2010 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability

155 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Ford Explorer, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 4/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 80,500 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2010 Ford Explorer has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

155Complaints

4/100Trouble index

2Recalls

57,710Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2010 sits among all Explorer years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 29 complaints (19%) · typically ~80,500 miles

“Service rsc light comes on with the wrench light when driving the vehicle. Replaced the tcm and the problem did not go away. Codes u0101 and u1900 are popping up. Vehicle goes into limp mode. Replaced ignition coils on the left bank and it did not go away.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Explorer

Seats & interior 20 complaints (13%) · typically ~7,130 miles

Engine 17 complaints (11%) · typically ~68,855 miles

Brakes & stability 15 complaints (10%) · typically ~38,604 miles

Speed control 14 complaints (9%) · typically ~9,800 miles

Electrical 14 complaints (9%) · typically ~65,000 miles

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 111 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 57,710 miles. Half of those reports fall between 19,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

EQUIPMENT 10E043000 2010

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…

Fix: 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.

SEATS 10V161000 2010

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 FUSION, EXPLORER, EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, AND MERCURY MILAN AND MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN DECEMBER 15, 2009 THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINERS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO…

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL RECLINERS FOR BOTH POWER AND MANUAL SEATS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 30, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT…

Federal defect investigations

Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit AQ10001 opened 2010, closed 2015

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2009peak 24 in 20102026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2010 Ford Explorer reliable?

The 2010 Ford Explorer drew 155 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 4/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).

What are the most common 2010 Ford Explorer problems?

The top reported problems for the 2010 Ford Explorer are transmission & drivetrain (29 complaints), seats & interior (20), and engine (17).

At what mileage do 2010 Ford Explorer problems show up?

Owners most often report 2010 Ford Explorer problems around 57,710 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 19,000 and 90,000 miles.

Does the 2010 Ford Explorer have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-12 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.