Ford Fusion

Where it stands out against its peers

• Steering: more complaints than 98% of 2012 cars — 58% of its 2,612 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 9%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• STEERING — 1,259 owners reported this, 22 involving a crash, 2 involving a fire
• AIR BAGS — 379 owners reported this, 22 involving a crash
• POWER TRAIN — 87 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• SERVICE BRAKES — 78 owners reported this, 10 involving a crash
• STRUCTURE — 63 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

45% of 2020 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  17V024000

  An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

• Do not drive

  19V001000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.

• 12V551000

  If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicle’s hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicle’s powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

• 12V553000

  An improperly cured projector coating will become hazy through operation, over time, reducing the brightness of the low-beam lamp. This may decrease driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp assembly. The recall began on December 18, 2012. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

• 13V227000

  A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.

• 13V232000

  This could result in impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S06. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

• 14V164000

  The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.

• 14V597000

  The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.

31 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated

  Defect petition, opened April 2026, still open.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures

  Recall query, opened August 2022, closed March 2023.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

• Door Latch Failures

  Recall query, opened December 2019, closed February 2022.

• Extended Braking Distance

  Engineering analysis, opened April 2018, closed January 2021.

• Power Steering Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened November 2017, closed February 2024.

• Steering Wheel Fastening Bolt Loosens

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2017, closed April 2018.

• Extended Braking Distance

  Preliminary evaluation, opened December 2016, closed May 2018.

• Power Steering Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened September 2016, closed December 2017.

• Door Latch Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2015, closed November 2015.

• Electric power steering failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2014, closed September 2015.

• Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2013, closed February 2014.

• Floor mat interference with accelerator

  Engineering analysis, opened December 2012, closed June 2014.

• Wheel Mounting Stud Fracture

  Engineering analysis, opened July 2011, closed January 2012.

• Wheel Stud Fracture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2011, closed July 2011.

• Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

  Audit query, opened November 2010, closed December 2015.

• Accel Pedal Interference - Acc Floormat

  Preliminary evaluation, opened May 2010, closed January 2013.

• Tire valve cracking

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2008, closed April 2009.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Ford filed 95 bulletins about the 2020 Fusion.

• Electrical system: 36
• Equipment: 17
• Power train: 9
• Communication: 5
• Engine and engine cooling: 5
• Structure: 3
• Back over prevention: 2
• Seats: 2
• Engine: 1
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 1
• Other: 14

• Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus… · June 2026
• Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program · April 2026
• Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns with The Ford App Lincoln App including but not limited to: missing activation prompt… · March 2026
• Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code.… · February 2026
• This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the… · December 2025
• Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.… · November 2025
• Various 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black center display screen at start-up using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This does not affect… · August 2025
• Certain 2018-2024 model year various vehicles — update sync software · June 2025

87 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.