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U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Ford FUSION problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2,514 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

74,600 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 1,737 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,439 of 2,514 complaints (57.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior1,47758.8%
Braking behavior1716.8%
Engine operation1475.8%
Transmission and shifting933.7%
Electrical and battery issues873.5%
Fuel system concerns110.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering
1,439
Air Bags
404
Electrical System
160
Power Train
156
Unknown Or Other
119
Engine
111
Service Brakes
104
Vehicle Speed Control
85
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Steering1439
Air Bags404
Electrical System160
Power Train156
Unknown Or Other119
Engine111
Service Brakes104
Vehicle Speed Control85

Steering: 1,439; Air Bags: 404; Electrical System: 160; Power Train: 156; Unknown Or Other: 119; Engine: 111; Service Brakes: 104; Vehicle Speed Control: 85

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
195
25,000 to 49,999
329
50,000 to 74,999
346
75,000 to 99,999
310
100,000 to 149,999
379
150,000 and above
178
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000195
25,000 to 49,999329
50,000 to 74,999346
75,000 to 99,999310
100,000 to 149,999379
150,000 and above178

Under 25,000: 195; 25,000 to 49,999: 329; 50,000 to 74,999: 346; 75,000 to 99,999: 310; 100,000 to 149,999: 379; 150,000 and above: 178

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (379). 777 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011
5
2012
39
2013
119
2014
243
2015
208
2016
169
2017
281
2018
359
2019
276
2020
159
2021
133
2022
161
2023
142
2024
107
2025
82
2026
31
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20115
201239
2013119
2014243
2015208
2016169
2017281
2018359
2019276
2020159
2021133
2022161
2023142
2024107
202582
202631

2011: 5; 2012: 39; 2013: 119; 2014: 243; 2015: 208; 2016: 169; 2017: 281; 2018: 359; 2019: 276; 2020: 159; 2021: 133; 2022: 161; 2023: 142; 2024: 107; 2025: 82; 2026: 31

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1,477 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 171 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 147 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10422775 · 2011-08-31 (August 31, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT STATED THE SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE STEERING RACK WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10422775 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10433090 · 2011-10-27 (October 27, 2011)

POWER STEERING FAILURE. "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" WARNING ON MY DASH, ALTERNATING WITH "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" WARNING. POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO CHANGE LANES AND TURN ONTO OFF-RAMP. PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF IGNITION, RESTARTED CAR AND FAULT WENT AWAY AND POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC AND INTO A SAFE AREA; I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ABOUT…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433090 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10429080 · 2011-10-07 (October 7, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON FILE. THE MANUFACTURER THEN SUGGESTED THAT THE ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ACCEL…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10429080 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10436921 · 2011-11-23 (November 23, 2011)

AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND PULLING OFF TO CITY AREA, CAME TO A STOP AND THEN RELEASED BRAKE AFTER STOP SIGN AND GLIDING THRU INTERSECTION THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SOMETHING TO THE AFFECT OF "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION". TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND CAR WORKED FINE AGAIN. LITTLE SCARY THOUGH CONSIDERING IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN LESS SAFE CIRCUMSTANCES. MAKING APPOINTMENT TO HAVE LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436921 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456609 · 2012-04-26 (April 26, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER THE FAILURE AND THE THROTTLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000. UPDATED 05/31/12*LJ

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456609 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10451740 · 2012-03-15 (March 15, 2012)

COMPLAINT 1) WHEN ACCELERATING, THE TRANSMISSION FLARES DURING THE SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, AND THE VEHICLE LOSES ACCELERATION DURING THE SHIFT. THE PROBLEM IS MORE SEVERE WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN WARM WEATHER FOR MORE THAN 24-48 HOURS. THE MISBEHAVED SHIFT CAUSES DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER ACCELERATION FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. THIS DISTRACTION COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, LEADING TO A CRASH. COMPLAINT 2) THE TRANSMISSION TAKES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME TO SHIFT FROM R…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,793 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451740 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10454399 · 2012-04-06 (April 6, 2012)

I PURCHASED A NEW FOCUS. I DROVE IT FOR TWO WEEKS. THE TRANSMISSION IS OF A POOR DESIGN, I FRANKLY REFUSE TO DRIVE IT. IT NEARLY CRASHED THROUGH MY BARN. I WAS SIMPLY BACKING IT IN WHEN IT DECIDED TO LURCH HARD. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. LUCKILY IT DID STOP. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE CAR DID NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY AT ALL.. SEEMINGLY ENDLESS CLUTCH CHATTER, SLIPPAGE, UNPREDICTABLE SHIFTING,ITS IS A HORRID CAR TO DRIVE. I WAS NOTICING THE SMELL OF CLUTCH. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. I DO NOT WANT IT BACK. I DO NOT KNOW WHY FORD MOTOR COMPA…

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10454399 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10442321 · 2012-01-04 (January 4, 2012)

ON JANUARY 2ND, 2012 ON 2-SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO ALMOST 6000 RPM WHILE I WAS STOPPED OR NEARLY STOPPED WHILE PARKING THE CAR. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE ENGINE ACCELERATION HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND ON THE SECOND INCIDENT THE BRAKES WERE NOT HOLDING THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRANS INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL THE ACCELERATION DIED DOWN TO THE NORMAL RPM. ON THE SECOND OCCASION I SHUT THE IGNITION OFF 2-TIMES BEFORE THE ACCELERATION STOPPED. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH PRIOR CARS AND THE M…

Owner-reported narrative. 990 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10554336 · 2013-12-02 (December 2, 2013)

TRIP HOME FROM WORK, APPROX 45 MILES INTO MY TRIP, CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL GOING 72 MPH AND STALLS, THE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON. I CANNOT ACCELERATE USING THE GAS PEDAL. PULL TO SHOULDER, CAR IDLES ROUGH. TURN OFF AND BACK ON. CONTINUED TRIP WITHOUT PROBLEM. NOV. 14. 2013: CAR TAKEN TO LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY CANNOT RETRIEVE ANY ERROR CODES. MENTION THROTTLE BODY BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE ANY NEED TO CHECK THIS BUT REPLACED A SUPPOSED DEAD BATTERY. NOV. 15, 2013: ON DRIVE BACK HOME FROM WORK, ABOUT 20 MILES INTO MY DRIVE, CAR ON CRUISE CONTRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10554336 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10578201 · 2014-04-08 (April 8, 2014)

YESTERDAY IN THE EVENING WHILE THERE WAS A RAIN STORM THE FRONT LIGHTS OF MY 2012 FORD FUSION WENT OUT COMPLETELY, LUCKILY FOR US SCHOOL TEACHERS THERE WAS SUFFICIENT DAYLIGHT TO HELP US GET HOME FROM WORK. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE SAME THING OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON A BUSY WILMINGTON, DELAWARE STATE ROAD.EARLIER THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT FIZZLED WHICH WAS REPLACED ON FEBRUARY 10, 2014 AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP THE YEAR BEFORE.IN OTHER AREAS, THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS CAR HAS A …

Owner-reported narrative. 18,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578201 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10615488 · 2014-07-22 (July 22, 2014)

WIFE WAS TURNING OFF HI WAY ENGINE DIED TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR TOWED IT TO DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS THE INJECTOR FUSE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615488 at NHTSA ↗