AI Damage2010 Ford Escape Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid filed 59 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 59
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 31% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 18 complaints (31% of all).
- Service brakes: 13 complaints (22% of all).
- Engine: 12 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 8 complaints (14% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 59 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was braking and parking in our driveway. The car accelerated went over the edge of our driveway and struck several trees.
The contact mentioned that on another occasion, the vehicle lunge forward and stalled without any warning. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 50,500.
The contact stated that the "Power Steering Assist" warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the "Power Steering Failure" message displayed, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who determined that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) was faulty and needed to be replaced.
The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted.
The vehicle would move without the parking brake being deactivated. The contact researched and found a possible failure with the Park retention pin. The contact contacted the dealer who stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 10V222000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 ford escape hybrid. While the contact's wife was driving 60 mph, an odor of fuel emitted from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was concerned that the failure could be attributed to nhtsa campaign number: 16v777000 (fuel system, gasoline).
The check brake system light comes on, red brake warning light, audible alarm and brake pedal to the floor. The hev stops working and the gas motor doesn't shutoff. This has happen a number of times ford dealer "no codes found, unable to duplicate".
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,896 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Escape Hybrid has 109 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 59, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
- Escape Hybrid 2005178 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2006219 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2007124 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2008443 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2009153 sources
- Escape Hybrid 201137 sources
- Escape Hybrid 201215 sources
- Escape Hybrid 20135 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2020308 sources
- Escape Hybrid 2021147 sources
- Escape Hybrid 202282 sources
- Escape Hybrid 202338 sources
- Escape Hybrid 202412 sources
- Escape Hybrid 20254 sources
- Escape Hybrid 20263 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 59. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (20%), warning lights, check engine (19%), stalls while driving (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.