Ford

Fusion (1st)

2006-2012 · Midsize Sedan Β· 1 engine
Best Engine ❌ Avoid (1.0)
20,850 NHTSA Complaints
15 Recalls
71 Fire Reports
748 Crash Reports
Includes data from: FUSIONFUSION HYBRID
View all 2 generations of the Ford Fusion → πŸ“‹ Inspection checklist

NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings

Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
4/5 (10.5% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
4/5 (10.5% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
4/5 (10.5% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 4/5
Frontal Crash
3/5
Side Crash
4/5
Rollover
4/5 (10.5% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: Optional FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
β€”
Side Crash
β€”
Rollover
5/5 (9.2% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No

Reliability Overview

The 2006-2012 Fusion carries 20,850 NHTSA complaints across seven model years, 15 recalls, 71 fires, and 12 deaths attributed to defects. The reliability story for this generation is dominated by the electric power steering system, which alone produced 5,210 complaints in our data.

The steering pattern is the largest single category of complaints on this generation, with onset typically between 75,000 and 147,000 miles and repair bills running $1,500 to $2,000. The failure mode involves the electric power assist steering motor or its wiring harness; symptoms include sudden loss of power assist, warning lights, and steering effort returning to fully manual. Ford recalled certain 2011-2012 Fusion, Mercury Milan, Ford Taurus, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles for the issue in 2015 (NHTSA 15V340000), but coverage did not extend across the full affected population. Many owners reported the failure outside the recall scope and paid out of pocket. The 5,210 complaints reflect that gap.

Eight of the 15 recalls on this generation are airbag-related, reflecting the multi-year Takata inflator recall campaign that swept through Ford’s product line. The remaining seven recalls cover service brakes, fuel system, wheels, seats, a 2010 Park rod guide retention pin issue (which could allow a Fusion in Park to roll), steering, and equipment. The recall count by itself is unremarkable for a high-volume sedan of this era, but the steering recall coverage gap and the Park rod issue make VIN-level verification important.

The engine lineup ran from the 2.3-liter Duratec four (2006-2009), to the 2.5-liter Duratec four that replaced it for 2010-2012, the 3.0-liter Duratec V6 (2006-2009), and the 3.5-liter Duratec V6 introduced for 2010 in the Fusion Sport. A hybrid variant with a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four paired with electric drive arrived for 2010. The data surfaces 11,075 of the generation’s complaints against the 2.5L gas engine, which was the volume choice across the majority of model years.

The 2nd-gen Fusion (2013-2020) carried 21,798 complaints across eight model years, a similar complaint rate but a markedly different recall profile (32 recalls against 15 on this generation). The 1st gen was structurally simpler with fewer mechanical patterns to track. The Fusion nameplate was discontinued in North America after 2020 as Ford exited most of the sedan market.

Used buyers should treat the electric steering system as the controlling variable on any 2010-2012 Fusion, since that is where the EPAS issue concentrates. Test for steering effort and warning lights through full lock-to-lock at low speed. Confirm Takata airbag recalls have been completed via the VIN lookup. The 3.5L V6 Fusion Sport variant offers a different powertrain configuration that may avoid some of the volume-engine complaint patterns, but it carries its own parts-availability concerns at this age.

Engine Reliability Ratings

Ford

2.5L 4-cyl / 175 hp
❌ Avoid (1.0)
11,075 complaints 1582.1 per year Gasoline
23 fire reports 7 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
5208
safety systems
1719
electrical
1035
brakes
1003
transmission
985

Known Issues

Steering Issues (5,208 complaints)
Typical onset: 75,000–147,000 mi Est. repair: $1,500–$2,000 (623 reports)
Safety Systems Issues (1,719 complaints)
Typical onset: 56,000–123,380 mi Est. repair: $355–$2,150 (42 reports)
Electrical System Issues (1,035 complaints)
Typical onset: 53,422–114,351 mi Est. repair: $433–$2,000 (125 reports)

12 additional engine variants with fewer than 10 complaints not shown.

Battery & Propulsion Reliability

Hybrid (HEV)

Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2006-2012 Ford Fusion

⚠️ Caution
72 battery-related complaints 22.7 per year 0 battery-related recalls

That's about 3.0x the typical rate for hybrids in this dataset (median 7.5 per year). Above peer average β€” but high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints, so check the issue mix below before drawing conclusions.

What kind of battery complaint?

Among the 72 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about β€” not how reliable the vehicle is overall.

Electric Propulsion 49 (68%)

Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.

Hybrid Drivetrain 14 (19%)

Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.

High-Voltage Battery 8 (11%)

Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.

12V Auxiliary Battery 1 (1%)

Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.

Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
  • [2010] Driving on the highway in the fast lane, vehicle suddenly lost all power. A message on the car said β€œ pull over safely β€œ. No prior warning of anything wrong with the vehicle. I managed to dodge traffic with my hazard lights on and came to a stop on the side of the highway. I inspected the car with no signs of anything wrong. I shut down the car and restarted. Everything came back on and was drivab
  • [2010] My vehicle will no longer operate in electric mode. This is a major safety concern since there is no assist from the high-voltage battery powered electric drive motor. Upon accelerating from a dead stop, there is a significant lag before the ICE kicks in and provides enough power to move the vehicle.
  • [2010] While driving, the throttle body valve malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to rapidly lose power and go into an engine "safe mode." The check engine light appeared on the dash. I was luckily able to pull over to the side of the road. Restarting the vehicle cleared the error, but the issue continued to recur until I was able to get home. Luckily the sudden loss of power did not cause an incident
Hybrid Drivetrain
  • [2010] The power steering on the car suddenly failed and made it very difficult to steer, especially from a stop. Luckily the failure occurred while the car was parked so did not pose an immediate safety risk to me but certainly could have if it happened while the car were in motion. The entire power steering rack and pinion had to be replaced which cost about $1750. OEM repair parts were not availabl
  • [2010] THE EV SYSTEM IS NO LONGER WORKING. THE HYBRID BATTERY IS HEALTHY AND THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES IT IS EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTED THIS ISSUE AS THE BATTERY "AGING OUT" AS PROGRAMMED BY FORD. A SUGGESTED REMEDY IS TO RESET THE BATTERY TO AGE >0;<10. WITHOUT THIS RESET, THE HYBRID RUNS ON ONLY THE GAS MOTOR. AT TIMES, THIS DELAYS ACCELERATION BOTH FORWARDS AND
  • [2010] VEHICLE IS A 2010 FUSION HYBRID. VEHICLE HESITATES FOR 1-3 SECONDS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THERE IS A DELAY BECAUSE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FAILURE OF THE HYBRID DRIVE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE POWER. I ALSO NOTICE THIS DURING ROUTINE DRIVING, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN THEN. THE HYBRID POWER SYSTEM HAS SIMPLY STOPPED PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL POWER REQUIRED BY THE POWERTRAIN
High-Voltage Battery
  • [2010] My vehicle will no longer operate in electric mode. This is a major safety concern since there is no assist from the high-voltage battery powered electric drive motor. Upon accelerating from a dead stop, there is a significant lag before the ICE kicks in and provides enough power to move the vehicle.
  • [2010] IT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED THAT IN MANY IF NOT ALL FMC 4 DOOR SEDAN HYBRIDS WITH THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE AND NICKLE METAL HYDRIDE BATTERIES, OEM SOFTWARE STARTS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE ELECTRIC VEHICLE OPERATION SOMETIME AFTER THE HYBRID WARRANTY EXPIRES. THE EFFECT OF THIS IS THE CAR'S ACCELERATION AND FUEL EFFICIENCY IS DRASTICALLY REDUCED AND AUTOMATIC PERIODIC BATTERY RE-CONDITIONING CEASES. THE CAR ES
  • [2011] MY FORD FUSION HYBRID HAS RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING AS A HYBRID AND RUNS MAINLY ON THE GAS ENGINE. AFTER REVIEWING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE BY OTHER OWNERS, I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY (HVB) SEEMS TO BE PRE-PROGRAMMED TO BECOME INOPERABLE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 9 YEARS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS REALLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY. THE POSTS I'VE READ SUGGEST RESETTING THE AG
12V Auxiliary Battery
  • [2010] I WAS GOING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WITHOUT BRAKES BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STAYING AT A STEADY SPEED WITHOUT THEM. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I BRIEFLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEN LET UP ON THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE AGAIN STARTED TO ACCELERATE. ABOUT THAT TIME I NOTICED A YELLOW WRENCH ICON (SIMILAR TO ENGINE LIGHT). WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT THE WARNI

Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN β€” high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Ford Fusion regardless of engine variant.

Steering Issues (5,210 complaints)
steering serious
Safety Systems Issues (1,722 complaints)
safety_systems serious
Electrical System Issues (1,035 complaints)
electrical serious
Brakes Issues (1,004 complaints)
brakes serious
Transmission Issues (989 complaints)
transmission serious

Buyer's Guide

The 1st-gen Fusion (2006-2012) is defined by its steering complaint volume. The electric power assist steering motor and wiring harness pattern produced 5,210 owner complaints in our data, with onset typically between 75,000 and 147,000 miles and repair bills running $1,500 to $2,000. Used buyers should test the steering aggressively before any 2010-2012 example and verify the steering recall (NHTSA 15V340000) has been completed if the VIN qualifies; many cars in this population failed outside the recall scope.

Inspection priorities before buying any 2006-2012 Fusion cluster around four areas. Steering: drive in stop-and-go conditions, perform full lock-to-lock at parking-lot speed, and watch for the EPAS warning light. Any heavy steering effort or sudden loss of assist is grounds to walk away or budget for a $1,500 to $2,000 repair. Takata airbags: eight of the 15 recalls on this generation are airbag-related, so verify all have been completed via the VIN lookup before signing. Park rod retention (2010 cars): verify recall 10V222000 has been closed; it addressed a Park rod guide retention pin issue that could allow the car to roll out of Park. Engine and transmission: on the 2.5L four, ask for service records and verify transmission fluid condition, since the 2.5L accounts for 11,075 of the generation’s complaints across all categories.

This generation is used-market territory, with the youngest examples now over a decade old. Parts availability for the 3.5L Fusion Sport V6 and the hybrid variant will thin out faster than for the volume 2.5L gas engine. Run the VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup before signing, especially for the Takata airbag campaign which can have multiple sub-recalls per VIN that are easy to miss in a single check.

Recalls (15)

21V081000Feb 15, 2021critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

21E013000Feb 15, 2021critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also includes certain passenger-side air bag inflators and/or modules designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion, 2010-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2011 Ford Ranger, and 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX vehicles. Please see Ford's recall report for the specific part numbers. These parts may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

21V158000Oct 2, 2021critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

19V904000Dec 17, 2019serious
Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.

19V001000Jun 30, 2019critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V046000Oct 31, 2018critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2009 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V775000Jan 10, 2018serious
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. In the event of a crash requiring deployment of the passenger air bag, the bracket that secures the air bag inflator to the module housing may deform, allowing the gas that inflates the air bag to leak out.

17V024000Sep 30, 2017critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V384000May 30, 2016critical
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V793000Nov 23, 2015serious
Fuel System

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured July 21, 2008, to March 4, 2011, and 2010-2011 Mercury Milan vehicles manufactured July 23, 2008, to December 10, 2010. The affected vehicles have fuel vapor canisters whose purge valves may not operate properly resulting in abnormal pressure changes in the fuel tank.

15V340000Feb 5, 2015serious
Steering

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.

14E028000May 28, 2014serious
Equipment

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain all weather driver side accessory floor mats sold for use in model year 2006-2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, and 2007-2011 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 9, 2007, through October 31, 2010. The affected floor mats may move and possibly interfere with the accelerator pedal.

11V574000Jul 11, 2011serious
Wheels

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 FORD FUSION AND MERCURY MILAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 17 INCH STEEL WHEELS AND BUILT FROM APRIL 1, 2009, THROUGH APRIL 30, 2009, AND FROM DECEMBER 1, 2009, THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, 2010. THE WHEEL STUDS MAY FRACTURE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A WHEEL TO SEPARATE.

10V222000May 23, 2010serious
Powertrain

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 FUSION, MILAN, AND ESCAPE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 27, THROUGH MARCH 26, 2010. THE PARK ROD GUIDE RETENTION PIN MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION".

10V161000Apr 19, 2010serious
Seats

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 FUSION, EXPLORER, EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, AND MERCURY MILAN AND MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN DECEMBER 15, 2009 THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINERS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202, "HEAD RESTRAINT." THE RECLINER GEAR PLATE TEETH MAY BE OUT OF DIMENSION SPECIFICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN LIMITED PAWL TO GEAR PLATE TOOTH ENGAGEMENT.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2006-2012 Ford Fusion problems?

The 2006-2012 Ford Fusion has accumulated 20,850 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Steering, Safety Systems, Electrical System. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Ford Fusion engine is most reliable?

The 2006-2012 Ford Fusion was offered with 13 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.5L 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2006-2012 Ford Fusion a good used car?

The 2006-2012 Ford Fusion can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 20,850 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006-2012 Ford Fusion have?

The 2006-2012 Ford Fusion has 20,850 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2006-2012 Ford Fusion?

There are 15 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2006-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN β€” check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Ford Fusion?

Before buying a used Ford Fusion, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Steering, Safety Systems, Electrical System, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Fusion?

The 2012 Ford Fusion received an overall 4-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 3 stars. Side crash: 4 stars. Rollover: 5 stars (9.2% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: No. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 20,850 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-04-07.

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