Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2010 Ford Escape: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 2,126 safety complaints about the 2010 Ford Escape with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved July 14, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

2,126
Complaints
5
Recalls
5
Investigations

Complaints for this vehicle report 32 crashes, 3 fires, 23 injuries. No deaths have been reported.

Key findings
  1. Speed control leads the complaint list, cited in 566 of 2,126 complaints, followed by Engine & cooling.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 366 of the 2,126 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. 5 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2010 Ford Escape, here is how reports break down by system.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 2,126 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Speed control
566
Engine & cooling
541
Power train / transmission
513
Fuel & propulsion
511
Steering
440
Electrical
218
Other / unspecified
104
Visibility & lighting
97

"WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP WHETHER IT BE A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, THE RPM'S OVER REV HIGHER AT THE TIME OF LEAVING FROM A STOP WHEN GAS IS GIVEN TO VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE GETS BACK UP TO SPEED THE RPM'S DROP BACK TO A NORMAL RANGE."

Owner complaint filed May 2019 · Vehicle Speed Control,Unknown Or Other,Fuel/Propulsion System · NHTSA ODI 11209253

"DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, APPROX. 45 MPH, 2 LANE ROAD ENTERING VILLAGE, CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND ENTERED LIMP HOME MODE. WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. MADE IT HOME, BUT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES TO REGAIN MARGINAL POWER TO BE ABLE TO GO UP HILLS. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT THE GARAGE REVEALED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILURE, NECESSITATING A REPLACEMENT."

Owner complaint filed July 2017 · Vehicle Speed Control · NHTSA ODI 11010326

When complaints were filed

Complaint filings for the 2010 Ford Escape over time:

Complaints filed per year — 2010 Ford Escape
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
1
49
26
92
926
166
94
108
132
159
89
73
46
43
44
36
28
14
091011121314151617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through July 14, 2026).

How the 2010 compares with other model years

Across the Ford Escape model years we track, the 2013 has the most complaints on file (2,743); the 2010 ranks 3 of 9.

Total complaints by model year — Ford Escape
All complaints on file per model year, as of July 14, 2026
2010
2,126
1,312
2,743
2,067
1,028
1,031
2,624
1,725
1,476
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 5 recalls

5 recalls apply to some or all 2010 Ford Escape vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

May 201010V-222
Power Train:Automatic Transmission

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 FUSION, MILAN, AND ESCAPE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 27, THROUGH MARCH 26, 2010. THE PARK ROD GUIDE RETENTION PIN MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, "THEFT…

Sep 201010E-043
Equipment

MARATHON IS RECALLING CERTAIN SEAT COVERS, BRAND SUPERHIDES WITH PART NUMBERS 593, 594, 578, 960, 228, 228-09, 267-08, 333, 625, AND 630, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SEAT COVERS ARE MADE OF HEAVIER THREAD AND ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SEATS CONTAINING SI…

May 201414V-284
Steering:Electric Power Assist System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the s…

Jun 201515E-045
Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing

The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have …

Oct 201616V-777
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may …

Does your car have an open recall?

Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2010 Ford Escape have?

As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 2,126 complaints about the 2010 Ford Escape with NHTSA. The most-reported system is speed control.

How many recalls does the 2010 Ford Escape have?

The 2010 Ford Escape has 5 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Methodology & source

All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.

Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.

This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.