2010 Ford Escape Problems and Recalls (2,128 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2010 Ford Escape is Cruise / speed control (19% of 2,128 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Cruise / speed control — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-15 2,128 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2010 Ford Escape?

411 of 2,128 filings named Cruise / speed control (19% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Steering (408 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Steering, Suspension, and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2009 has 1,842 reports on file; this year has 2,128. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2010 Ford Escape

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  3. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Cruise / speed control. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Cruise / speed control 411 complaints · 19.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 32
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 23
  • Deaths 0
All Ford Escape years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) appears in 411 of 2,128 owner complaints (19.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 411 complaints, 19.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 crash reports 1 fire reports 411 · 19.3% Steering (STEERING): 408 complaints, 19.2% of reports Steering (STEERING) 7 crash reports 408 · 19.2% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 374 complaints, 17.6% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 crash reports 1 fire reports 374 · 17.6% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 281 complaints, 13.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 281 · 13.2% Engine (ENGINE): 225 complaints, 10.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 225 · 10.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 91 complaints, 4.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 91 · 4.3% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 75 complaints, 3.5% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 crash reports 75 · 3.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 59 complaints, 2.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 59 · 2.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 44 complaints, 2.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 44 · 2.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 287 complaints, 13.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 5 crash reports 287 · 13.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 411 19.3% 8 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 408 19.2% 7 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 374 17.6% 3 crashes · 1 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 281 13.2% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 225 10.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 91 4.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 75 3.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 59 2.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 44 2.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 287 13.5% 5 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2009; the first recall shown was reported in May 2010. 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2010-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2010-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2010-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2011-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2011-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2011-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2012-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2012-Q3: 29 owner reports 29 2012-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2013-Q1: 64 owner reports 64 2013-Q2: 259 owner reports 259 2013-Q3: 475 owner reports 475 2013-Q4: 128 owner reports 128 2014-Q1: 48 owner reports 48 2014-Q2: 47 owner reports 47 2014-Q3: 43 owner reports 43 2014-Q4: 28 owner reports 28 2015-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2015-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2015-Q3: 32 owner reports 32 2015-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2016-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2016-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2016-Q3: 26 owner reports 26 2016-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2017-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2017-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2017-Q3: 37 owner reports 37 2017-Q4: 39 owner reports 39 2018-Q1: 53 owner reports 53 2018-Q2: 35 owner reports 35 2018-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2018-Q4: 44 owner reports 44 2019-Q1: 30 owner reports 30 2019-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2019-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2019-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2020-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 2020-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2020-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2020-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2021-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2021-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2021-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2022-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2022-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2022-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2023-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2023-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2024-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2024-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2025-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2026-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Oct 2009 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 10V222000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V222000 Recall campaign 10E043000 ◆ Recall campaign 10E043000 Recall campaign 14V284000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V284000 Recall campaign 15E045000 ◆ Recall campaign 15E045000 Recall campaign 16V777000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V777000 Investigation PE11016 ● Investigation PE11016 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation PE13003 ● Investigation PE13003 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 10V222000 was reported 97 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V284000 was reported 1,354 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15E045000 was reported 1,896 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V777000 was reported 1,814 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 12
2010-Q2 Owner reports 11
2010-Q3 Owner reports 13
2010-Q4 Owner reports 13
2011-Q1 Owner reports 7
2011-Q2 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 8
2011-Q4 Owner reports 6
2012-Q1 Owner reports 14
2012-Q2 Owner reports 11
2012-Q3 Owner reports 29
2012-Q4 Owner reports 38
2013-Q1 Owner reports 64
2013-Q2 Owner reports 259
2013-Q3 Owner reports 475
2013-Q4 Owner reports 128
2014-Q1 Owner reports 48
2014-Q2 Owner reports 47
2014-Q3 Owner reports 43
2014-Q4 Owner reports 28
2015-Q1 Owner reports 22
2015-Q2 Owner reports 16
2015-Q3 Owner reports 32
2015-Q4 Owner reports 24
2016-Q1 Owner reports 26
2016-Q2 Owner reports 23
2016-Q3 Owner reports 26
2016-Q4 Owner reports 33
2017-Q1 Owner reports 31
2017-Q2 Owner reports 25
2017-Q3 Owner reports 37
2017-Q4 Owner reports 39
2018-Q1 Owner reports 53
2018-Q2 Owner reports 35
2018-Q3 Owner reports 27
2018-Q4 Owner reports 44
2019-Q1 Owner reports 30
2019-Q2 Owner reports 25
2019-Q3 Owner reports 18
2019-Q4 Owner reports 16
2020-Q1 Owner reports 29
2020-Q2 Owner reports 18
2020-Q3 Owner reports 14
2020-Q4 Owner reports 12
2021-Q1 Owner reports 16
2021-Q2 Owner reports 8
2021-Q3 Owner reports 7
2021-Q4 Owner reports 15
2022-Q1 Owner reports 17
2022-Q2 Owner reports 8
2022-Q3 Owner reports 4
2022-Q4 Owner reports 14
2023-Q1 Owner reports 17
2023-Q2 Owner reports 6
2023-Q3 Owner reports 8
2023-Q4 Owner reports 13
2024-Q1 Owner reports 12
2024-Q2 Owner reports 9
2024-Q3 Owner reports 9
2024-Q4 Owner reports 6
2025-Q1 Owner reports 10
2025-Q2 Owner reports 6
2025-Q3 Owner reports 5
2025-Q4 Owner reports 7
2026-Q1 Owner reports 10
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 10V222000
Recall campaign 1 10E043000
Recall campaign 1 14V284000
Recall campaign 1 15E045000
Recall campaign 1 16V777000
Defect investigation 1 PE11016
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 PE13003
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Steering, Suspension, and Fuel system.

  1. Recall campaign 10E043000

    Safety recall 10E043000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
    Remedy:
    MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 10V222000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    A VEHICLE PARKED WITHOUT AN ENGAGED PARK PAWL AND WITHOUT AN APPLIED PARKING BRAKE MAY HAVE UNINTENDED MOVEMENT WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332 AND FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED CALL 1-800-232-5952 (TDD). REPRESENTATIVES ARE AVAILABLE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: 8:00AM - 5:00PM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 14V284000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    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.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 15E045000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 16V777000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-14
Safety incident filters
Showing 4 of 2,128 complaints · page 1 of 86
2026-09-26Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11767192
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist Power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds. Steering locks up while driving. This has happened 3 times within the last 6 months. Before this, the last few years it has been difficult starting the car with the key. It would take multiple tries before starting. But now that the steering has locked up more than twice while driving is concerning. I see there were previous problems with the steering and corrected in 2014. After reading the recall description, it sounds to be the same problem. And recently i parked the vehicle, put in park, pulled the key and when opening the door beeping occurred like the key was in the ignition. Once the key was put in the ignition, it stopped. Please Help, [XXX] [XXX]/[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-07-16SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11750831
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1. I purchased a 2010 Ford Escape that had a preexisting rusted frame defect. That is shown by the Ford vehicle history report and related service documentation, which support that the problem existed before I took possession of the vehicle. The vehicle was determined as unsafe to drive and later broke down after the sale. Apple Ford Apple Valley documented that the vehicle was “not safe to drive due to rusted frame,” and after break down, Carlson Automotive also inspected the vehicle and confirmed serious issues. The vehicle and related records can be made available for inspection upon request. 2.My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the structural defect caused loss of control, steering problems, and ultimately a breakdown while driving. This created a danger to me, my passengers, and other drivers on the road. 3.The problem was confirmed by a dealer ( prior to the sale to me) and an independent service center ( after it broke down ). I am not aware of any police or insurance inspection of the vehicle. The seller is not cooperating. Ford bought the vehicle through a trade in and then held it for resale, top gear obtains the vehicle which then sells it on kbids to me. 4. There were warning signs before the failure THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED AND FORD ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE ITS LOT INSTEAD OF JUNKING IT. The Ford history report and service records showed the rusted frame condition before the vehicle failed, and Apple Ford Apple Valley documented that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The car fax report did not show detailed service notes. I was not able to find out more detail until I was listed as the owner at FORD. The vehicle was video recorded on top gear you tube page as drivable and operational WITHOUT restrictions.
2026-07-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11748036
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I own a 2010 Ford Escape, VIN [XXX]. Last year in 2025, my power steering went out. I found out it was from a safety recall. I took it to the Ford dealership in Sandusky, MI. They told me it wasn't a safety recall and they would not cover it. I have been searching online for a YEAR, and I finally found where that certain safety recall was only repaired by computer update, NOT by checking the actual steering column, via the previous owners. I want the steering column looked at and for free. We could have died if it had failed in a turn. The escape is sitting in my garage with NO POWERSTEERING AT ALL and no one can drive it. This is a safety risk because without power-steering I cannot turn or drive my vehicle at all. I want this repaired as soon as possible, for free. There were no messages or failures, it just stopped working. Ford is telling me that they won't fix it because it has already been repaired and it is not in their computer system. I know this is BS because if it was fixed, why is it failed now? I also learned that they did a "system update" to prevent failure of the steering column and I guess mine didn't get one. I am not a happy customer and I will NEVER buy a ford again if this is not repaired. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-06-04Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11742103
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Front subframe on the right side prematurely rusts, causing the vehicle to loose steering and pull to the right.

Ford Escape Complaints by Model Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Ford Escape?

Owners named Cruise / speed control most often — 411 of 2,128 reports (19%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2010 Ford Escape?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Steering, Suspension, and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2010 Ford Escape?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-14. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources