CV Axle Assembly for the 2020–2025 Ford Explorer

What 2020–2025 Explorer owners report about the power train

Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, the US federal vehicle-safety regulator, that mention a CV joint or drive axle on the 2020–2025 Ford Explorer, and 690 filed under its power train. Those 28, by model year, as of September 18, 2026:

• 2020 Explorer: 15 complaints
• 2021 Explorer: 8 complaints
• 2022 Explorer: 4 complaints
• 2023 Explorer: 1 complaint
• 2024 Explorer: none
• 2025 Explorer: none

NHTSA publishes complaints as owners wrote them and does not verify them, so read them as a pattern rather than a diagnosis.

A 2020 Explorer owner, NHTSA complaint 11676990: "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for regular service, he was made aware that the driver’s side CV axle was leaking. The contact was informed that the driver’s side CV axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired."

A 2021 Explorer owner, NHTSA complaint 11581312: "My driver side cv joint went out Dec 2023, noticed grease, throwing while a tire rotation was being done. April 2024 was completing a oil change and we decided to check the passenger side and now that CV joint is going out as well. This vehicle has less than 30,000 miles on it."

Recalls that cover the CV axle on the 2020–2025 Explorer

As of September 18, 2026, NHTSA lists no recall on the 2020–2025 Ford Explorer whose defect is in the CV axle. If your car has a warning light or a symptom that a recall could explain, check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls anyway — it takes a minute.

Which CV axle a 2020–2025 Explorer takes

Axles differ by transmission, by drivetrain, and between the left and right side, which are rarely the same length. The 2020–2025 Ford Explorer came with several powertrains, among them 2.3L I4 Automatic 4WD and 3.0L V6 Automatic 4WD. That is why we ask for the VIN, or the year, engine and trim, and confirm the part against it before you pay rather than after it arrives.

What we source it from

8 CV axles from Cardone, Detroit Axle, GSP, SurTrack and TrakMotive, $239.99 to $339.99, with flat $30 shipping anywhere in the US. If a part we confirmed as a fit does not fit your vehicle, we cover the return and the replacement.