition · symptom sheet
Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear
- 86owner reports
- 45,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 25, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
86 of the 148 reports of transmission shudder on the 2020 Expedition describe jerking or hard shifts.
Part of Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (148 reports) · also: transmission slipping, hesitation when accelerating
Tick what matches of 86 reports
Jerking or hard shifts on other Expedition years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the narrower sheet inside transmission shudder for shifts that jerk, lurch or bang. Where the wider sheet also takes in slipping and vibration, these reports are about a shift that arrives too hard: the car lunges forward, or a clunk comes through the floor as it drops into gear.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (6 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the transmission and drivetrain cover the 2020 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
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.
All 18 recalls on the 2020 Ford Expedition, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Expedition
Unexpected transmission downshift. Closed oct 22, 2019, led to recall 19V-075.
None of these investigations covers the 2020 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 35,000 and 70,000 miles, from the 24 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2020 Ford Expedition that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2018-2020 Expedition/Navigator two-wheel drive (2WD) vehicles may exhibit a clunk noise from the driveshaft area when shifting from REVERSE to DRIVE or DRIVE to REVERSE and/or during coast down.
What owners wrote
“Transmission slip in 4A and above gear 4 at speed..hesitation at speed accelerating inconsistent, clunking/jerking from park to reverse when parked. 22âs have lawsuitâ¦donât understand why 20âs arenât included. Need recall”
Filed Oct 30, 2023
“On an express way on multiple occasions when Iâve tried to accelerate, the transmission disengaged completely. I was moving in traffic going 70-85 mph with no power to accelerate or maintain speed until the rpm hit 1000 and speed dropped below 45mph. Other times when going from park to drive or reverse the car will âclunkâ and jerk like i was driving a stick shift and missed the mesh point to get into gear.”
Filed Jun 26, 2023
“Transmission jerks the whole car very hard when going from park to drive. Transmissions tryâs to downshift when going 50, then shift up. More hard jerking/shifting when going shifting under 40-60 mph. Transmission seems defective”
Filed May 8, 2023
“Anytime my SUV downshifts from a higher rate of speed, goes into reverse or shifts while going up a hill - the transmission makes an audible thunk noise, jerks the car, then proceeds to shift. Itâs been in the shop 4 times and the problem hasnât been solved. From nothing is wrong, to the âsystem updateâ to replacing gears, itâs in AGAIN. This has been on ongoing problem for 6+ months with no remedy.”
Filed Apr 16, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 86 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 62 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 40 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 40 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 35 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 26 reports