Owner complaint record
2010 Ford Escape Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2010 Ford Escape owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 2,068 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, the check engine codes owners named, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20262,068 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
557 complaints, 27% of the total
half of the throttle and speed control reports that give a mileage came before this
19 mention an injury, 3 a fire
The throttle and speed control leads the 2010 Ford Escape record at 27%, with engine close behind. Of the throttle and speed control reports that give a mileage, half came before 52,000 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the throttle body, $66 to $156 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
Complaints spread over the throttle, the engine and the powertrain in near-equal shares, and stalling is the most common theme across all three. Ford recalled certain 2010 Escapes for a steering torque sensor, and the 3.0L for a fuel pump.
2010 Ford Escape overview
The 2010 Escape came with a 2.5-liter four and a 3.0-liter V6, with a six-speed automatic or, on the four, a five-speed manual, in front-wheel or four-wheel drive.
The 2011 drew 1,316, with steering named most.
- Power
- 240 hp at 6,550 rpm
- Torque
- 223 lb-ft at 4,300 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 171 hp at 6,000 rpm
- Torque
- 171 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic or 5-speed manual
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Ford media technical spec sheets and ford.com engine pages (Wayback copies), read 3 Oct 2026.
Is the 2010 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2010 Ford Escape ranks 4th of 16 Escape model years for owner complaints, and the throttle and speed control draws the largest share. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 4thCompared with other Escape years2,068 complaints, the 4th most of 16 model years (2013 has 2,744).By model year
- 27%The system named mostThrottle and speed control, in 557 complaints. Half of the throttle and speed control reports that give a mileage came before 52,000 miles.Problems by system
- 5Recalls5 recall campaigns cover the 2010 Ford Escape.Recalls
- 29Crashes, injuries, fires29 complaints mention a crash, 19 an injury and 3 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2010 Ford Escape problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 2,068 complaints about the 2010 Ford Escape that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Throttle and speed control27%557 complaintsStalling, loss of power
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What owners describe
While making left hand turn vehicle abruptly stalled, yellow warning light showed fault with powertrain. Vehicle was towed to dealer on 6/10/2013 still waiting for throttle body assembly three days.
I was driving at 50mph and next thing I know is my whole car was shaking it was a 2010 Ford escape and I checked the dash and the orange wrench light is on. I tried to step on the gas pedal so I can find a place to pull over but I don't have any power on my gas pedal it just wont accelerate.
TXTXCACARead 4 more owner reports+4
Vehicle stalls during normal driving for no apparent reason. Wait a minute and it will restart. Took vehicle to dealer and they said that the throttle body was defective and needed to be replaced. Though mileage warranty has not expired, 3 yr warranty is out by 1 month so they will not repair under warranty. Want $700 to fix.
Vehicle would stutter and then stall on multiple occasions. Happened once on the first day, twice on the second, and 5 times (including 3 on the way to the dealership) on the third day. This is extremely unsafe, as you are never sure when it is going to happen. I was told that I have a "bad throttle body."
On 8/3/13 I was driving at 45 mph when suddenly the engine started shaking and I lost acceleration regardless of the position of the gas pedal. Upon taking it to the dealership they identified the problem as a faulty electronic throttle body. This is a major safety concern as you lose speed control without warning.
Car would occasionally lurch forward while driving, then on august 21st 2013, car lurched forward then felt like it stalled out. Took it to Ford dealership they stated that the throttle body went out and needed to be replaced.
When it starts
Usually starts around 52,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 41,000 and 65,267.
What to do
Feel for hesitation or a stall when you press the throttle from a stop.
Our guideEngine Power Reduced: Meaning, Causes and How to FixMore: Jerks when accelerating
Engine24%493 complaintsStalling, warning lights
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What owners describe
Escape sputtered & stalled. Restarted & was serviced by Ford to 'clean' the throttle body. Within a few days, it exhibited the same behavior but much more frequent rendering the car unreliable. Replacement parts are not available from the dealer for another 3-4 weeks.
Vehicle would stutter and then stall on multiple occasions. Happened once on the first day, twice on the second, and 5 times (including 3 on the way to the dealership) on the third day. This is extremely unsafe, as you are never sure when it is going to happen. I was told that I have a "bad throttle body."
MIIAPROHRead 4 more owner reports+4
Vehicle abruptly stalled with check engine light on, at highway speed. An accident was barely averted. Car was taken to dealership and diagnosed as a faulty throttle body. The defective throttle body was replaced. Vehicle only has 32k miles. Research shows that this is a common problem.
Went to accelerate and vehicle stalled. Replaced at 50,000 miles. On the new replacement, at 70,000, replaced at my cost at dealership, throttle body stutters and chugs between 40 and 50 mph.
Driving my 2010 escape on the highway the engine stalled. The speed I was going was about 60 mph. With no prior warning the wrench light and check engine light came on, the rpm's fluctuated between 0500 and 2500 and I could not accelerate the vehicle. The dealer said the electronic throttle body needed to be replaced at my expense as it was not under warranty.
Wrench light came on while driving car and barely had enough rpms to get off road. Had to pull battery cable off to get car to move. This happened three times to get the car 20 miles to home then trailered to Ford dealer. Said it was a bad tb. The car has also stalled at 0mph and sometimes surges. One time this winter the car surged causing it to hit my tractor and busted bumper cover and fog lamp.
When it starts
Usually starts around 52,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 42,000 and 67,037.
What to do
Let the engine idle warm and watch for a stall or a warning light.
Our guideCar Shuts Off While Idling or Driving? Causes and What to DoPowertrain24%492 complaintsWarning lights, stalling
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What owners describe
Escape sputtered & stalled. Restarted & was serviced by Ford to 'clean' the throttle body. Within a few days, it exhibited the same behavior but much more frequent rendering the car unreliable. Replacement parts are not available from the dealer for another 3-4 weeks.
I was driving at 50mph and next thing I know is my whole car was shaking it was a 2010 Ford escape and I checked the dash and the orange wrench light is on. I tried to step on the gas pedal so I can find a place to pull over but I don't have any power on my gas pedal it just wont accelerate.
FLMINJVARead 4 more owner reports+4
Ford escape 2010 stalling. Wrench light turns on. I have to carefully get off the road and stop the vehicle completely. Turn off the engine and then turn back on. It will run ok until next time. Looks like every 3-5 miles. This is very dangerous and needs to be recalled asap.
Vehicle abruptly stalled with check engine light on, at highway speed. An accident was barely averted. Car was taken to dealership and diagnosed as a faulty throttle body. The defective throttle body was replaced. Vehicle only has 32k miles. Research shows that this is a common problem.
2010 Ford escape stalled out while driving 40 mph. I was nearly rear ended by ups truck. Took to dealer for service they replaced the throttle body and charged me $500.77.
Vehicle stalled twice in a matter of 5 miles, it was towed to the Ford dealership and they replaced the throttle body. Since my escape is still under an extended warranty, I was charged $100 for this repair.
When it starts
Usually starts around 51,315 miles. Half of owners reported it between 40,000 and 65,925.
What to do
Drive through every gear and watch for a warning light.
Our guideBad Transmission Symptoms: Seven Causes Ranked from $6.19 to $7,100Fuel and power delivery21%440 complaintsStalling, fuel pump recall
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What owners describe
While making left hand turn vehicle abruptly stalled, yellow warning light showed fault with powertrain. Vehicle was towed to dealer on 6/10/2013 still waiting for throttle body assembly three days.
Please be advised while driving on I-285 in rush hour traffic my 2010 Ford escape stalled. The vehicle was unresponsive and slowed down on its own. I had to pull off to the side of the road in rush hour traffic. Upon taking the vehicle to Ford, they replaced a faulty throttle body.
WAMIRead 2 more owner reports+2
I was driving at 50mph and next thing I know is my whole car was shaking it was a 2010 Ford escape and I checked the dash and the orange wrench light is on. I tried to step on the gas pedal so I can find a place to pull over but I don't have any power on my gas pedal it just wont accelerate.
Vehicle abruptly stalled with check engine light on, at highway speed. An accident was barely averted. Car was taken to dealership and diagnosed as a faulty throttle body. The defective throttle body was replaced. Vehicle only has 32k miles. Research shows that this is a common problem.
When it starts
Usually starts around 56,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 41,905 and 75,000.
What to do
Run the VIN for the fuel pump recall on the 3.0L.
Steering20%417 complaintsLoss of power assist, steering warnings
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What owners describe
As I was making a left turn my steering wheel locked up, an alarm went off, and then the car returned to normal steering again. Has happened quite a few times and have brought it to Ford and still happened afterwards until this last time my power steering has gone out completely on a 7hr drive home with a baby in the back seat.
2010 Ford escape limited awd, build date 10-29-2009. Power steering failed during left turn, nearly causing a sideswipe crash when the steering wheel would not return to straight ahead position. Quick reflexes and braking prevented the crash. Car had been running for about 5 minutes, outside air temperature was 106 degrees. After braking the power steering resumed normal functioning.
MIMDRead 2 more owner reports+2
Steering wheel shake vehicle is parked running at idle and the steering wheel shakes back and forth with out touching it. This shake also occurs while driving down the road at 55 mph.
2010 Ford escape, lost steering power while driving at low speed briefly (about 1-2 seconds) and power came back again. Alarm was heard at same time. This happens randomly about once a week since last year. There was a recall and dealer reprogramed some software about 2 years ago.
When it starts
Usually starts around 114,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 85,914 and 144,250.
What to do
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running and watch for a steering warning.
Electrical system10%206 complaintsWarning lights, stalling
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What owners describe
Vehicle stalls while driving , stalls while idle , rpm's spike while driving !!! Scary !! Codes read p2112 . (throttle stuck open ) thinking bad throttle body ?
While driving my 2010 Ford escape it would occasionally go into a limp mode causing me to pull over on the highway and turn off the car and attempt to restart. There is no telling when it would happen as it was intermittent.
GACARead 2 more owner reports+2
While driving vehicle it will rev high and then stall while in traffic. Starts back up fine and then immediately stalls out again. This has happened three different times in the past 3 weeks.
For the past 8 months my escape has been stalling while I am driving or at a stop light, and when I am at a complete stop the car moves forward without stepping on the gas pedal!!!
When it starts
Usually starts around 57,951 miles. Half of owners reported it between 41,005 and 80,243.
What to do
Watch the dash for warning lights on the test drive.
What repairs cost on the 2010 Ford Escape
Part prices for the problems 2010 Escape owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
Ten brands for the 2.5L and 3.0L, from Wells up to BSE.
Check throttle bodiesPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 3, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
Check engine codes owners report
47 owners name P2111 (throttle actuator stuck open) in their complaints, the code named most for this car.
Complaints whose text names the code, one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
When problems show up on the odometer
Powertrain complaints start earliest, typically around 51,300 miles. Steering complaints start latest, around 114,000 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford Escape complaints by model year
2010 is shown in dark. No other Escape year has the throttle and speed control on top.
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2010 is shown in dark. No other Escape year has the throttle and speed control on top.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2010 Ford Escape have kept arriving since 2009, with peaks in 2013 and 2014. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2010 Ford Escape recalls
5 recall campaigns cover the 2010 Ford Escape. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2010 Ford Escape crash tests and investigations
NHTSA has no overall star rating on file for the 2010 Ford Escape, only the single tests below. Its defect office has opened four investigations into three problems that cover this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2010 Ford Escape’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 20%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Federal investigations
Before you buy a used 2010 Ford Escape
These checks follow what 2010 Escape owners reported most: stalling and a loss of power, then steering warnings. Run the VIN before you pay, because this SUV has steering and fuel pump recalls.
- 1Drive from a stop and on the highway
Stalling and a loss of power lead three systems.
- 2Run the VIN for steering and fuel pump recalls
Only the VIN shows whether the fixes were done.
- 3Let the engine idle warm
Engine complaints describe stalling at idle.
- 4Turn the wheel lock to lock
Steering complaints describe a loss of assist.
- 5Watch the dash
Warning lights run through the throttle and powertrain complaints.
Oil and service for the 2010 Ford Escape
This is what Ford's manual says the 2010 Escape needs: which oil to use and how much, the fluids for the transmission and the cooling system, and when each job is due. The jobs and their timing come from Ford's separate Scheduled Maintenance Guide, which says to change the oil every 7,500 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 6.0 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Manual transmission fluid
- Motorcraft SAE 75W-90 gear oil
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Premium Gold (yellow)
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 5.3 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft MERCON LV
- Manual transmission fluid
- Motorcraft SAE 75W-90 gear oil
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Premium Gold (yellow)
Service schedule
From the Ford 2010 Escape Owner's Guide and Ford 2010 Scheduled Maintenance Guide, read Oct 3, 2026. Normal schedule.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford Escape?
Owners name the throttle and speed control most (557 complaints), then engine (493) and powertrain (492).
Is 2010 a good year for the Ford Escape?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the throttle and speed control complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Ford Escape?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2010 Ford Escape: fuel system, suspension, steering, equipment, power train. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2010 Ford Escape problems start?
Powertrain complaints start earliest, around 51,300 miles. Steering complaints come later, around 114,000 miles.
Which Escape years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2013 and 2017 model years have the most in the file, and the 2025 and 2024 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 6 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.