BestCarRank
Ford

2011 Ford FUSION

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Ford FUSION has 3649 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.1x the segment average of 1748. The most common issue is steering problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford fusion. the contact was exiting a parking space when the steering failed and became abnormally tight. the power steering came warning light did not illuminate until after the failure. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer where he was awaiting diagnosis of the . There are 9 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.

10 fire reports 99 crash reports 53 injuries

3649

Total Complaints

9

Recalls Issued

4/5

Safety Stars

2.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

STEERING

1433 complaints
39%
  • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS EXITING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE STEERING FAILED AND BECAME ABNORMALLY TIGHT. THE POWER STEERING CAME WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE UNTIL AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE
  • 2011 FUSION, JUST OVER 1000 MILES, DROVE 1 HR IN 100 DEG TEMP. POWER STEERING WARNING CAME ON. PARKED RETURNED TO VEHICLE WHILE LATER, FIX POWER STEERING NOW WAS THE NEW WARNING, STEERING WHEEL DID NOT BUDGE, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. *TR
  • DROVE MY BRAND NEW 2011 FORD FUSION WITH 5,000 MILES ON IT ON VACATION. THE TRIP WAS APPROX 400 MILES. DURING THE TRIP I DROVE THE CAR, AND ONE AFTERNOON THE SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE ADVANCE TRACK WARNING CAME ON AS WELL. BY THE TIME I MADE IT BACK TO THE PLACE I WAS STAYING TH
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 42 crashes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS EXITING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE STEERING FAILED AND BECAME ABNORMALLY TIGHT. THE POWER STEERING CAME WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE UNTIL AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2011 Ford FUSION

Based on 2,803 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 66K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 30-60K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
334
30-60K
879
60-100K
799
100-150K
517
150-200K
234
200K+
40

VISIBILITY

Reported earliermedian 44K mi · 12 reports
0-30K
5
30-60K
2
60-100K
2
100-150K
3
150-200K
0
200K+
0

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

Reported earliermedian 58K mi · 11 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
3
60-100K
2
100-150K
3
150-200K
0
200K+
0

ENGINE

In line with typicalmedian 45K mi · 268 reports
0-30K
41
30-60K
161
60-100K
52
100-150K
7
150-200K
5
200K+
2

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 46K mi · 249 reports
0-30K
51
30-60K
124
60-100K
53
100-150K
15
150-200K
5
200K+
1

SPEED CONTROL

In line with typicalmedian 45K mi · 244 reports
0-30K
47
30-60K
138
60-100K
47
100-150K
10
150-200K
2
200K+
0

FUEL SYSTEM

In line with typicalmedian 51K mi · 202 reports
0-30K
26
30-60K
98
60-100K
51
100-150K
20
150-200K
5
200K+
2

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (9)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE07/01/2019

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.

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

Fix: 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.

Above-average theft risk

#14 most stolen in 2025

The Ford FUSION was the #14 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025, with approximately 7,100 thefts reported to law enforcement.

Notes: Sedan with widespread availability

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2011 Ford FUSION

Live EIA prices
Per year
$2,527
Per month
$211
Per mile
21.1¢
MPG
19
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$2,824/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$2,001/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2011 Ford FUSION

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,419
Full coverage / month
$118
Liability only / year
$598
vs US avg
-15%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.06x
× safety rating0.98x
× vehicle age0.85x
= Full coverage estimate$1419

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford FUSION Service Intervals

Oil change
8K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
8K mi
Brake fluid
36 months
Transmission fluid
30K mi
Engine coolant
100K mi
Spark plugs
100K mi
Cabin air filter
20K mi
Engine air filter
30K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
5 yr / unlimited mi
Roadside assistance
5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2011 FUSION, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Videos About the 2011 Ford FUSION

Videos hosted on YouTube — embedded via official player

Videos are hosted on YouTube and embedded here via YouTube's official player. BestCarRank does not host or produce these videos. Watch counts and channel information are pulled from YouTube's public Data API.

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)
$500
AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
ENGINE(~50K mi)
$500
TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500
SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)
$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 3649 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS EXITING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE STEERING FAILED AND BECAME ABNORMALLY TIGHT. THE POWER STEERING CAME WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE UNTIL AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEACTIVATION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PASSENGER WEIGHT WAS

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ENGINE: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS ON A STEEP INCLINE AND SHIFTED THE GEAR SELECTOR INTO THE REVERSE; SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD 6-8 FEET. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES WITH FORCE REPEATEDLY BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN THE CONT

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • TRANSMISSION: I BOUGHT A 2011 FORD FUSION ON NOV. 26, 2010. THE DAY I BROUGHT IT HOME, THE PROBLEMS STARTED. IT BANGS SO HARD INTO REVERSE THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE RAN INTO THE CAR WITH A BULLDOZER. IT HAS DEAD SPOTS IN THE ACCELERATION, AND OFTEN GOES ABOVE 5000 RPM WHEN SHIFTING JUST GOING DOWN A NORMAL FLAT

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 9 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

At a Glance

Complaints
3649
Recalls
9
Fire reports
10
Crash reports
99
Injury reports
53
Segment avg
1748

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2011 Ford FUSION