You might be able to find an excellent deal on a used Ford F-150. Heck, even on models that are over 10 years old! However, the 2010 Ford F-150 ranks as one of the worst trucks to buy, so it might come with expensive problems. 

The most popular 2010 Ford F-150 problems

According to My Value Car, the 2010 Ford F-150 is one of the worst used trucks to buy in 2020. This is one used truck to never buy. But they didn’t share much about why the 2010 F-150 model has problems. 

All they said was that this F-Series truck has problems when equipped with the 5.4-liter V8 engine. This didn’t leave us much to go on, so we had to put on our detective gear to find more information. 

So, we went to CarComplaints to learn more and holy smokes! The 2010 F-150 is listed as a clunker to beware of. If you compare model years from 2020 to 2006, the 2010 model has the second most complaints. People only reported more problems with the 2013 Ford F-150, so we will have to look at the issues with that model too. 

The 2010 F-150 struggles with transmission problems 

One of the biggest problems for the 2010 Ford F-150 includes transmission problems. There are 70 complaints about it. Some drivers experienced hard shifts from one to two. It’s like the trucks lurched forward at lower speeds and jerked while stopping. 

Drivers took their trucks in to be serviced, but technicians claimed they functioned as normal. However, the problem only got worse for some. Reflashing the transmission, flushing the fluids, and more didn’t seem to help. 

Other issues include shuddering, annoying vibration around 45 mph, shifting in gear with loud bangs, unresponsive acceleration, total transmission failure, and more. These problems are also reported for multiple engine options, not just the 5.4-liter V8. 

2010 F-150 electrical problems 

There are about 150 complaints about the 2010 Ford F-150 having electrical problems. Around 130,000 miles, one driver noticed that their dash lights went out, then their headlights and taillights shut off too. They were suddenly driving in the dark without warning. This problem was apparently caused by the computer. 

Another driver bought a used 2010 F-150 and was told that the radio didn’t work due to electrical problems. But they also noticed that their airbag system wasn’t showing that it worked, and chunks of metal fell from the bottom of the door every time they closed it. 

Other problems included the heated seats catching fire, the fuel gauges going out, the fuel pump fuse melting, engine failure, the rear defroster breaking glass, stalling after hitting bumps, and more. 

2010 F-150 windshield problems 

The biggest 2010 Ford F-150 problem involves windshield problems. It racked up over 170 complaints. Drivers experienced their rear window randomly shattering. One driver heard a loud popping noise before their window shattered above their 13-month old daughter. 

Some drivers noticed that their rear window shattered while using the defroster, but others have no idea why their windows randomly exploded. They thought maybe the window was shot out, and sometimes they didn’t have any signs of impact. To make matters worse, some driver faced their window busting multiple times. 

Other issues with the 2010 F-150 include drivetrain problems, body and paint issues, inter accessories problems, issues with the brakes, AC/heater problems, issues with the lights, suspension issues, and much more.