2010 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
115 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
40,707 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 95 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 26 of 115 complaints (22.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 34 | 29.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 13.9% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 4.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 3.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 26 |
| Seats | 17 |
| Engine | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
Power Train: 26; Seats: 17; Engine: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 14; Electrical System: 10; Service Brakes: 9; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 35 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 15 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 14 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 20 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 20 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2009: 2; 2010: 20; 2011: 18; 2012: 6; 2013: 3; 2014: 15; 2015: 7; 2016: 9; 2017: 7; 2018: 8; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 4; 2022: 4; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 2; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10321460 · 2010-03-22 (March 22, 2010)
2010 FORD EXPLORER RENTAL FROM HERTZ. APPROX 3500 MILES. AFTER 10 MILES DASHBOARD RED WARNING SAID "SERVICE RSC IMMEDIATELY" ALSO AUDIBLE ALARM REPEATED EVERY FEW MINUTES. TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS A LOOSE WIRE. AFTER 10 MORE MILES, WARNING REPEATED THEN STOPPED. THEN CAR BEGAN TO PULSATE BRAKING PULL TO THE LEFT. HAD TO DRIVE THAT WAY 45 MILES TO AIRPORT TO EXCHANGE THE CAR WITH HERTZ.*DT
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10321460 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10326985 · 2010-04-22 (April 22, 2010)
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35 MPH ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT RED LIGHT. BRAKES WERE NOT HOLDING MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE AFTER DRIVING IN WET WEATHER. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DRY. PRESSING HARDER ACTIVATED THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED INTO THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. NEAR T-BONE ACCIDENT. ENGINE CONTINUED TO OVER REV UNTIL PLACED INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNING KEY INTO OFF POSITION. RESTARTED FINE, BUT HAD PUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326985 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10325969 · 2010-04-16 (April 16, 2010)
ON MARCH 29 AT 9PM WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND PASSING A VEHICLE, MY TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. IF FELT LIKE IT DROPPED OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF MY FORD EXPLORER 2004 WITH 63,445 MILES. O/D LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND CHECK TRANSMISSION WAS ON THE DASH DISPLAY. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP, UNABLE TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 20 MPH OR SHIFT GEARS. REVERSE WAS COMPLETELY NOT WORKING. I HAD REPORTED THAT I SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS A YEAR PRIOR, AND DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. IN OCTOBER 2009 AT 59,492 MILES…
Owner-reported narrative. 63,445 miles reported. Look up ODI 10325969 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10342418 · 2010-07-10 (July 10, 2010)
I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER W/APPROX. 120M MILES. MY O/D LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND I GOT A "CK TRANSMISSION" MESSAGE. AFTER EXPLORING THE INTERNET I FOUND OVER 200 OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I TERRIFIED 2 TAKE 2 MY FORD DEALER AFTER READING COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS. THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES FROM STARTING THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10342418 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10403276 · 2011-05-20 (May 20, 2011)
WHEN MAKING A FORWARD 90 DEGREE TURN EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN SO THAT THE VEHICLE STRAIGHTENS OUT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TURN UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL IS STRAIGHTENED OUT MANUALLY. IN REVERSE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL RETURN AND STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10403276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10455618 · 2012-04-18 (April 18, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO UTILIZE EXTREME FORCE TO RE-CENTER THE STEERING WHEEL UNTIL REACHING 15 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WOULD THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000 A…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10455618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10631043 · 2014-09-05 (September 5, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10631043 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10631071 · 2014-09-05 (September 5, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND DISENGAGING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10631071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560865 · 2014-01-21 (January 21, 2014)
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295 JUST SOUTH OF BRUNSWICK, MAINE MY 2010 FORD EXPLORER LOST ALL POWER AND RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I DID MANAGE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY JUST BEFORE LOSING ALL POWER, BUT I COULD NOT RESTART MY VEHICLE. I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD SERVICE CENTER, AND FORD INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FRICTION WHICH HAD WORN AWAY THE ELECTRICAL TAPE AND WIRE CASING OF THE ELECTRICAL NODE AND THE WIRING HARNESS AROUND THE FUEL TANK. I AM CONCERNED…
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560865 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11002510 · 2017-06-30 (June 30, 2017)
I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE KEYS FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I LOOKED UP THE ISSUE ON YOUTUBE AND FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON. SEVERAL VIDEOS GAVE A QUICK FIX. I DID THE FIX AND IT WORKED FOR A DAY AND A HALF. THE ISSUE IS A PIN THAT SLIPS OUT OF PLACE ON THE SHIFT SELECT. IT SLIPS OUT AND DOESN'T MAKE CONTACT TO TELL THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT KEYS GET STUCK IN CAR AND CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO START CAR AND PUT CAR INTO DRIVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11002510 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11021330 · 2017-09-04 (September 4, 2017)
FUEL GAUGE IS SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE RESTING ON EMPTY WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED. WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT NOW THE GAUGE REMAINS ON EMPTY WITH THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ON AND THE MILES TO EMPTY READING AS "---" AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER TOLD ME ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS THE REASON FOR THE GAUGE ACTING LIKE THIS.
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11021330 at NHTSA ↗