2010 Ford FUSION HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2010 Ford FUSION HYBRID has 641 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 8.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: monday, jan. 27 - power suddenly gave out when accelerating on freeway. service wrench had been on earlier that day but had gone off. dixon ford told us it was ok to drive. i was in left lane and had to cross 5 lanes to get to median. took it in to walnut creek ford and they "re-flashed it", saying .

12 crash reports 2 injuries

641

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

8.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

137 complaints

21%

• MONDAY, JAN. 27 - POWER SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHEN ACCELERATING ON FREEWAY. SERVICE WRENCH HAD BEEN ON EARLIER THAT DAY BUT HAD GONE OFF. DIXON FORD TOLD US IT WAS OK TO DRIVE. I WAS IN LEFT LANE AND HAD TO CROSS 5 LANES TO GET TO MEDIAN. TOOK IT IN TO WALNUT CREEK FORD AND THEY "RE-FLASHED IT", SAYING
• THIS IS THE 3RD INCIDENT OF THIS SAME PROBLEM, FIRST TIME REPORTING IT TO NHTSA. 2010 FORD FUSION HYBRID WAS TRAVELING AT 35MPH, NORMAL CONDITIONS AND ABRUPTLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE STEERING SYSTEM. STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO INFLUENCE, HENCE CAUSING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION. ADVANCTRAC
• I RECEIVED A LOW TIRE NOTIFICATION ON A TIRE THAT DOES SLOWLY LOSE AIR. NEXT A 'SERVICE POWER STEERING' THEN ' SERVICE ADVANCED TRAC' MESSAGE OCCURRED. WITHIN MINUTES THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE CAR WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. ONCE THE TIRE WAS RE-INFLATED THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHT WENT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“MONDAY, JAN. 27 - POWER SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHEN ACCELERATING ON FREEWAY. SERVICE WRENCH HAD BEEN ON EARLIER THAT DAY BUT HAD GONE OFF. DIXON FORD TOLD US IT WAS OK TO DRIVE. I WAS IN LEFT LANE AND HAD TO CROSS 5 LANES TO GET TO MEDIAN. TOOK IT IN TO WALNUT CREEK FORD AND THEY "RE-FLASHED IT", SAYING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

135 complaints

21%

• AIRBAG DISABLED WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND AFTER 2 DAYS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THE AIRBAGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS THIS SAME LIGHT HAS COME ON INDICATING THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT OPERATING. EACH TIME THE SAME DEALER HAS SAID THE PROBLEM
• "PASS AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED REGARDLESS OF CAR MOVEMENT, SPEED, OR ROAD CONDITIONS. ATTACHED IS A RECENT INCIDENT.
• CURRENTLY THERE IS RECALL ON THE PASSAGER AIRBAD. I INQURED AT THE DEALER FOR A LOANER CAR UNTILL MY CAR IS FIXED. SUCH OFFER WAS DENIED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONLY ONE ISSUE WITHA FORD MUSTANG. ONE IS TOO MANY. ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT THE HIGHWAY SAFETY DEPARTMENT GAVE INSTURCTIONS THAT THE V

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“AIRBAG DISABLED WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND AFTER 2 DAYS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THE AIRBAGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS THIS SAME LIGHT HAS COME ON INDICATING THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT OPERATING. EACH TIME THE SAME DEALER HAS SAID THE PROBLEM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

96 complaints

15%

• ON 1/1712013 I WAS DRIVING BACK TO MY OFFICE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A DING AND NOTICED RED WORDS APPEARED ON MY DASH WHERE THE HYBRID GAUGE NORMALLY IS. IT READ BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. I HAD IT TOWED FROM MY MECHANIC TO THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE VACUUM HOSE AND HAD
• DRIVER WAS IN SMALL LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER, HE TURNED INTO PARKING SPACE, APPLIED BRAKE, WHEN CAR ACCELERATED OVER CURB ONTO SIDEWALK AND THROUGH FRONT OF BUILDING. *TR
• AFTER EXITING THE PARKING LOT OF DOWNTOWN DISNEY IN LAKE BUENA VISTA FL, A SERIES OF WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH AND I EXPERIENCED ALMOST A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A PEDESTRIAN AND A MAINTENANCE VEHICLE. I MANAGED TO SLOWLY DRIVE BACK TO THE PARKING LOT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“ON 1/1712013 I WAS DRIVING BACK TO MY OFFICE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A DING AND NOTICED RED WORDS APPEARED ON MY DASH WHERE THE HYBRID GAUGE NORMALLY IS. IT READ BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. I HAD IT TOWED FROM MY MECHANIC TO THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE VACUUM HOSE AND HAD”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

48 complaints

• DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO DROP HER OFF CAR WAS IDLING, WHEN I PUT THE CAR BACK IN GEAR A WRENCH APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD SCREEN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE . IT WOULD ONLY GO 30 MPH . THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAD TO CROSS A MAJO
• JUST GOT THE CAR HOME FROM THE DEALER AND 1 WEEK AFTER THEY UPDATED THE COMPUTER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN TODAY. DRIVING THE CAR , WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON THEN CAR IDLES AND GOES LIMP DOES NOT GO OVER 40 MPH AND THE HYBRID SIGNAL WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 ON THE SCREEN WITH THE LEAVES. TOOK THE CAR HOME
• TONIGHT WE STARTED CAR, PULLED OUT, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. WE NOTICED THAT THE WRENCH LIGHT HAD GONE ON. THE HIGHEST SPEED IT COULD GET TO WAS 30 MPH, BUT EVERY TIME WE STOPPED, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM; WE ALMOST GOT REAR-ENDED SE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO DROP HER OFF CAR WAS IDLING, WHEN I PUT THE CAR BACK IN GEAR A WRENCH APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD SCREEN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE . IT WOULD ONLY GO 30 MPH . THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAD TO CROSS A MAJO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

47 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD JUST EXITED TO A SURFACE STREET. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND WOULDN'T GO OVER 15 MILES PER HOUR. A RED TRIANGLE AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE YOU MAY NOW SAFELY PULL OVER AND COME TO A STOP. THANKFULLY I W
• I WAS ON THE LEFT LANE GOING 55MPH ON A FREEWAY UP A SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN I NOTICED I WAS LOSING SPEED. PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL A LITTLE HARDER THINKING I NEEDED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE INCLINE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I NOTICED A YELLOW WRENCH APPEAR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH DISPLAY. I HAD
• THE CAR STALLS AT VARIED SPEEDS WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I OWNED A 2010 FORD FUSION PREVIOUSLY WITH MY COMPANY FLEET VEHICLE PROGRAM, AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS FIXED WITHOUT QUESTION. AT THAT TIME I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS BEING PART OF A BIGGER PR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD JUST EXITED TO A SURFACE STREET. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND WOULDN'T GO OVER 15 MILES PER HOUR. A RED TRIANGLE AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE YOU MAY NOW SAFELY PULL OVER AND COME TO A STOP. THANKFULLY I W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 641 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: MONDAY, JAN. 27 - POWER SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHEN ACCELERATING ON FREEWAY. SERVICE WRENCH HAD BEEN ON EARLIER THAT DAY BUT HAD GONE OFF. DIXON FORD TOLD US IT WAS OK TO DRIVE. I WAS IN LEFT LANE AND HAD TO CROSS 5 LANES TO GET TO MEDIAN. TOOK IT IN TO WALNUT CREEK FORD AND THEY "RE-FLASHED IT", SAYING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: AIRBAG DISABLED WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND AFTER 2 DAYS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THE AIRBAGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS THIS SAME LIGHT HAS COME ON INDICATING THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT OPERATING. EACH TIME THE SAME DEALER HAS SAID THE PROBLEM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: ON 1/1712013 I WAS DRIVING BACK TO MY OFFICE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A DING AND NOTICED RED WORDS APPEARED ON MY DASH WHERE THE HYBRID GAUGE NORMALLY IS. IT READ BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. I HAD IT TOWED FROM MY MECHANIC TO THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE VACUUM HOSE AND HAD
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO DROP HER OFF CAR WAS IDLING, WHEN I PUT THE CAR BACK IN GEAR A WRENCH APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD SCREEN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE . IT WOULD ONLY GO 30 MPH . THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAD TO CROSS A MAJO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)