2011 Ford Fusion: problems, recalls and reliability
9 recalls and 2,915 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (47% of complaints); the 2009 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 7 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Mar 2021
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 2,915 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Yesterday evening, my power steering went out (EPAS), it did that when the car had been parked for the night and not in motion thankfully so nobodies safety was at risk, but I don't know if and when it'll happen again. According to Ford, it has been a recurring problem with ford fusion modules similar to mine, that the EPAS has been defective, and therefore making it dangerous to drive. My exact car has been inspected by a mechanic, and while it has been looked at, there were no warnings of this error happening, the vehicle was driving fine and all of a sudden, the error occurred.”Owner report · Steering · Jul 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently accelerated while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Jul 2026
“On July 4, the electrical system under the dash caught fire and burned the ignition and dash, all the electrical under the dash”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Having loss of power steering assist the advanced trac peering steering says service now I feel it should fall under a recall cause I took it to a mechanic shop and they told me they ford fusion have issues with the power assist steering cause it goes out”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2026
“The power steering keeps going out after it was brought in for recall years ago and the recall is up the the issue keeps goin on with the car I don't understand what to do because the shop i brought it to said the power steering is brand new they don't understand why it's even doin it and also they couldn't even reprogram the system I wanted to know why doesn't ford fix this and why wouldn't they want to help”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the power steering became inoperable. While reversing, the steering wheel became inoperable but corrected itself. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer was called, who confirmed there were only certain vehicles covered. The dealer informed there was no recall coverage for his VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred him to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. In addition, the power steering failure warning light illuminated. The contact had to apply all of her strength to turn the steering wheel in the intended direction. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Steering · May 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Service Power Steering Now" was displayed and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The vehicle was restarted and regained power steering functionality. The following day, the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an appointment was scheduled for the vehicle to be diagnosed and repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.”Owner report · Steering · Apr 2026
“On my 2011 Ford Fusion the power steering has failed and it seems to be covered by 15V340000 (15S18), specially supplement 3 but the dealership doesn't wish to acknowledge the warranty replacement. Currently the vehicle cannot be driven safely. I have had several mechanics look at the vehicle including a Ford authorized dealership. The suggested fix is as explained in the 15V340000 (15S18) and 15N01.”Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2026
“Car is leaking gas after being filled mostly up. When I look it up it said this specific car does have some problems with leaking fuel.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Mar 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 83 of these complaints and injuries in 48 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 9 campaigns
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle powertrain control modules and inspect the vehicle for any diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) for this issue and perform a leak test on the Canister Purge Valve (CPV). The fuel tank will be inspected for cracks. The CPV and fuel tank will be replaced as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S34.
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.
Remedy: 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. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. 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.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement mats, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S07. NOTE: Vehicles built after October 31, 2010, while potentially equipped with the same floor mats, are equipped with a Brake Over Accelerator (BOA) feature that prevents simultaneous accelerator and brake application, allowing the vehicle to be safely stopped by pressing firmly and steadily on the brake pedal.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify dealers that purchased the affected parts, and dealers will provide replacement parts to purchasers, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.
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.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE DISC SURFACE FOR FLATNESS AND REPLACE THE DISCS AS NECESSARY. ADDITIONALLY, THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WILL BE REPLACED ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 24, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Fusion by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Ford Fusion reliable?
NHTSA has 2,915 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on record for the 2011 Ford Fusion. The most complained-about area is steering (47% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2011 Ford Fusion problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 73,000 miles or less.
Does the 2011 Ford Fusion have open recalls?
9 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.