repaired · 2019 Q1
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
2010 Ford EscapeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 2,071 owner complaints about the 2010 Ford Escape, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-777 the manufacturer reports only 52% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2010 Ford Escape has problems
2,071 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
558Vehicle speed control8 crash/fire/injury
508Power train4 crash/fire/injury
493Engine3 crash/fire/injury
441Fuel/propulsion system4 crash/fire/injury
424Steering8 crash/fire/injury
217Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
84Structure
71Fuel system, gasoline
69Visibility
22120 other systems12 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 558 | 8 |
| Power train | 508 | 4 |
| Engine | 493 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 441 | 4 |
| Steering | 424 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 217 | 2 |
| Structure | 84 | 8 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 71 | 0 |
| Visibility | 69 | 7 |
| 20 other systems | 221 | 12 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2010 Ford Escape recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. A VEHICLE PARKED WITHOUT AN ENGAGED PARK PAWL AND WITHOUT AN APPLIED PARKING BRAKE MAY HAVE UNINTENDED MOVEMENT WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do vehicle speed control problems start?
52kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 541 vehicle speed control complaints. 95% were reported before 100,000 miles.
41under 30k miles515under 100k miles26100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
37 owners mentioned a cost$1,400median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,850
Engine
35 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $378 – $595
Vehicle speed control
31 owners mentioned a cost$450median
Middle half: $347 – $612
Power train
27 owners mentioned a cost$471median
Middle half: $405 – $600
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2010 vs. every other Escape year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Escape median. How we score
9961,0275584991,3944642541,9741,6932,0711,3206042,7532,0911,1481,1922,7101,8336041,62135623810278263
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2010 Ford Escape safety ratings
2010 Ford Escape 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (20.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2010 Ford Escape, and the recalls they led to.
- Electronic Throttle Body MalfunctionNo recall
- Loss of power steering while drivingNo recall
- Rear Liftgate Window Glass BreakageNo recall
- Electronic Throttle Body MalfunctionNo recall
In owners' words
What Escape owners report
Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, and then stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times and she was able to avoid having an accident. The contact stated…
THIS VECHICAL IS BEING FINANCED THROUGH CENTRAL AUTO SALES OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. THIS VECHICAL HAS SERIOUS ISSUES, I CONTACTED CENTRAL AUTO ABOUT MY CAR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IT KEPT STALLING ON FREEWAY THAT I WAS BARELY MISSED BY A DIESAL TRUCK HITTING ME. I TOLD THEM IT WAS THE THROTTLE…
WHILE DRIVING AROUND 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY 2010 FORD ESCAPE STARTED TO HESITATE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, AND LEFT ME WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE... I WAS A SITTING DUCK, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT HURTING MYSELF OR HURTING ANYONE ELSE. AFTER…
Own a 2010 Escape?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.