YearToAvoid

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

36/100

#10 most-complained of 15 Escape Hybrid years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid has a complaint index of 36, ranking 10th out of 15 model years, with a Good verdict. It logged 59 complaints, no recalls, and no fires or deaths reported to NHTSA.

Complaints
59
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
30.5
32 city / 29 hwy

Top 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering18 (31%)
  2. Engine17 (29%)
  3. Brakes13 (22%)
  4. Fuel System5 (8%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain5 (8%)
  6. Visibility & Wipers3 (5%)
  7. Electrical System2 (3%)
  8. Other2 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body2 (3%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (3%)

What owners report

  • Steering can suddenly become hard to turn or lock up at low speeds, sometimes requiring the driver to stop and restart the engine.
  • Engine reportedly stalls or loses power without warning, in some cases while parking or in slow traffic, occasionally leading to a crash.
  • Brakes have failed during low-speed reversing, with owners reporting the brake module or entire brake assembly needed replacement.
  • Some owners describe a combined loss of braking assist and engine power accompanied by a check-braking-systems warning message.
  • Electrical system faults tied to the throttle body reportedly caused loss of propulsion on the highway, requiring the vehicle to be restarted.
  • Transmission has jerked or hesitated when accelerating from a stop, sometimes cutting off engine power mid-acceleration.
2010 Ford Escape Hybrid complaints: complaints filed per month6Aug 2012Jun 2013Jan 2014May 2015Jun 2016Nov 2017Aug 2018Jan 2020
69 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2012 to Oct 2024; peak Jun 2013 (6).

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid fuel economy and fuel cost

City
32 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
30.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,150
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Escape Hybrid years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid93443030
2009Avoid79153030
2010Good3659030.5
2011Good2937030.5
2012Best2115030.5

All Ford Escape Hybrid years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 model has a complaint index of 36, the 10th-worst of 15 model years tracked, and carries a Good verdict relative to other Escape Hybrid years.
What are the most common problems on the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid?
Steering issues account for 31% of complaints (18 total), followed by engine problems at 29% (17 complaints) and brake issues at 22% (13 complaints).
Does the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2010 Escape Hybrid, including no do-not-drive recalls.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2010 Escape Hybrid?
Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 77,628 miles, though steering complaints show a higher median of 125,006 miles while brake and engine complaints cluster lower, around 58,000 and 59,500 miles.
How does the 2010 Escape Hybrid compare to other Escape Hybrid years?
The 2010 model's complaint index of 36 is much lower than the 2008 (93, Avoid) and 2009 (79, Avoid) model years, but higher than 2012 and 2013, which both earned Best verdicts with indexes of 21 and 7.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.