Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and shut off. The contact veered over to the side of the road and attempted to restart the vehicle. There was an abnormal sound while turning the ignition key. There were no warning lights illuminated. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted, and the contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: 15-0137. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuse needed to be updated. The dealer determined that a relocation kit was needed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact there were no associated recalls and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle started jerking. Additionally, when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle hesitated to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle then accelerated independently. The contact stated that the check engine, seat belt, and ABS warning lights illuminated after the failure and then turned off independently. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000. The contact stated that their truck is not on the recall list although other F-150s were repaired for the same two issues.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the starter would fail intermittently. The contact sprayed starter fluid in the intake and eventually the vehicle would start. The contact stated that fuse #27 for the fuel pump relay was melted and burned in half. The contact spoke with a certified mechanic who suggested that the fuse and fuel pump control module may both need to be replaced. The contact replaced the fuel pump control module however, failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who confirmed the failure with fuse # 27. The contact was informed that the fuse needed to be replaced and the fuel pump control module might also need to be replaced again. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F150. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle started spinning without any warning. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and the vehicle was towed. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, and the helicoil was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and he stated that the motor needed a sealing head. The manufacturer was contacted, and they advised to file a complaint with NHTSA. The failure mileage was 105,109.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, he slowed down and when he made a right turn, the vehicle stopped completely. There were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to get the vehicle safely in the parking lot. The failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. There was no failure found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,320.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after parking and then returning to the vehicle, while attempting to restart the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power junction box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly downshifted to first gear, and the vehicle abruptly decelerated, almost causing a crash. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 191,000.
The system that failed was in the steering/gear shaft. The shaft is failing due to corrosion/rust. The vehicle has erratic steering when turning left or right. The steering does not rebound making it difficult to steer the vehicle which can cause a serious crash. I have had the problem with the steering and almost running off into a ditch. Trying to regain steering is difficult as it seems it gets stuck in position (left or right) and heavy when manually trying to control or correct the steering. The engine intake manifold suffer from the same safety issues that causes the corrosion or rusting of the manifold bolts making it very difficult to maintenance /repair cracked manifolds in the vehicle. The culprit as Ford knows it is salty road conditions. I live in Michigan where salt is applied to the roads often to keep roadways open for travel in the winter months. …
Issue: Abrupt engine shutoff while driving at high speed. Occurance: While driving on an interstate highway at approximately 70MPH in far left lane, the vehicle abruptly shutoff. With no power, the power steering also did not function, however, had enough speed to safely pull onto the grass median. It appears the problem is with a known issue to Ford, which is the fuse for the fuel pump (#27 in the engine compartment PDB) will melt and cause either intermittent or complete failure even while driving at high speeds. Given the conditions I was extremely lucky to have been able to pull off, and then back on to the roadway safely. Ford has a fix available Fuel Pump Jumper Harness Kit. Kit Terminal Part #: WT56872 (14293) as a result of this problem, yet it seems there is no active recall for this to be installed. WHY??? …
When you start it up it would run good then battery light and a wrench would show up on dash then the throttle would drop down to a maximum speed would be 20 miles an hour.Battery would be dead when you would try and start it.Took it to a mechanic he could not do a diagnostic check because computer had been erased.I have been stranded multiple times.Going down busy highway unable to go faster than twenty miles an hour.Had to be jumped twice in a few hours still only able to go twenty miles an hour,then battery died while going twenty miles and hour.Engine light along with battery light and wrench symb
Engine complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2010 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 138 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2010 Ford F-150, 16% of the model year's 843 complaints. The component named most often is engine (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Ford F-150 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2010 Ford F-150, 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 F-150 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 5 injuries to engine & cooling 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.