2010 Ford Escape problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2010 Ford Escape has 2,129 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 11 Ford Escape model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2013 (2,754); the cleanest is 2024 (76). 5 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2010 a good year for the Ford Escape?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2013 draws 36 times the complaints of the 2024. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2010 sits near the top of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 76 | 8 |
| 2023 | 99 | 11 |
| 2022 | 234 | 19 |
| 2018 | 1,804 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1,137 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1,106 | 9 |
| 2014 | 2,088 | 16 |
| 2013 | 2,754 | 18 |
| 2012 | 603 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1,316 | 3 |
| 2010 ← this page | 2,129 | 5 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 11 of the nameplate’s model years. 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2010 accounts for 16% of every complaint filed against the Ford Escape in this retrieval, which works out to 133.1 complaints per year on the road across the 16 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2010?
Fuel System, Gasoline
On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM)…
Free 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.
Suspension
Free 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.
Steering
The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input.
Free 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.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Ford dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2010 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Ford Escape?
Across every Ford Escape year, not the 2010 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Engine — 2,831 reports
- Power Train — 2,546 reports
- Steering — 1,629 reports
- Electrical System — 1,001 reports
If your 2010 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Ford Escape years should you compare?
2011 Ford Escape → · All Ford Escape years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Ford Escape page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2010 before you commit
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