2010 Ford Ranger Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2010 Ford Ranger has 156 NHTSA complaints and 8 recalls, including three Do Not Drive airbag recalls, giving it a complaint index of 31 and a Caution verdict among 17 model years. Airbags make up 82% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 73,000.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 31/100
- #12 of 17 Ranger years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 156
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 8
- 3 Do Not Drive
- Crashes
- 6
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 17.5
- 15.5 city / 21 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2010 Ford Ranger problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags128 (82%)
- Engine9 (6%)
- Structure & Body8 (5%)
- Brakes4 (3%)
- Electrical System4 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (3%)
- Fuel System3 (2%)
- HVAC1 (1%)
- Other1 (1%)
- Seat Belts1 (1%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Driver or passenger airbags failed to deploy during moderate to high-speed crashes.
- Some airbags reportedly inflated with the Takata inflator recall involved, causing debris-related injuries.
- Owners describe a high-frequency vibration in the steering wheel and pedals that numbed their hands after driving.
- The tailgate reportedly fell off completely at low mileage on at least one truck.
- Some owners reported unintended acceleration or a sticking accelerator pedal at low speeds, with no fault found by dealers.
2010 Ford Ranger recalls
8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V158000Mar 10, 2021Airbags2,602,668 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
- NHTSA 21V081000Feb 16, 2021Airbags1,067 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.
- NHTSA 19V001000Jan 7, 2019Airbags782,384 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.
2010 Ford Ranger fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15.5 MPG
- Highway
- 21 MPG
- Combined
- 17.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,700
- 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 Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Ford Ranger reliable?
- NHTSA lists 156 complaints and 8 recalls for the 2010 Ranger, giving it a complaint index of 31 and a Caution verdict relative to other Ranger model years.
- What is the main problem with the 2010 Ford Ranger?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 82% of complaints (128 of 156), with a median failure mileage of 73,000.
- Does the 2010 Ford Ranger have a Do Not Drive recall?
- Yes. Three of its eight recall campaigns are Do Not Drive recalls tied to the Takata airbag inflator issue.
- Why is the 2010 Ford Ranger rated Caution instead of based on complaints alone?
- Its verdict is capped to Caution because it has a Do Not Drive or Park Outside recall and 8 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit, despite a moderate complaint index of 31.
- How does the 2010 Ranger compare to other years?
- It ranks 12th worst out of 17 model years with data, better than 2008, 2011, 2019, 2021, and 2022, which all carry Avoid verdicts.