2010 Ford ESCAPE
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2010 Ford ESCAPE has 3182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 39.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is speed control problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: no accelerator response in the middle of a lefthand turn with oncoming traffic. no engine revs then engine roared and i was able to complete my turn. dealer saw no engine codes,no notes,a 1.5 mile test drive showed nothing,no notes with vin and ford stated no known issues. it didn't happen then? *tr. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.
3182
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
39.8x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
SPEED CONTROL
559 complaints- • NO ACCELERATOR RESPONSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFTHAND TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO ENGINE REVS THEN ENGINE ROARED AND I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY TURN. DEALER SAW NO ENGINE CODES,NO NOTES,A 1.5 MILE TEST DRIVE SHOWED NOTHING,NO NOTES WITH VIN AND FORD STATED NO KNOWN ISSUES. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN? *TR
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP AND SPORADICALLY JERK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTICE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V222000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING IDLE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. AS HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS SCHEDULE TO BE REPAIRED.
“NO ACCELERATOR RESPONSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFTHAND TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO ENGINE REVS THEN ENGINE ROARED AND I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY TURN. DEALER SAW NO ENGINE CODES,NO NOTES,A 1.5 MILE TEST DRIVE SHOWED NOTHING,NO NOTES WITH VIN AND FORD STATED NO KNOWN ISSUES. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN? *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
528 complaints- • ENGINE RACING AND JUMPING WHILE DRIVING. REVERSE MAKING LOUD NOISE. REPORTED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. JOLTED AT A STOP AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE FORCING DRIVER TO TURN INTO CURB. HAD TO FILE CLAIM WITH INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET CAR FIXED. DEALER CLAI
- • PURCHASED A 2010 FORD ESCAPE NEW, 4 MONTHS AFTER THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THEY CLAIMED IT COULD NOT BE FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED BY AN OBJECT MOST LIKELY FROM THE ROAD. DAMAGES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE TECH WENT ON TO
- • 2010 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS A FAST IDLE SPEED, IGNITION KEY LOCK PROBLEM AND A SOFT BRAKE PROBLEM. *TGW THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE IDLE SPEED LOWERED TO 500 RPM. THE DEALER STATED THAT COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE THE IDLE WAS SET AT THE FACTORY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHI
“ENGINE RACING AND JUMPING WHILE DRIVING. REVERSE MAKING LOUD NOISE. REPORTED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. JOLTED AT A STOP AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE FORCING DRIVER TO TURN INTO CURB. HAD TO FILE CLAIM WITH INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET CAR FIXED. DEALER CLAI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
511 complaints- • AT STOP OR IDLE, ENGINE SURGES, HESITATES, STALLS, SMELL GAS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK ESCAPE TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS ITS THE PURGE VALVE AND EVAP CANISTER. PURGE VALVE FAILED AND RAW GAS FILLED EVAP CANISTER. DEALER SAYS ITS OUT OF WARRANTY, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOW
- • WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, A STRONG FUEL ODOR IS PRESENT AND ABOUT A QUART OF FUEL LEAKS FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THIS LEAK DOES NOT COME FROM A SPILLAGE AT THE PUMP HANDLE AND FILLER TUBE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I REFUEL. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DANGEROUS FIRE HAZARD! *TT
- • WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A VERY BUSY FREEWAY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VEHICLE JERKED AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE ACCELERATOR. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 5 MPH. THE WRENCH
“AT STOP OR IDLE, ENGINE SURGES, HESITATES, STALLS, SMELL GAS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK ESCAPE TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS ITS THE PURGE VALVE AND EVAP CANISTER. PURGE VALVE FAILED AND RAW GAS FILLED EVAP CANISTER. DEALER SAYS ITS OUT OF WARRANTY, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOW”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
508 complaints- • I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER 17000 K WITH TOTAL INTERNAL FAILURE. WITH BOTH THE NEW AND OLD TRANSMISSIONS I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ISSUE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT COMING TO A STOP
- • I PURCHASED A 2010 FORD ESCAPE 1/2/10. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THE PURCHASE I WENT TO BACK UP AND THEN GO FORWARD. IN DOING SO, WHEN I PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR TO GO FORWARD THERE WAS A JERKING MOTION AS WELL AS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE UNDER THE CAR. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS EXPER
- • 2010 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION*CW THE CONSUMER STATED A NOISE OCCURRED DURING EARLY ACCELERATION FROM A FULL STOP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS AWAITING A NEW TRANSMISSION CHAIN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB
“I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER 17000 K WITH TOTAL INTERNAL FAILURE. WITH BOTH THE NEW AND OLD TRANSMISSIONS I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ISSUE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT COMING TO A STOP”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
423 complaints- • PURCHASED 2010 FORD ESCAPE XLT ON 12-12-09. ON MONDAY, 12-14-09 POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND LIGHT FOR STABILIZER CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. CAR WAS HARDLY DRIVABLE AND EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. DEALERSHIP STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NEWLY COMPUTERIZED THIS YEAR AND DID NOT RUN ON BELT AND PIST
- • PURCHASED NEW FORD ESCAPE 06/01/10, AT APPROX 800 MILES IT DEVELOPED A METAL TO METAL CLICKING SOUND WITHIN STEERING COLUMN WHEN MANUVERING IN AND OUT OF PARKING LOTS AND SLOW SPEED TURNS. BROUGHT ESCAPE TO DEALER ON 06/21/10, DEALER SAID THEY HAVE TO REALIGN MOTOR TO FRAME. NOISE RETURNED AND ESCAP
- • TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR. A
“PURCHASED 2010 FORD ESCAPE XLT ON 12-12-09. ON MONDAY, 12-14-09 POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND LIGHT FOR STABILIZER CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. CAR WAS HARDLY DRIVABLE AND EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. DEALERSHIP STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NEWLY COMPUTERIZED THIS YEAR AND DID NOT RUN ON BELT AND PIST”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 3182 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: NO ACCELERATOR RESPONSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFTHAND TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO ENGINE REVS THEN ENGINE ROARED AND I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY TURN. DEALER SAW NO ENGINE CODES,NO NOTES,A 1.5 MILE TEST DRIVE SHOWED NOTHING,NO NOTES WITH VIN AND FORD STATED NO KNOWN ISSUES. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN? *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: ENGINE RACING AND JUMPING WHILE DRIVING. REVERSE MAKING LOUD NOISE. REPORTED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. JOLTED AT A STOP AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE FORCING DRIVER TO TURN INTO CURB. HAD TO FILE CLAIM WITH INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET CAR FIXED. DEALER CLAI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: AT STOP OR IDLE, ENGINE SURGES, HESITATES, STALLS, SMELL GAS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK ESCAPE TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS ITS THE PURGE VALVE AND EVAP CANISTER. PURGE VALVE FAILED AND RAW GAS FILLED EVAP CANISTER. DEALER SAYS ITS OUT OF WARRANTY, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOW
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER 17000 K WITH TOTAL INTERNAL FAILURE. WITH BOTH THE NEW AND OLD TRANSMISSIONS I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ISSUE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT COMING TO A STOP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford ESCAPE — Year Comparison
How does 2010 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 3182
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 3
- Crash reports
- 29
- Injury reports
- 27
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2010 Ford ESCAPE