There are 4 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2010 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVE THE RSC LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT THE ANTI SKID CAME ON LOCKING THE WHEELS. 4 WHEEL DRIVE CAME ON LOCKING THE WHEELS FURTHER AND THE BREAKS ENGAGED. CAR WOULD NOT TURN OR MOVE AND PUSHING THE GAS PETAL ONLY CAUSED BREAK SYSTEM TO LOCK UP FURTHER.
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295 JUST SOUTH OF BRUNSWICK, MAINE MY 2010 FORD EXPLORER LOST ALL POWER AND RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I DID MANAGE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY JUST BEFORE LOSING ALL POWER, BUT I COULD NOT RESTART MY VEHICLE. I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD SERVICE CENTER, AND FORD INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FRICTION WHICH HAD WORN AWAY THE ELECTRICAL TAPE AND WIRE CASING OF THE ELECTRICAL NODE AND THE WIRING HARNESS AROUND THE FUEL TANK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS SHOULD A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPEN UNDER HEAVIER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO UTILIZE EXTREME FORCE TO RE-CENTER THE STEERING WHEEL UNTIL REACHING 15 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WOULD THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
WHEN MAKING A FORWARD 90 DEGREE TURN EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN SO THAT THE VEHICLE STRAIGHTENS OUT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TURN UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL IS STRAIGHTENED OUT MANUALLY. IN REVERSE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL RETURN AND STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026