2010 Ford Escape Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
73/100
#5 most-complained of 16 Escape years
The 2010 Ford Escape has a complaint index of 73, ranking 5th worst out of 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. Engine complaints (43% share) and unexpected acceleration or stalling issues dominate, alongside three recalls covering fuel system, steering, and transmission.
- Complaints
- 2,068
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 29 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 22 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 20 city / 26 hwy
Top 2010 Ford Escape problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine891 (43%)
- Transmission & Powertrain508 (25%)
- Fuel System507 (25%)
- Steering422 (20%)
- Electrical System219 (11%)
- Other97 (5%)
- Structure & Body94 (5%)
- Visibility & Wipers87 (4%)
- Brakes78 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires42 (2%)
What owners report
- Vehicles unexpectedly surge, jerk forward, or accelerate without driver input, sometimes at a complete stop or low speed.
- Engine or transmission hesitates then suddenly lurches, causing loss of control in parking lots or at intersections.
- Power steering assist fails suddenly at low speed, making the steering wheel spin and leading to collisions.
- Transmission fails to shift into second gear and produces violent jerking, with some recurrence even after recall repair.
- Gas pedal becomes unresponsive after a wrench warning light appears, sometimes while stopped in traffic.
- Fuel system surges on startup, requiring quick braking, alongside reports of the engine idling improperly at highway speeds.
2010 Ford Escape recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V777000Oct 26, 2016Fuel System329,265 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
- NHTSA 14V284000May 29, 2014Steering740,878 vehicles
Steering:electric power assist system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
- NHTSA 10V222000May 24, 2010Transmission & Powertrain19 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission
Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, milan, and escape vehicles manufactured from february 27, through march 26, 2010. The park rod guide retention pin may not have been properly installed which fails to conform to the requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention".
Risk: A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking brake may have unintended movement which may cause a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2010. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332 and for the hearing impaired call 1-800-232-5952 (tdd). Representatives are available monday through friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm.
2010 Ford Escape fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 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 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Ford Escape reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2010 Escape a complaint index of 73, the 5th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict relative to other Escape years. Engine problems make up 43% of complaints.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford Escape?
- Engine issues lead at 43% of complaints, followed by transmission and powertrain issues and fuel system issues, each at 25%. Steering problems account for 20% of complaints and involved 8 crashes.
- Does the 2010 Ford Escape have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2010 Ford Escape covering the fuel system, steering torque sensor software, and a transmission park rod guide pin issue. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2010 Escape compare to other years?
- The 2010 model's complaint index of 73 is higher than 2011 (60), 2012 (33), and most later years like 2019 (40) and 2022 (20), but lower than 2013 (100) and 2017 (93), which rank worse.
- What mileage do 2010 Ford Escape problems tend to show up at?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 59,950 for the 2010 Escape overall, with engine complaints median at 52,000 miles and steering complaints at 114,000 miles.