Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
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. …
Coming to a complete stop with my foot on the brake, the engine all of a sudden surged forward. I was not able to stop it with the brakes. It surged so fast and hard that it rear ended a yukon which was parked about 10 feet in front of me , which forced the yukon forward approximately 7 feet which then broadsided a parked pickup. This accident happened in a parking area, adjacent to a gas station. My daughter was unbuckling from her seatbelt when the vehicle surged forward and caused her head to hit the windshield. Turning the bill into insurance, our vehicle was totaled. We had been without a car for 2 months while insurance took its time totalling it. We now have to purchase a new vehicle, start a new car loan when our Explorer was half paid off. After the accident we researched our vehicle and learned this has happened to many others with Ford explorers years 2002 thru 2010. …
August 16, 2018 I had an accident as a result of my 2010 Ford Explorer accelerating while my foot was on the brake. I was almost completely stopped and out of no where my vehicle surged forward so fast. The sound coming from the engine was extremely loud. My daughter had unbuckled her seat belt since we were all but stopped and hit her head on impact. My vehicle accelerated very fast and hit the rear end of a large yukon truck which was parked in front of me. The yukon then was pushed forward and broad sided an older truck which was parked at a gas pump. This was all a very dangerous situation. I was attempting to park on the side parking lot of a store. My vehicle was almost stopped, with my foot on the brake. I had to almost stand on the brakes with brakes not responding.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to roll when the gear was shifted into park. The continued jumped in the vehicle, but the brakes failed to respond. The vehicle crashed into the wall of the house and an iron gate. The vehicle came to a complete stop. The local authorities were notified, but no report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired per the insurance company. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
A failure of the electric interlock between the ignition and the "park" position occurred which makes it possible to move the shift from "park" to some other position without pressing on the brake pedal. This can result in someone sitting in the passenger seat moving the shift from "park" while the vehicle is on an incline. This has been such an extensive/ongoing problem with this vehicle, that the parts to repair it are on back-order for up to 6 months!! It's only a matter of time before the scenario I described above occurs, causing damage if not injury to something/someone. The current condition of my vehicle is that I cannot rotate the ignition key to the "off" position, so it must be left in the vehicle when I depart. That's illegal in this state, but I have no choice if I want to/have to use my vehicle. …
My vehicle has been suffering a radek transmission and power train issues and I am I am told that I will need to replace it. As well when I looked up the recall for this vehicle under general year and model it does come up that the transmission is up for recall however when I typed the particular van and at stated on your website there are no outstanding recalls again conflicting with the fact that the recalls on transmissions have been noted and noteworthy in previous c 2011 explorers such as my own. Please advise and let me know if it is covered before my transmission gives up completely thank you so much for your attention. My vehicle both has a tendency to jump yours as well as idle high and transmission fluid is proper and in good condition please help me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ford Explorer. When the vehicle was engaged in park, the key became stuck inside the ignition. The contact mentioned that he manually pushed a pin in the shifter to remove the key. The contact also mentioned that the gear was able to be removed out of park without the key being in the ignition. The vehicle was taken to shults Ford Lincoln (10401 perry hwy, wexford, pa 15090, [phone]) where the contact was informed that the shifter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for repairs. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.
Truck recently start having problems, has correct amount of transmission fluid, everything. Transmission light came on car stalled, restarted the car tge car drove but acted like it was slipping, light still on, took it to mechanic... The light did not give any codes of any sort on any of their scan tools car drives fine today kind of, it "falls" out of gear when I come to a stop and kinda stutters when I begin to drive. Again there should be no reason for this unless a manufacturer defect is the cause. Correct fluid levels, clean fluid, regularly changed as scheduled in the manual. Vehicle only has 119,[redacted] miles. Ridiculous. Note the light does not even come on anymore.
Transmission complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2010 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2010 Ford Explorer, 24% of the model year's 115 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Ford Explorer transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2010 Ford Explorer, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2010 Ford Explorer transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.