How common are engine problems in the 2010 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA lists 31 engine complaints for the 2010 Explorer, which is 27% of all 113 complaints filed for that model year — the highest share among all Explorer model years shown.

Is there a recall for the 2010 Ford Explorer engine issue?

No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category.

At what mileage do 2010 Explorer engine problems usually happen?

The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 28,773 miles.

Did the 2010 Explorer engine problem cause any crashes or injuries?

NHTSA data tied to this complaint area lists 3 crashes and 10 injuries, with no fires reported.

2010 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 27% of all 2010 Ford Explorer complaints filed with NHTSA, the highest share of any model year for this component. Owners report sudden unintended acceleration and surging, with a median failure mileage of 28,773 miles. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Engine complaints: 31; 27% of 113
Crashes reported: 3
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 10
Median mileage: 28,773 mi
Related recalls: 0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

Vehicle surges or accelerates forward on its own while the driver's foot is on the brake, often at low speed or while stopped.
Applying the brake pedal seems to trigger the accelerator at the same time, so pressing harder on the brake produces more engine power instead of stopping the vehicle.
RPM spikes unexpectedly, in one case reported to jump past 7,000 RPM after pulling out of a driveway.
Engine shuts down without warning at low mileage, in one case around 14,000 miles, requiring engine replacement according to the owner.
Stuck accelerator pedal reported while driving at highway speed, preventing the brakes from slowing the vehicle normally.

When 2010 Ford Explorer engine complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 22, 2010, latest Apr 4, 2023.

31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2010 to Apr 2023; peak Sep 2014 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2010 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

201031 (27%)
2011113 (9%)
2012103 (12%)
2013316 (14%)
2014272 (16%)
2015299 (17%)
2016530 (22%)
2017317 (19%)
2018129 (18%)
201926 (9%)
2020162 (13%)
202169 (16%)
202238 (14%)
202313 (12%)
20241 (5%)
202514 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2010 Ford Explorer?: NHTSA lists 31 engine complaints for the 2010 Explorer, which is 27% of all 113 complaints filed for that model year — the highest share among all Explorer model years shown.
Is there a recall for the 2010 Ford Explorer engine issue?: No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category.
At what mileage do 2010 Explorer engine problems usually happen?: The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 28,773 miles.
Did the 2010 Explorer engine problem cause any crashes or injuries?: NHTSA data tied to this complaint area lists 3 crashes and 10 injuries, with no fires reported.