Severe Issues

2010 FORD EXPLORER Problems

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Explorer. This model year has 115 NHTSA complaints β€” top issue: Transmission / Drivetrain.

115
Complaints
8
Crashes
β€”
Fires
13
Injuries
50
Deaths
2
Recalls

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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car β€” accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.

Worst 2010 Ford Explorer Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1
28
complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Crash-related:3
Injuries:1
#2
20
complaints

Seat-Related Issues

#3
17
complaints

Engine Problems

Crash-related:1

Considering a 2010 Ford Explorer?

This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car β€” accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).

All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Ford Explorer. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
Transmission / Drivetrain283β€”β€”
Seat-Related Issues20β€”β€”β€”
Engine Problems171β€”β€”
Brake System155β€”β€”
Unintended Acceleration142β€”β€”
Electrical Faults12β€”β€”β€”
Fuel/Propulsion System81β€”β€”
Uncategorized Issues81β€”β€”
Airbag Malfunctions6β€”β€”β€”
Hydraulic6β€”β€”β€”
Wheel Issues5β€”β€”β€”
Suspension Failures4β€”β€”β€”
Steering Defects4β€”β€”β€”
Visibility3β€”β€”β€”
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)3β€”β€”β€”
Headlight/Taillight Failures2β€”β€”β€”
Seat Belt Issues1β€”β€”β€”
Fuel System1β€”β€”β€”
Gasoline1β€”β€”β€”
Traction Control System1β€”β€”β€”
Structural Problems1β€”β€”β€”

Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Ford Explorer. Type a keyword (e.g. β€œtransmission”, β€œstalling”, β€œbrakes”) to filter.

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Showing 115 most recent complaints

Electrical FaultsFeb 23, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 135,902. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, it was late…

Transmission / DrivetrainJan 28, 2026

Thing accelerate by itself while on highway od light blinking at high speeds and then when you come to a complete stop and try to takeoff it goes really slow with the RPMs high then it will kick into gear, unsafe on the road. Truck willjump in gear then out on takeoff.

Electrical FaultsJan 22, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was approximately 150,000. Most recently, the contact downloaded the Ford App…

Brake SystemπŸ’₯ CrashSep 26, 2025

3 times this has happened. I brake and it seems like I'm pressing the gas pedal and the brakes feel like they aren't stopping the vehicle. The third time put me in incoming traffic and the vehicle was totaled as it already had a rebuilt salvage title when we bought it.

Electrical FaultsAug 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the anti-theft, roll stability, and fuel filler messages were displayed with an audible alarm before the vehicle suddenly shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and d…

Suspension FailuresJul 9, 2024

Transmission , Wheel Hub

Engine ProblemsApr 4, 2023

Runs for about 25 minutes then just dies while driving. Starts back after sits for about an hr and does same thing.

Engine ProblemsDec 30, 2022

Oil leak in both valve gasket covers oil on the crossmember it started slow then it was traced by Ford to the gaskets(fire hazard) 120 k on odometer

Airbag MalfunctionsDec 5, 2022

The air bag light will not go off. I have checked the the wiring, cleared the area, and checked all fuses. All checked out okay. I'm a new buyer and can't register the car until it passes inspection. My only conclusion is that it possibly has a defect or has been previously been…

Brake SystemπŸ’₯ CrashJun 28, 2022

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph and attempting to stop, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a guard rail. During the crash, no injuries were r…

Suspension FailuresMar 26, 2022

Rsc alarm keeps going sounding alarm and the abs alarm keeps sounding as well. Seen a ton of owners having this same error

Transmission / DrivetrainSep 6, 2021

Driving 65 mph on I95 and it just shut off. The yellow wrench on dash came on. I somehow was able to Pull over to the shoulder without being killed. I cranked once then tried it again and it started. Drove all the way home and it’s running fine now. This is a common problem …

Transmission / DrivetrainJul 20, 2021

While driving on the highway, my Explorer did a sudden jolt and I had no control over the vehicle. It acted as though it was no in gear. I almost crashed going 60 mph on a 4 lane highway. It then did another large jolt and revved high into the red line. I took it to Firestone and…

Uncategorized IssuesFeb 27, 2021

BACK HATCH WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY OPENS WITHOUT USING REMOTE HAD THE ACTUATOR REPLACED DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM LEAVES MY VEHICLE VULNERABLE TO THIEVES!

Suspension FailuresFeb 16, 2021

SERVICE RSC LIGHT COMES ON WITH THE WRENCH LIGHT WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. REPLACED THE TCM AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. CODES U0101 AND U1900 ARE POPPING UP. VEHICLE GOES INTO LIMP MODE. REPLACED IGNITION COILS ON THE LEFT BANK AND IT DID NOT GO AWAY.

Transmission / DrivetrainSep 24, 2020

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN SUFFERING A RADEK TRANSMISSION AND POWER TRAIN ISSUES AND I AM I AM TOLD THAT I WILL NEED TO REPLACE IT. AS WELL WHEN I LOOKED UP THE RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE UNDER GENERAL YEAR AND MODEL IT DOES COME UP THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS UP FOR RECALL HOWEVER WHEN I TYP…

Transmission / DrivetrainJun 19, 2020

WHEN I DRIVE THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, THE BREAK SYSTEM LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT, AND AIR BAG LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND THE RADIO WILL SHUT OFF ALONG WITH ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS. WHEN I DRIVE SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL STOP CATCHING GEAR AND STOP ACCELERATING RANDOMLY. THE …

Transmission / DrivetrainSep 3, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK, THE KEY BECAME STUCK INSIDE THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE MANUALLY PUSHED A PIN IN THE SHIFTER TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR WAS ABLE TO BE REMOVED OUT OF …

Transmission / DrivetrainFeb 4, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE AT CHUCK COLVIN AUTO CENTER (1925 OR-99W, MCMINNVILLE, OR 97128, (800) 223-5099), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS C…

Transmission / DrivetrainπŸ’₯ CrashJan 25, 2019

AUGUST 16, 2018 I HAD AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF MY 2010 FORD EXPLORER ACCELERATING WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. I WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED AND OUT OF NO WHERE MY VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD SO FAST. THE SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD. MY DAUGHTER HAD UNBUCKLE…

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Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2010 Ford Explorer.

Recalls for 2010 Ford Explorer

2 campaigns

NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2010 Ford Explorer. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.

10V161000Invalid Date
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

10E043000Mar 9, 2010
EQUIPMENT

2010 Ford Explorer β€” FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2010 Ford Explorer reliable?β–Ύ

Severe Issues. The 2010 Ford Explorer has 115 NHTSA owner complaints, 8 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Transmission / Drivetrain (28 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford Explorer?β–Ύ

#1: Transmission / Drivetrain (28 complaints). #2: Seat-Related Issues (20 complaints). #3: Engine Problems (17 complaints)

At what mileage do problems start on the 2010 Ford Explorer?β–Ύ

Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.

How safe is the 2010 Ford Explorer?β–Ύ

The 2010 Ford Explorer has 8 crash-related complaints and 0 fire reports out of 115 total NHTSA complaints. 13 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Does the 2010 Ford Explorer have any recalls?β–Ύ

Yes β€” 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2010 Ford Explorer. The largest issue: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.

Should I buy a 2010 Ford Explorer?β–Ύ

The 2010 Ford Explorer has severe issues β€” review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Transmission / Drivetrain issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.

Wider context: See the full Ford Explorer reliability report with year-by-year comparison.

Check Your Specific 2010 Ford Explorer

Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car β€” accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.