2020 Engineering Flaws

[Forddealz]

I have owned three Explorers over the last fifteen years, plus a Lincoln MKX. I now own a 2020 Explorer ST and will say it beats the other SUVs I have owned without a question. It is enjoyable to drive and living in CA cruise control was a waste until the ST came with Adaptive Cruise. Not sure where the blind spot issue is. Not to be mean but maybe you need to raise the seat a bit. I actually now look forward to going on long trips. If I test drove the ST and felt it had this many flaws I would have walked. I call them like I see them and mark me down as a very happy ST owner. Did I mention my wife and kids love it too? For the record, I have never misplaced a key fob for any of my four cars which all have key fobs.

It's mostly the 10 speed 4 litter engines. There were only like 1 or 2 ST owners from thousands complaining about engine.

 

[jrgoffin]

Here's where that rotary shift dial originated. Has been also carried over in to just about everything else, including the 2020 Shelby GT500.

 

[Campersam9]

I like the shifter and it keeps my coffee cup closer. Pulling the trailer is very good. I did not purchase the suv to ride around I purchased it ip pull a trailer trailer from pa. To calf. And back. Now we are in Florida. Shifts nice. When I read so of the comments I don’t understand what they are complaining about.
we will put 65000 miles on it and then trade it in on a new Explore. I am spoiled.

 

[1depd]

The only issue I've had is I like to fiddle with things. The parking brake button is right in line with my fiddling. I have had to keep reminding myself not to play with it. I don't know if I need to apply the brake to get it to activate, but I'm not going to intentionally find out. It is a design across Ford's line.

 

[peterk9]

..................................... I don't know if I need to apply the brake to get it to activate, but I'm not going to intentionally find out. It is a design across Ford's line.

There is nothing in the Manual that says that you have to apply the brake in order to engage the electric parking brake. If fact you can engage it with the engine turned OFF. I just tried it on my vehicle which has been sitting in the garage for a couple of days. I got in and pulled up on the electric parking brake and the red light turned on in the dash display. The first time I did it there was also produce a weird high pitched noise. BTW, I didn't have the fob on me either. I don't consider it an engineering flaw as to its position.

Peter

 

[Mbrooks420]

Hi All. Joined this forum to cite what I feel are engineering flaws associated with the 2020 Explorer. I drive a 2010 Explorer, and own a 2020. If I could purchase a 2010 new, I would over the 2020. Here’s what I’ve found in the 2020 that I consider to be engineering flaws.
1. All 4 side doors are too light. If parked with a fair wind from behind, the doors catch the wind like a sail and fly out of your hand unexpectedly. The force on the hinge - like a hyperextended knee, is tremendous. A few good wind events and you will need new door hinges and likely body work from crimping.
2. The 10 speed auto transmission is flawed.. particularly when in “manual” paddle mode. There are clunky shifts in both modes. Assume the 10 speeds are to make the 4 cylinder turbo work easier. The 2010 is seamless when shifting.
3. The round shift “knob” is ridiculous. Park is directly to the left of drive. Turn counterclockwise by mistake while rolling and you just ruined your transmission.
4. The 2020 vehicle has blind spots on both sides. The 2010 does not. Forget the side warning lights on the mirrors. The technology won’t save you (or the vehicle next to you) every time.
5. Bring back a real key. The push button can be operated by a child and the key fobs are constantly misplaced.
6. Way to much distracting technology. I don’t want a smart car that tries to drive me. I want a stupid car that I can drive with no bells/whistles going off. The control screen is more dangerous than a cellphone in terms of removing your eyes from the road to adjust the temp. Of course you can do it all via the steering wheel, but you need to memorize the buttons and flow sequences.
Thanks! Curious if I have company.

If you wanted a stupid car, you should have purchased a stupid car. Tons still on the market.

I highly doubt you can “ruin your transmission” by turning the knob the wrong way. I’d bet money on it, in fact.

I also highly doubt your 2010 has no blind spots. EVERY car I have ever driven has blind spots.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It seems dubious to me that it would take millions of dollars to put beefed up pillars and a cross beam support on an existing roof. I'm guessing more like 1 day and $50 worth of materials.... more cost in retooling but still pretty minor.

I'd imagine that after some research, they discovered that they could sell a more expensive SUV instead to increase profits, and that the vehicle being 20 years old design by itself was the reason to retire it.

You clearly have no understanding of manufacturing if you don’t think this would be in the hundreds of thousands.

They redesign cars because people just have to have the latest and greatest. Go back on here and see how many people were SOOOOO excited for the 2020s.

Funny, way less seem excited about them now that they have them.

 

[J_C]

^ Of course it would cost hundreds of thousands, at $50 I was obviously referring to the per-vehicle cost for thousands of vehicles, but even then, not a day addt'l per vehicle but rather days to redesign, retool, and QC.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It’d take weeks of meetings, re-engineering, computer models and actual testing. And then to change the line robots hundreds of thousands of dollars.

For what purpose? Keeping a vehicle that people are tired of? No one wants to spend new car money on a car that is 10 years old.

 

[1depd]

There is nothing in the Manual that says that you have to apply the brake in order to engage the electric parking brake. If fact you can engage it with the engine turned OFF. I just tried it on my vehicle which has been sitting in the garage for a couple of days. I got in and pulled up on the electric parking brake and the red light turned on in the dash display. The first time I did it there was also produce a weird high pitched noise. BTW, I didn't have the fob on me either. I don't consider it an engineering flaw as to its position.

Peter

I consider it more of a design flaw than an engineering flaw. It is in an area that not only fiddlers have mindless access to but things can be dropped or get snagged on. I'm almost positive that it can be activated while driving without applying the main brakes, since it is an emergency backup to your braking if your primary brakes fail for some reason.

 

[DoraAExplorer]

It's mostly the 10 speed 4 litter engines. There were only like 1 or 2 ST owners from thousands complaining about engine.

This is not 2010, you mean the 3 liter motor

 

[peterk9]

This is not 2010, you mean the 3 liter motor

It's a 3 litre motor here.

 

[DoraAExplorer]

It's a 3 litre motor here.

Also, KM instead of Miles but I assume your CA Lincoln can display both.

 

[peter_jones]

Hi All. Joined this forum to cite what I feel are engineering flaws associated with the 2020 Explorer. I drive a 2010 Explorer, and own a 2020. If I could purchase a 2010 new, I would over the 2020. Here’s what I’ve found in the 2020 that I consider to be engineering flaws.
1. All 4 side doors are too light. If parked with a fair wind from behind, the doors catch the wind like a sail and fly out of your hand unexpectedly. The force on the hinge - like a hyperextended knee, is tremendous. A few good wind events and you will need new door hinges and likely body work from crimping.
2. The 10 speed auto transmission is flawed.. particularly when in “manual” paddle mode. There are clunky shifts in both modes. Assume the 10 speeds are to make the 4 cylinder turbo work easier. The 2010 is seamless when shifting.
3. The round shift “knob” is ridiculous. Park is directly to the left of drive. Turn counterclockwise by mistake while rolling and you just ruined your transmission.
4. The 2020 vehicle has blind spots on both sides. The 2010 does not. Forget the side warning lights on the mirrors. The technology won’t save you (or the vehicle next to you) every time.
5. Bring back a real key. The push button can be operated by a child and the key fobs are constantly misplaced.
6. Way to much distracting technology. I don’t want a smart car that tries to drive me. I want a stupid car that I can drive with no bells/whistles going off. The control screen is more dangerous than a cellphone in terms of removing your eyes from the road to adjust the temp. Of course you can do it all via the steering wheel, but you need to memorize the buttons and flow sequences.
Thanks! Curious if I have company.

I agree plus alot more at fault or just plain stupid. I wrote a thread earlier about mine. You mentioned your 2010 over the 2020... Well, I ordered and bought a 1992 XLT and I would take it hands down over my 2020.

 

[1depd]

The concern here is doing it while driving. Can it be put in Park accidentally?

Peter

I used to put my transmission in neutral at certain parts of my drive home, so I could coast downhill and save gas. At the time gas was hitting $5 per gallon in may area and coasting was illegal. It was night and few people were on the roads. I did accidentally moved the knob to park instead of neutral. All kinds of alarms and messages popped up telling my I was unable to shift to park due to speed. I was thankful for that bit of technology.

Much of the technology has kind of ruined the way I was taught emergency stopping. Slowly apply e-brake until car has stopped, then place in park. If using a manual transmission downshift and apply e-brake until slowed. If e-brake goes out down shift to 1st then shut off engine when slow enough. Does the e-brake allow for slowed stopping or is it just lock up the brakes?

 

[peterk9]

I used to put my transmission in neutral at certain parts of my drive home, so I could coast downhill and save gas. At the time gas was hitting $5 per gallon in may area and coasting was illegal. It was night and few people were on the roads. I did accidentally moved the knob to park instead of neutral. All kinds of alarms and messages popped up telling my I was unable to shift to park due to speed. I was thankful for that bit of technology.

Much of the technology has kind of ruined the way I was taught emergency stopping. Slowly apply e-brake until car has stopped, then place in park. If using a manual transmission downshift and apply e-brake until slowed. If e-brake goes out down shift to 1st then shut off engine when slow enough. Does the e-brake allow for slowed stopping or is it just lock up the brakes?

I agree that modern technology has changed many things some of us were taught long ago although I believe vehicles always had some kind of built-in safety feature to prevent engine/transmission damage due to driver error in shifting. My '64 Caddt did.
As for the current electric e-brake, I don't know if it can be used to slow the vehicle down or not. I've not found myself in a position where I've actually had to try it.
I just found this in doing an Internet query.

Can electronic parking brake be used to stop the vehicle?

While your parking brake is mainly used to hold your car in place, it can help you safely bring your vehicle to a stop in an emergency situation. Just keep in mind that it won't bring your vehicle to a sudden stop; it can just help you slowly bring it to a stop.

can the modern electric emergency brake beused to slow the vehicle - Google Search

www.google.com

Peter

 

[JAMADOR]

I used to put my transmission in neutral at certain parts of my drive home, so I could coast downhill and save gas. At the time gas was hitting $5 per gallon in may area and coasting was illegal. It was night and few people were on the roads.

This has been proven to actually use more fuel, at least a few years ago when I'd read it. Can't imagine this feature has been removed from newer cars.
DFCO - Decelerate Fuel Cut-Off, the engine should stop putting fuel in while decelerating in gear, conversely, in neutral, the fuel demand is still there to keep the engine running.

 

[1depd]

I agree that modern technology has changed many things some of us were taught long ago although I believe vehicles always had some kind of built-in safety feature to prevent engine/transmission damage due to driver error in shifting. My '64 Caddt did.
As for the current electric e-brake, I don't know if it can be used to slow the vehicle down or not. I've not found myself in a position where I've actually had to try it.
I just found this in doing an Internet query.

Can electronic parking brake be used to stop the vehicle?

While your parking brake is mainly used to hold your car in place, it can help you safely bring your vehicle to a stop in an emergency situation. Just keep in mind that it won't bring your vehicle to a sudden stop; it can just help you slowly bring it to a stop.

can the modern electric emergency brake beused to slow the vehicle - Google Search

www.google.com

Peter

While I do enjoy many of the modern functions and technology of cars, I think many of these items have created drivers who aren't really skilled at driving. If you really break it down, driving is a full time experience. In most situations, you should be actively engaged in what is going on around you and responding to what the car is telling you. Many don't know what is going on with the car they are driving and can't tell you if something is acting "weird".