2010 Ford Explorer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Explorer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 609.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

115Owner complaints

Model-year median: 609

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2010 Ford Explorer

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 115 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Power Train: 28 reports
Seats: 20 reports
Engine: 14 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 14 reports
Electrical System: 12 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

10V161000 — Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Explorer years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train

28 Seats

20 Engine

14 Vehicle Speed Control

14 Electrical System

All reported categories

Service Brakes

9 Fuel/propulsion System

8 Unknown Or Other

8 Air Bags

6 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

6 Wheels

5 Steering

4 Suspension

4 Electronic Stability Control (esc)

3 Engine And Engine Cooling

3 Visibility

3 Exterior Lighting

2 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Seat Belts

1 Structure

1 Traction Control System

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

95 reports with mileage · 20 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seats. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

40,707 miles · Dec 1, 2011

Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

Read full complaint

I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND PRESSED THE BRAKE. THERE WAS A TRUCK INFRONT OF ME, THE HARDER I PUSHES THE BREAK THE MORE THE ENGINE TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THE TIRES WERE SCREECHING BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL TRYING TO GO. ME AND MY KIDS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR END. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. HOPING THEY CAN FIND A FIX BEFORE IT SERIOUSLY INJURES MY FAMILY OR SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVED ONES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10438028

300 miles · Mar 14, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY APPLIED BRAKES AND CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. APPLIED MORE BRAKE PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RPM SHOT UP OVER 7000. TURNED OFF ENGINE, AND RE-STARTED ENGINE AND CALLED FORD. CAR WAS TOOLED TO FORD, CHECKED AND NO PROBLEMS FOUND. WAS GIVEN FORD SERVICE BULLITEN ABOUT STICKING LINKAGE ON NEW VEHICLES. 03/07/2011 12000 MILES ONCE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING THRU PARKING LOT AT 3 TO 5 MPH APPLIED BRAKES FOR PEDESTRIAN AND ONCE ENGINE ACCELERATED AND HAD TO APPLY HEAVY BRAKING AND PUT IN NEUTRAL TURN OFF BUT THIS TIME WOULD NOT RESTART FOR ABOUT 5 MIN. CALLED FORD DEALER AND WAS TO CALL FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE.

NHTSA ODI #10391668

14,000 miles · Feb 2, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AT ONLY 14,000 MILES.THERE WAS NO WARNING IT JUST SHUT DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPLACED THE ENGINE TOLD ME THERE WAS A SAFETY NOTICE SENT TO DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO TELL CONSUMERS. FORD KNOWS SPECIFIC ENGINES THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BECAUSE THEY WERE MANUFACTURED AT SPECIFIC PLANTS BUT HAVE NOT CONTACTED ANYONE. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT DAY AND DID NOT TAKE THE HIGHWAY BUT A SIDE ROAD INSTEAD. I HAD MY 2 TODDLERS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR DEADLY ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10379922

Recall campaigns

10V161000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Apr 20, 2010

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 FUSION, EXPLORER, EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, AND MERCURY MILAN AND MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN DECEMBER 15, 2009 THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINERS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202, "HEAD RESTRAINT." THE RECLINER GEAR PLATE TEETH MAY BE OUT OF DIMENSION SPECIFICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN LIMITED PAWL TO GEAR PLATE TOOTH ENGAGEMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEATBACK AND HEAD RESTRAINT MAY MOVE REARWARD, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL RECLINERS FOR BOTH POWER AND MANUAL SEATS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 30, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other

On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

Go deeper into Ford Explorer problems

Ford Explorer electrical problems →Ford Explorer transmission problems →