YearToAvoid

2010 Ford F-250 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

7/100

#15 most-complained of 16 F-250 years

The 2010 Ford F-250 has a Complaint Index of 7, ranking 15th worst among 16 model years, making it one of the Best years for this model. Owners logged 105 complaints, mostly about suspension and steering, with no recalls.

Complaints
105
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
4 / 2
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2010 Ford F-250 problems

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

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires47 (45%)
  2. Steering43 (41%)
  3. Engine23 (22%)
  4. Fuel System10 (10%)
  5. Other9 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain8 (8%)
  7. Electrical System6 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body3 (3%)
  9. Brakes2 (2%)
  10. Airbags1 (1%)

What owners report

  • Steering gear boxes and tie rods have broken during driving, causing loss of control on wet roads.
  • Trucks bounce and sway on rough roads, with some owners reporting the vehicle swerved and nearly caused an accident.
  • Trailer hitch balls have fractured, detaching the trailer and causing the truck to roll over.
  • Exhaust manifold studs pop loose, letting fumes enter the cabin and risking the exhaust system falling off.
  • Rear main seals have leaked heavily on nearly new diesel trucks, raising fire concerns.
  • Radiators and water pumps have failed repeatedly, with some trucks needing multiple radiator replacements.
2010 Ford F-250 complaints: complaints filed per quarter92010 Q22012 Q22014 Q12016 Q22018 Q32020 Q32022 Q32024 Q4
152 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q2 to 2026 Q1; peak 2016 Q2 (9).

2010 Ford F-250 recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2010 compared with other F-250 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best71050—
2011Avoid803702—
2012Caution673231—

All Ford F-250 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Ford F-250 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 F-250 has a Complaint Index of 7, the second-lowest of 16 model years tracked, earning a 'Best' verdict relative to other F-250 years.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford F-250?
NHTSA data shows Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints lead at 47 (45% of complaints), followed by Steering at 43 complaints (41%) and Engine issues at 23 complaints (22%).
Does the 2010 Ford F-250 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists zero recalls for the 2010 F-250, including no do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2010 F-250 compare to other years like 2017 or 2019?
The 2010 model's Complaint Index of 7 is far lower than the 2017 (93) and 2019 (100) model years, both rated 'Avoid,' making 2010 a comparatively strong year.
At what mileage do 2010 F-250 problems typically show up?
NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 62,000 miles overall, with suspension issues appearing around 61,000 miles and steering issues around 76,000 miles.

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.