IllustrationBACK HATCH WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY OPENS WITHOUT USING REMOTE HAD THE ACTUATOR REPLACED DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM LEAVES MY VEHICLE VULNERABLE TO THIEVES!
2010 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Explorer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
350–25K
1525–50K
1650–75K
1275–100K
14100–150K
3150K+
95 reports with mileage · 20 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
8 reportsCOMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE ALL OF A SUDDEN SURGED FORWARD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKES. IT SURGED SO FAST AND HARD THAT IT REAR ENDED A YUKON WHICH WAS PARKED ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF ME , WHICH FORCED THE YUKON FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET WHICH THEN BROADSIDED A PARKED PICK…
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COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE ALL OF A SUDDEN SURGED FORWARD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKES. IT SURGED SO FAST AND HARD THAT IT REAR ENDED A YUKON WHICH WAS PARKED ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF ME , WHICH FORCED THE YUKON FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET WHICH THEN BROADSIDED A PARKED PICKUP. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN A PARKING AREA, ADJACENT TO A GAS STATION. MY DAUGHTER WAS UNBUCKLING FROM HER SEATBELT WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CAUSED HER HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. TURNING THE BILL INTO INSURANCE, OUR VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. WE HAD BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR 2 MONTHS WHILE INSURANCE TOOK ITS TIME TOTALLING IT. WE NOW HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE, START A NEW CAR LOAN WHEN OUR EXPLORER WAS HALF PAID OFF. AFTER THE ACCIDENT WE RESEARCHED OUR VEHICLE AND LEARNED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS WITH FORD EXPLORERS YEARS 2002 THRU 2010. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THIS, ALTHOUGH WE READ HALF WAY THRU 2010 THEY DID START CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.
TAKATA RECALL AND SHIFT ASSEMBLY NOT LETTING OPERATOR TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. HAVE NOTICED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2010'S. AND RATCHET GEAR ON FRONT MANUAL RECLINING SEATS AND SEAT COVER PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS.
THE AC AND HEATER BLOWER MALFUNCTION. DURING THE WINTER OF 2016 I BEGAN TO HEAR A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WHEN ADJUSTING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE OF THE HEATER. THE ISSUE HAS PROGRESSED TO THE SAME EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER THE BLOWER FAN SPEEDS OF 1 & 2 ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL, BUT 3 & 4 ARE.
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…
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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.
EXHAUST FUMES LEAK INSIDE CAR WHILE DRIVING
A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRIC INTERLOCK BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND THE "PARK" POSITION OCCURRED WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" TO SOME OTHER POSITION WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN SOMEONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MOVING THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE. TH…
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A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRIC INTERLOCK BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND THE "PARK" POSITION OCCURRED WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" TO SOME OTHER POSITION WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN SOMEONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MOVING THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN EXTENSIVE/ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, THAT THE PARTS TO REPAIR IT ARE ON BACK-ORDER FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS!! IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE SCENARIO I DESCRIBED ABOVE OCCURS, CAUSING DAMAGE IF NOT INJURY TO SOMETHING/SOMEONE. THE CURRENT CONDITION OF MY VEHICLE IS THAT I CANNOT ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION, SO IT MUST BE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I DEPART. THAT'S ILLEGAL IN THIS STATE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE IF I WANT TO/HAVE TO USE MY VEHICLE. I CHECKED 'BLOGS' ON THIS SUBJECT, AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR A LONG TIME, AND FORD IS AWARE OF IT.
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. H…
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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
Official recalls
110V161000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
Apr 20, 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 COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202, "HEAD RESTRAINT." THE RECLINER GEAR PLATE TEETH MAY BE OUT OF DIMENSION SPECIFICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN LIMITED PAWL TO GEAR PLATE TOOTH ENGAGEMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEATBACK AND HEAD RESTRAINT MAY MOVE REARWARD, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: 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 1-866-436-7332.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.