Recall 10V161 covers 33,256 2010 Mercury vehicles, including Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, and Explorer Sport Trac, for a seat-recliner defect. Free repair at a franchised Mercury dealer.
Mercury is recalling 33,256 2010 Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, and Explorer Sport Trac vehicles with front seat manual recliners because the recliner gear plate teeth are out of specification. In a crash, the seatback and head restraint can move rearward and increase injury risk; the dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
In this Mercury recall, the front seat manual recliner is the mechanism that lets the driver or passenger set the seatback angle by hand. Inside that recliner, a pawl locks into teeth on a gear plate so the seatback stays in the chosen position and supports the occupant and head restraint as designed.
On affected 2010 Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, and Explorer Sport Trac vehicles, the gear plate teeth are outside the required dimension specification. That shape problem limits how much the pawl engages the gear teeth. With less tooth engagement, the seatback does not meet the required head restraint safety standard.
There is no warning sign before failure. The filing does not describe a noise, warning light, loose-feeling seatback, or other owner-noticeable symptom before the recliner engagement problem matters in a crash.
Who's affected?
Covers five 2010 nameplates, from Milan and Fusion sedans to Mountaineer, Explorer, and Explorer Sport Trac utility vehicles, all tied to the front seat recliner assembly.
| 2010 Mercury Milan | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2010 Ford Fusion | seat assembly |
| 2010 Mercury Mountaineer | seat assembly |
| 2010 Ford Explorer | seat assembly |
| 2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 33,256 |
A matching 2010 model name does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
In a crash, the seatback and head restraint can move rearward and raise injury risk for the person in that seat. There is no listed warning sign before this seat movement, so confirm your VIN and arrange the recall repair if included. Repair will be free at any franchised Mercury dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010 Mercury Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, or Explorer Sport Trac is included in this recall.
- Wait for the owner notice if you have not received one, then contact a franchised Mercury dealer about the free front-seat recliner repair.
- Ask the dealer to replace the manual recliners for both front seats, which fixes the seatback recliner gear issue tied to rearward movement in a crash.
- Bring the recall notice if you have it. If not, reference recall number 10V161 when you call.
- Drive cautiously until the repair is complete, and keep the front seatbacks locked in their normal seating position.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Mercury technician will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual front seats. The filing says the safety recall was expected to begin by April 30, 2010. Because the current remedy status is not listed here, confirm with the dealer that campaign 10V161 is open for your VIN before scheduling service. The dealer repair will be free once available, with the manual recliner parts and labor covered under the recall.
Timeline
| April 20, 2010 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 3, 2010 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 10V161?
Recall 10V161 covers 33,256 2010 Mercury Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, and Explorer Sport Trac vehicles with front seat manual recliners. The recliner gear plate teeth are out of specification, which can let the seatback and head restraint move rearward in a crash and increase injury risk.
What should I do if my 2010 Mercury Milan, Fusion, Mountaineer, Explorer, or Explorer Sport Trac is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 10V161. If it is, contact a franchised Mercury dealer and ask for the manual recliner replacement. Reference recall number 10V161 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. For recall 10V161, dealers replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is rearward movement of the seatback and head restraint during a crash. Under recall 10V161, that movement can increase injury risk because the front seat manual recliner teeth have limited engagement.
When did the recall repair begin?
The recall repair was expected to begin on or before April 30, 2010. If your VIN is included and the repair is still open, call a franchised Mercury dealer or Ford at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall 10V161.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/10V161000 |
|---|---|
| Mercury customer service | 1-866-436-7332 |
| NHTSA recall # | 10V161 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 10V161000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 3, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →