Most common 2010 Ford Explorer problems
Share of the 115 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Explorer complaints by model year
Best Explorer years: 2024, 2023, 2019. Years to avoid: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2013, 2015. Compare all years →
2010 Ford Explorer recalls (1)
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, explorer, explorer sport trac, and Mercury milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between December 15, 2009 through February 3, 2010 equipped with front seat manual recliners. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before April 30, 2010. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2010 Ford Explorer:
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2010 Ford Explorer owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 28 →
Driving 65 mph on I95 and it just shut off. The yellow wrench on dash came on. I somehow was able to Pull over to the shoulder without being killed. I cranked once then tried it again and it started. Drove all the way home and it's running fine now. This is a common problem and Ford should be contacting me to warn me and fix it. By the way I had a baby in the car. Thanks Ford for the warning.
Thing accelerate by itself while on highway od light blinking at high speeds and then when you come to a complete stop and try to takeoff it goes really slow with the RPMs high then it will kick into gear, unsafe on the road. Truck willjump in gear then out on takeoff.
Seats all 20 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front driver side seat failed to re-adjust forward. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
The head rests on our 2010 Ford Explorer limited have such a severe forward pitch to them that they make it very uncomfortable to sit for any length of time. Dealer says nothing can be done. Prior to purchase we test drove numerous other competitive vehicles and did not experience this same issue. After 11 months of ownership and almost 14,000 miles it is becoming a safety issue for us. I am seriously considering removing the head rests and driving without them. I have tried other work arounds, reclining the seats to make the head rest angle more acceptable, but this defeats the safety of the seat belt system. I've also tried raising the head rest to it's maximum extension, but that defeats the value of the head rest. What Ford needs to do is replace the 2010 head rests with one from an earlier model. NHTSA should force Ford to recall these head rests as hazardous.
Engine & cooling
Driving 65 mph on I95 and it just shut off. The yellow wrench on dash came on. I somehow was able to Pull over to the shoulder without being killed. I cranked once then tried it again and it started. Drove all the way home and it's running fine now. This is a common problem and Ford should be contacting me to warn me and fix it. By the way I had a baby in the car. Thanks Ford for the warning.
While driving on the highway, my Explorer did a sudden jolt and I had no control over the vehicle. It acted as though it was no in gear. I almost crashed going 60 mph on a 4 lane highway. It then did another large jolt and revved high into the red line. I took it to Firestone and they recommended that I take it to the dealership to check the transmission. I called the dealership and they advised me to drive it over. They told me it was "probably the transmission as Explorers are notarious for transmission issues." The dealership inspected the Explorer and confirmed that it was a known transmission issue involving codes P0798 and P098. The dealership advised that there were MULTIPLE pressure code errors [that never did a warning] and that the transmission required replacement. …
2010 Ford Explorer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Ford Explorer a good car?
Based on 115 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Explorer rates better than average: 90% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Explorer at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Ford Explorer?
The transmission & drivetrain — 28 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the seats (20) and engine & cooling (17).
How many recalls does the 2010 Ford Explorer have?
There is 1 recall for the 2010 Ford Explorer, the most recent from April 20, 2010 (recliner). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Explorer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024, 2023 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2013 and 2015. See the full Ford Explorer years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Ford Explorer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 53% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.