2010 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 155 complaints
155
Total Complaints
48,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN
Top Issue
13
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

8,000 25th Percentile
48,000 Median Mileage
87,233 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN
26
SEATS
17
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
14
ENGINE
14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10
SERVICE BRAKES
9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6
WHEELS
5

Severity Assessment

13
Crashes
0
Fires
14
Injuries
50
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE HEADREST ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER EXTENDS OUTWARD WHICH FORCES THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS HEAD FORWARD. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED DISCOMFORT WHILE DRIVING EVEN WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO REST HIS SHOULDERS AGAINST THE BACK OF THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS PURC..."
"THE HEAD REST ON MY 2010 FORD EXPLORER LEANS SO FAR FORWARD THAT IT FORCES MY HEAD DOWN AND FORWARD. THE DEALER CANNOT ADJUST IT SO THAT YOU CAN SIT NORMALLY. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO REMOVE THE HEAD REST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DRIVE WITH IT AND REMOVING IT REMOVES ANY PROTECTION. ..."
"JUST BOUGHT A NEW 2010 EXPLORER, TRADING IN OUR 2006. SINCE THIS IS OUR SEVENTH EXPLORER, WE DIDN'T BOTHER WITH A TEST DRIVE. WHAT A MISTAKE!!! WHEN WE WERE DRIVING HOME, WE WERE BOTH VERY UNCOMFORTABLE - THE HEAD RESTRAINTS WERE ANGLED SO FAR FORWARD THAT WE COULD NOT GET COMFORTABLE. WE PRIMARI..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28