NHTSA has 5,130 owner complaints on file for the 2010 Ford Fusion, received from 2009 to 2026. The most-reported system is steering (1,662 complaints, 32%), followed by power train (894) and engine (793). Owners reported 122 crashes, 9 fires, 74 injuries and 1 death. Median mileage at failure: 72,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013, with 1,169 received that year. 11 safety recalls cover this model year; 3 carry a do-not-drive warning.
5,130NHTSA complaints
11safety recalls
122crashes reported
9fires reported
74injuries
1deaths
Quick answers
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Ford Fusion?
Owners report steering problems most often: 1,662 of 5,130 NHTSA complaints (32%), followed by power train (894) and engine (793).
How many recalls does the 2010 Ford Fusion have?
NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls for the 2010 Ford Fusion. The most recent is 21V158000 (air bags, 2021-03-10).
At what mileage do 2010 Ford Fusion problems happen?
The median mileage at failure is 72,000 miles, across 4,018 complaints that reported mileage.
Have owners reported crashes or fires in the 2010 Ford Fusion?
Yes. Owners reported 122 crashes, 9 fires, 74 injuries and 1 death in NHTSA complaints.
Problems by system
System
Complaints
Share
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Median miles
Steering
1,662
32%
32
1
19
101,054
Power train
894
17%
8
1
4
51,000
Engine
793
15%
8
2
2
55,000
Speed control
793
15%
21
1
8
53,000
Fuel system
705
14%
7
1
3
58,827
Air bags
591
12%
27
1
27
85,000
Service brakes
547
11%
34
2
14
110,000
Electrical system
324
6%
4
3
4
63,500
Electronic stability control
144
3%
4
1
4
87,300
Wheels
143
3%
6
0
1
52,150
Unknown or other
135
3%
4
1
4
77,178
Structure
87
2%
8
1
8
79,000
Seats
34
1%
1
0
2
66,512
Suspension
34
1%
3
0
2
85,000
Visibility and wipers
25
<1%
1
0
1
28,956
Latches, locks and linkages
19
<1%
0
0
0
68,260
Tires
18
<1%
0
0
0
35,882
Equipment
17
<1%
0
0
0
48,516
Exterior lighting
13
<1%
0
0
0
56,000
Traction control
11
<1%
0
0
0
91,300
Seat belts
9
<1%
4
1
6
105,610
Forward collision avoidance
8
<1%
2
0
0
110,000
Lane departure
3
<1%
0
0
0
135,000
Backover prevention
2
<1%
0
0
0
80,424
A complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Defect: 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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
Defect: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
Defect: 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…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. In the event of a crash requiring deployment of the passenger air bag, the bracket that secures the air bag inflator to the module housing may deform, allowing the gas that inflates the air bag to leak out.
Risk: If the air bag does not inflate as intended, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S34.
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 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 2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Defect: 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…
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
Defect: 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.
Risk: The pressure changes may cause the tank to crack and leak fuel. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
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.
Defect: 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.
Risk: While driving, multiple stud fractures could occur at the wheel location, and the operator may experience vehicle vibration and/or wheel separation, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, milan, and escape vehicles manufactured from february 27, through march 26, 2010. The park rod guide retention pin may not have been properly installed which fails to conform to the requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention".
Risk: A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking brake may have unintended movement which may cause a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2010. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332 and for the hearing impaired call 1-800-232-5952 (tdd). Representatives are available monday through friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm.
Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, explorer, explorer sport trac, and mercury milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between december 15, 2009 through february 3, 2010 equipped with front seat manual recliners. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraint." the recliner gear plate teeth may be out of dimension specification which could result in limited pawl to gear plate tooth engagement.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seatback and head restraint may move rearward, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 30, 2010. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
We have had multiple issues with the ABS and HCU since we bought this car used a couple years ago. We've replaced the ABS Module and HCU and had Ford reprogram it and are still having issues. The brakes go out fully and I went through a red light. The ABS and Traction control and check brake…
Steering · NHTSA complaint 11765517, received 2026-09-19
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and failed to return to normal operation. The advancetrac warning light was illuminated and the "Power Steering Fault" and "Advancetrac Failure" messages were…
Steering · NHTSA complaint 11764480, received 2026-09-15
I was driving my car down the road and all the sudden I couldn't steer my car It caused me to go off the road and hit a ditch
Power train · NHTSA complaint 11749370, received 2026-07-09
Unintended acceleration event. Entered vehicle, put my foot on the brake, cranked it, held in that position while seatbelting. Engine had a VERY loud revving sound. Within seconds vehicle moving backwards on its own. Foot still on the brake, had not touched gas pedal, had not touched gear shifter…
Power train · NHTSA complaint 11700846, received 2025-11-21
I was driving my car down the road and all the sudden I couldn't steer my car It caused me to go off the road and hit a ditch
Engine · NHTSA complaint 11749370, received 2026-07-09
The throttle body failed. It is not available for inspection because it was replaced. While driving on a high-speed road, the engine felt like it shuddered, and the car lost engine power and would no longer accelerate. At the same time, the light shaped like a wrench came on. Our safety was…
Engine · NHTSA complaint 11623069, received 2024-11-01
Built from the NHTSA complaints flat file and the NHTSA recalls flat files, data as of 2026-10-22. Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular models collect more of them.