YearToAvoid

2010 Mercury Milan Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2010 Mercury Milan ranks worst of 6 model years, with a complaint index of 100 and the top spot in rank_worst_first, earning an Avoid verdict. It logged 1,002 complaints, 11 recalls, 40 crashes, 1 fire, and 22 injuries, with Engine issues as the leading problem area.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
100/100
#1 of 6 Milan years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,002
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
11
3 Do Not Drive
Crashes
40
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
22
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2011
lowest-risk (no Good/Best year)
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24.5
22 city / 30 hwy
Injuries / deaths
22 / 0

Top 2010 Mercury Milan problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine291 (29%)
  2. Steering247 (25%)
  3. Electrical System213 (21%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain148 (15%)
  5. Fuel System138 (14%)
  6. Brakes132 (13%)
  7. Airbags106 (11%)
  8. Other27 (3%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (1%)
  10. Structure & Body14 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration, including while parking or shifting into drive, sometimes ending in a collision.
  • Some describe the vehicle surging backward or forward even with the brake pedal fully applied.
  • Transmission slipping has been reported, in one case leaving a driver stalled in an intersection.
  • Several complaints describe the engine losing all power without warning, taking out lights, brakes, and steering at once.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in side-impact and frontal crashes, resulting in injuries.
  • One owner reported black smoke from under the hood after repeated engine power-loss episodes.
2010 Mercury Milan complaints: complaints filed per quarter1302010 Q22012 Q42014 Q42016 Q42018 Q42020 Q42022 Q42024 Q4
1,002 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q3 (130).

2010 Mercury Milan recalls

11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 19V904000Dec 18, 2019Brakes600,166 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.

    Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.

See all 11 recalls for the 2010 Mercury Milan →

2010 Mercury Milan fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
24.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,650
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 Milan years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200620072008200920102011
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid804514 !22
2009Caution402266 !22
2010Avoid1001,00211 !24.5
2011Caution201917 !24

All Mercury Milan years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Mercury Milan reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Milan is the least reliable year among the 6 model years covered, with a complaint index of 100 and an Avoid verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2010 Mercury Milan?
Engine problems are the top complaint area, accounting for 291 of 1,002 complaints, or 29% of the total, with a median mileage at failure of 60,000.
Does the 2010 Mercury Milan have recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this vehicle, including 3 do-not-drive recalls covering airbag issues.
How does the 2010 Milan compare to other Milan years?
The 2010 model has the highest complaint index (100) and ranks worst of the 6 years with data, while years like 2006 and 2011 carry lower indexes of 0 and 20 and Caution verdicts.
What fuel economy does the 2010 Mercury Milan get?
EPA rates it at 24.5 mpg combined (22 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,650.

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.