NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 2,129 owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Escape (including the hybrid).
Recalled components: fuel system, steering, and powertrain. Most-described problem: loss of power or limp mode (412 complaints, 19%). Most-reported area: speed control (566 complaints, 27%; median mileage when it happened: 52,000).
Fewer complaints than a typical Escape year
The 2010 drew 168 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 178 for a typical Escape year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.
Years to avoid: 2011 and 2013; best years: 2018, 2019, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010.
The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
Risk: 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 14S05.
Powertrain
May 24, 2010
automatic transmission
Fails federal standard 114 (theft and rollaway protection)
The park rod guide retention pin may not have been properly installed which fails to conform to the requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention".
Risk: A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking brake may have unintended movement which may cause a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Ford's recall campaign number is 10c12. or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, milan, and escape vehicles manufactured from february 27, through march 26, 2010.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 10C12.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA also lists 2 equipment recalls for parts sold for this vehicle, not the vehicle itself: Suspension: front, wheel bearing (Timken Company, 15E-045); Equipment (MARATHON SEAT COVERS, INC., 10E-043).
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 2 investigations that name the 2010 Ford Escape; both are closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Electronic throttle body malfunction
Preliminary evaluation PE13003Closed Feb 28, 2014 (opened Feb 21, 2013)
On February 21, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 to investigate allegations of electronic throttle body (ETB) failures resulting in sudden reduction of engine power… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Component: Engine.
Rear liftgate window glass breakage
Preliminary evaluation PE11016Closed Aug 18, 2011 (opened Apr 27, 2011)
In its response to the agency, Ford acknowledged a higher than normal level of glass breakage incidents in the model year (MY) 2010 to early-build MY 2011 subject vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Body structure; Visibility.
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 2,129 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Escape. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Loss of power or limp mode412 · 19%
Median 53,100 miles at failure, from 399 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off387 · 18%
Median 52,800 miles at failure, from 376 reports with mileage
Power steering problems or locked steering312 · 15%
Median 114,000 miles at failure, from 241 reports with mileage
Check engine light200 · 9%
Median 56,900 miles at failure, from 194 reports with mileage
Hesitation or slow acceleration181 · 9%
Median 51,600 miles at failure, from 174 reports with mileage
Shaking, shuddering or vibration136 · 6%
Median 62,100 miles at failure, from 118 reports with mileage
Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting100 · 5%
Median 49,800 miles at failure, from 98 reports with mileage
Unintended acceleration or surging81 · 4%
Median 54,400 miles at failure, from 74 reports with mileage
Median 52,000 miles at failure, from 549 reports with mileage
Powertrain513 · 24%
Most named: automatic transmission (15) · Median 51,200 miles at failure, from 485 reports with mileage
Engine505 · 24%
Median 52,600 miles at failure, from 477 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system445 · 21%
Median 56,000 miles at failure, from 355 reports with mileage
Steering441 · 21%
Most named: column (4) · Median 114,600 miles at failure, from 336 reports with mileage
Electrical system218 · 10%
Most named: instrument cluster/panel (3); ignition (3) · Median 58,000 miles at failure, from 194 reports with mileage
Body structure86 · 4%
Most named: body (59); body, hatchback/liftgate (9) · Median 66,800 miles at failure, from 62 reports with mileage
Unknown or other95 · 4%
Median 75,000 miles at failure, from 69 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Ford Escape recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2010 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2011 Escape drew the most (451) and the 2010 drew 168.
Owner complaints
2010: 2,129 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Complaints
2010
2,129
2011
1,353
2012
617
2013
2,755
2014
2,086
2015
1,106
2016
1,131
2017
2,689
2018
1,804
2019
588
2020
1,891
2021
492
2022
378
2023
133
2024
87
2025
29
2026
4
Safety recalls
2010: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Recalls
2010
3
2011
2
2012
1
2013
18
2014
16
2015
9
2016
4
2017
4
2018
4
2019
3
2020
25
2021
21
2022
21
2023
13
2024
10
2025
10
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 2,129 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Ford Escape, the problems described most are loss of power or limp mode (412), stalling or shutting off (387), and power steering problems or locked steering (312). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2010 Ford Escape?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no open investigations for the 2010 Ford Escape. It lists 2 closed ones; the most recent closed on Feb 28, 2014.
How do I check if my Escape has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: ESCAPE, ESCAPE HYBRID.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.