VIN 1FMSK8DH2LGA15480 identifies a sport utility vehicle โ the 2020 Ford Explorer XLT. This specific unit was assembled at the CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES (USA) facility, one of Ford's North American production plants. It is equipped with 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 and a 2.3L 4 Cyl engine producing 270 hp.
This vehicle carries an unusually high 31 open NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, engine, suspension:rear. All recalls must be repaired by a Ford dealer at no charge to the owner. Contact a dealer with this VIN before finalizing any purchase. Verify current recall status at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
The EPA rates this vehicle at 25 MPG combined (23 city / 29 highway), which represents moderate fuel economy. Annual fuel cost is estimated at $2500 at national average gas prices. It scores 5/10 on the EPA greenhouse gas scale, emitting 355 g COโ/mile.
Based on vehicle class, trim, and U.S. market data, this 2020 Ford Explorer XLT falls in an estimated used-market range of $18,900โ$25,100. The high recall count may suppress resale value โ factor this into price negotiation. Verify actual market value with Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds using specific mileage and condition.
Important limitation: This free VIN report does not include odometer/mileage history, accident records, flood or fire damage, number of previous owners, or title/lien status. These require a paid vehicle history report from Carfax or AutoCheck. Use this report alongside a full history check, an independent pre-purchase inspection, and a NICB stolen vehicle check for the most complete picture before buying.
About the 2020 FORD Explorer
The Ford Explorer is one of America's best-selling midsize SUVs, in production since 1990. Known for its spacious three-row cabin, available 4WD, and up to 5,600 lbs towing capacity, it competes with the Chevrolet Traverse, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Hyundai Palisade.
๐ View all 2020 Ford known problems & year comparisons โ
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VIN Decoded
VIN Verified
Official VIN decode record located
Type: MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE (MPV)
Body: Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Plant: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES (USA)
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NHTSA Recalls
31 Open Recalls
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer...
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer...
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln...
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Owner Complaints
1137 filed with NHTSA
Transmission failed at 83k miles
The dashboard glue melted dashboard lifting also inside other...
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Fuel Economy
25 MPG Combined
City: 23 MPG
Hwy: 29 MPG
Combined: 25 MPG
Fuel: Gasoline
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Estimated Market Value
Based on vehicle age, class, trim & U.S. market conditions
Market estimate
$18,900โ$25,100
Based on vehicle class, age, trim, and U.S. market trends. Verify with Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds for mileage-adjusted value.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Over time, the protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line may chafe through the plastic liquid fuel line and cause a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a longer protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line, as necessary, free of charge. Ford issued...
20V78800017/12/2020
ENGINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.
Risk: With a loose motor mount, motor vibration may cause the axle to disconnect from the engine and could result in loss of power, increasing...
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and replace the right hand motor mount fasteners, free of charge. The recall began February 3,...
21V15400010/03/2021
SUSPENSION:REAR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The rear lower control arm (RLCA) bolts that attach the rear lower control arms to the wheel knuckles may not have been heat-treated, which could cause...
Risk: Broken RLCA bolts can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace both RLCA bolts, free of charge. The recall began on April 2, 2021. Owners may contact...
21V73500022/09/2021
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford...
20V54900010/09/2020
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with second row center seat belt buckles that may not be properly secured to the seat.
Risk: Vehicles with seat belt buckles that are not properly secured may fail to restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the second row center seat assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners...
20V69300010/11/2020
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 3.3L engine and a 10 Speed Automatic Transmission with the All Wheel Drive package. The drive shaft may fracture along the weld...
Risk: Defective drive shafts may fail and cause a loss of connection between the transfer case and rear axle, possibly resulting in a vehicle rollaway...
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shaft label inspected and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began...
20V57500023/09/2020
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display...
Risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on...
20V73000024/11/2020
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L engines and 19 gallon fuel tanks. The fuel tank inlet check valve may not be fully welded to the fuel tank shell.
Risk: An incomplete weld securing the inlet check valve to the fuel tank shell could result in a substantial fuel leak during a crash, increasing...
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank shell, free of charge. The recall began December 8, 2020. Owners may contact...
TSBs are manufacturer repair instructions issued to dealerships. They are not safety recalls. If you're experiencing an issue, ask your dealer if a TSB applies.
NoneNHTSA
No bulletins found
No technical service bulletin records returned for this vehicle.
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OBD-II Check Engine Code Lookup
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Owner Complaints
POWER TRAIN06/09/2026
Transmission failed at 83k miles
Transmission failed at 83k miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER06/07/2026
The dashboard glue melted dashboard lifting also inside other...
The dashboard glue melted dashboard lifting also inside other areas of the dashboard leather?? vinyl is detaching also on the drivers side
POWER TRAIN06/04/2026
Transmission failure caused my vehicle to jump/jerk and left...
Transmission failure caused my vehicle to jump/jerk and left me out of control of the speed of my truck at times. It has been confirmed that I need...
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM05/27/2026
I am filing a complaint regarding a recurring safety-related...
I am filing a complaint regarding a recurring safety-related electrical and AWD defect in my 2020 Ford Explorer. My vehicle repeatedly displays the following warnings while driving: โ4WD...
POWER TRAIN05/22/2026
My 2020 Ford Explorer XLT sustained a major transmission...
My 2020 Ford Explorer XLT sustained a major transmission failure at 94,574 miles without any warning lights. On a 200 mile trip home from Long Island NY to...
ENGINE05/21/2026
I noticed fluid on the driveway. I scheduled a...
I noticed fluid on the driveway. I scheduled a diagnostic about a week later began hearing a grinding noise. Took it in for repairs and was told the...
Both my passenger and driver headlights have failed. I...
Both my passenger and driver headlights have failed. I have paid to have them replaced. The drivers side has failed twice. The passenger side has failed 3 times....
POWER TRAIN05/21/2026
I was driving on the highway and I got...
I was driving on the highway and I got an error of Powertrain Failure , Pre Collision assist, service advance track and hill assist unavailable. I was in...
Negotiation tip:
This vehicle has 31 open recall(s). Use this as leverage — ask the seller to confirm all recalls are resolved or reduce the price accordingly. Unresolved recalls cost dealers time and money to fix.
Automated checks against common VIN fraud indicators. Always verify with a paid history report and independent inspection.
✓Check digit (position 9) validates
✓VIN is exactly 17 characters
✓No invalid characters (I, O, Q not present)
✓Year position (pos 10) matches decoded model year
✓Manufacturer decodes to a known brand
✓Not a repeated-character test/placeholder VIN
Manual checks to do in person: Compare the VIN on the dashboard (visible through windshield), driver door jamb sticker, engine block, and title — all must match exactly. A cloned or re-VINed vehicle will show inconsistencies.
No model-specific issue notes in our database for this year. The 1137 NHTSA complaints filed provide the best available signal — review them in the Owner Complaints section above.
Estimated national average for this vehicle: $3,030/year. Your actual rate depends on your driving record, location, age, and coverage level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does VIN 1FMSK8DH2LGA15480 decode to?+
VIN 1FMSK8DH2LGA15480 decodes to a 2020 FORD Explorer XLT, assembled in CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES (USA).
How many recalls does this 2020 FORD Explorer have?+
This 2020 FORD Explorer has 31 open recalls on record with NHTSA. Recalls are safety-related and should be resolved by a dealership at no charge to the owner.
Is it safe to buy a 2020 FORD Explorer with open recalls?+
Open recalls don't necessarily mean the vehicle is unsafe to drive, but they should be addressed promptly. Contact a FORD dealer with this VIN to confirm which recalls have been completed and schedule any outstanding repairs โ they are always free of charge.
What is the estimated value of this 2020 FORD Explorer?+
Based on vehicle age, body type, trim level, and U.S. market data, this 2020 FORD Explorer XLT is estimated at $18,900โ$25,100. Verify with Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds for a precise appraisal based on mileage and condition.
Is this VIN check really free?+
Yes โ VinForFree is 100% free with no signup, no credit card, and no hidden fees. All data is sourced from public records including NHTSA, the EPA, and official government databases.
What fuel economy does a 2020 FORD Explorer get?+
According to EPA data, the 2020 FORD Explorer gets approximately 25 MPG combined (23 city / 29 highway). Estimated annual fuel cost is $2,500.