2015 Ford Explorer · transmission
2015 Ford Explorer Powertrain Recall: What Owners Should Know
Official NHTSA recall 20V692000 affects 2015 Ford Explorer powertrain components. Learn severity, the factory remedy, and replacement options for used vs reman transmissions.
What is this recall about?
Ford Motor
Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.
How serious is it?
Severity score: **45/100** (population, component class, and safety language from the federal defect report).
**Consequence:** The failed bracket could result in a loss of park function which can cause unintended vehicle movement, and loss of motive power while driving which increases the risk of a crash.
Official fix
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall began February 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S63.
[View campaign 20V692000 on NHTSA](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
What owners should do
1. Confirm whether your vehicle received the factory remedy (dealer service history or VIN lookup at [NHTSA.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)). 2. Do not assume a high-mileage donor transmission was repaired before removal. 3. Compare **remanufactured** options that include updated components vs **used** units from unknown recall history.
Replacement options
When the recall affects powertrain components, remanufactured transmissions are often the safer value choice because they are rebuilt with current parts — not pulled from a donor that may pre-date the factory fix.
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Frequently asked questions
Does this recall mean every transmission on this platform is defective?
No. The recall applies to vehicles that may not have received the factory remedy. A used transmission from a high-mileage donor may never have been repaired under the campaign.
Is remanufactured safer than used when a recall is open?
Remanufactured assemblies are rebuilt to current specifications and are not dependent on an unknown donor repair history — a common consideration when an open powertrain recall affects the platform.
Should I remove my transmission before contacting support?
Document symptoms, save scan results, and contact support with installation details before removal so the issue can be reviewed accurately.
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_Reported from the official NHTSA recall record; reviewed before publication._
