2012 Ford FUSION HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford FUSION HYBRID has 134 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: upon exit off of expressway, car gave message "power assist fault 1" blinking. lost power steering, also advance trac notice started blinking with picture of skidding car. total steering loss occurred in stopped traffic as tried to turn corner. manual difficult steering returned if car was moving.

6 crash reports 4 injuries

134

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

36 complaints

27%

• UPON EXIT OFF OF EXPRESSWAY, CAR GAVE MESSAGE "POWER ASSIST FAULT 1" BLINKING. LOST POWER STEERING, ALSO ADVANCE TRAC NOTICE STARTED BLINKING WITH PICTURE OF SKIDDING CAR. TOTAL STEERING LOSS OCCURRED IN STOPPED TRAFFIC AS TRIED TO TURN CORNER. MANUAL DIFFICULT STEERING RETURNED IF CAR WAS MOVING
• I WAS DRIVING AT MEDIUM SPEED ON A SUBURBAN STREET AND AN ALERT POPPED UP ON THE DASH: POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. POWER STEERING THEN SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY, THE STREET WAS STRAIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE AND WRESTLE THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TURNING, OR W
• WHILE PULLING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY LOST POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT MESSAGE SHOWED ON DASHBOARD. HAD VEHICLE TESTED ON MACHINE AND THE FOLLOWING ERROR CODES. U-3000, C-200B AND C-200C. ALSO CHARGING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED AND WAS TOLD BAD DIODES IN ALTERNATOR. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“UPON EXIT OFF OF EXPRESSWAY, CAR GAVE MESSAGE "POWER ASSIST FAULT 1" BLINKING. LOST POWER STEERING, ALSO ADVANCE TRAC NOTICE STARTED BLINKING WITH PICTURE OF SKIDDING CAR. TOTAL STEERING LOSS OCCURRED IN STOPPED TRAFFIC AS TRIED TO TURN CORNER. MANUAL DIFFICULT STEERING RETURNED IF CAR WAS MOVING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

32 complaints

24%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 10,000
• CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN DOWN STEEP DRIVEWAY BY MY 88-YEAR-OLD FATHER. HE SAYS CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT HIM GIVING IT GAS. HE IS BACKED UP BY BLACK BOX, WHICH SAYS NO PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR. HE ALSO SAYS BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, WHICH IS NOT BACKED UP BY BLACK BOX, WHICH SAYS NO PRESSURE ON BRAKE EITHER. CAR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STEERING THROUGH A CURVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A TREE AND WENT DOWN INTO THE CANAL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 10,000”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

16 complaints

12%

• WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST
• WHILE DRIVING TO NATURAL BRIDGE, VA ON INTERSTATE 81. WARNING CHIME SOUNDED, PULL OVER SAFELY WARNING CAME ON, ENGINE SHUT OFF, BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR DISENGAGED, AND ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IMMEDIATELY PUT ON HAZARDS AND TRIED TO PULL OVER. AVOIDED SIGNS AND MANEUVERED CAR SAFELY TO A
• PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY (9/25/12) AFTER THEY FOUND SOMETHING WRONG AND WAS DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 228 AT 55 MILE PER HOUR. WARNING CHIME SOUNDED, PULL OVER SAFELY WARNING CAME ON, ENGINE SHUT OFF, BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR DISENGAGED, AND ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. PUT

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

“WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

12 complaints

• WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST
• WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR FROM PARK, ALL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LET CAR RESET, AND ABLE TO TURN IT OVER. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP. NOT ABLE TO FIND CODES FOR PROBLEM. FUEL CANISTER REPAIRED. *TR
• WHILE DRIVING TO NATURAL BRIDGE, VA ON INTERSTATE 81. WARNING CHIME SOUNDED, PULL OVER SAFELY WARNING CAME ON, ENGINE SHUT OFF, BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR DISENGAGED, AND ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IMMEDIATELY PUT ON HAZARDS AND TRIED TO PULL OVER. AVOIDED SIGNS AND MANEUVERED CAR SAFELY TO A

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

10 complaints

• WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST
• POWER STEERING FIRST FAILED IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 2013. THERE WAS 20083 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR IN OUR SUBDIVISION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALARMS STARTED AND THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. WE WERE ABLE TO FORCE STEER THE CAR BACK HOME. WE SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND STARTE
• THIS IS 2ND OF 3 COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THREE INCIDENTS WITH SAME SYMPTOMS. TEMPERATURE WAS -3 DEG F EXACTLY AS WAS ON THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. STARTED CAR FROM BEING COLD OVERNIGHT. LET ENGINE RUN NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES PRIOR TO BACKING OUT OF DRIVE WAY

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 134 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: UPON EXIT OFF OF EXPRESSWAY, CAR GAVE MESSAGE "POWER ASSIST FAULT 1" BLINKING. LOST POWER STEERING, ALSO ADVANCE TRAC NOTICE STARTED BLINKING WITH PICTURE OF SKIDDING CAR. TOTAL STEERING LOSS OCCURRED IN STOPPED TRAFFIC AS TRIED TO TURN CORNER. MANUAL DIFFICULT STEERING RETURNED IF CAR WAS MOVING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 10,000
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE TO TAKE IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND 10,000 MILE CHECK. ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED , WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR. STOPPED CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. NO RESPONSE OF TRYING TO RESTART. RESULTING IN CONTACTING FORD ROAD SIDE ASSIST
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)