YearToAvoid

2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#6 most-complained of 11 Fusion Hybrid years

The 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid ranks 6th worst of 11 model years, with a Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution verdict. NHTSA logged 96 complaints, no recalls, and steering is the top problem area at 38% of complaints.

Complaints
96
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
38
41 city / 35 hwy

Top 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering36 (38%)
  2. Airbags32 (33%)
  3. Brakes23 (24%)
  4. Electrical System13 (14%)
  5. Engine9 (9%)
  6. Other8 (8%)
  7. Structure & Body3 (3%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain3 (3%)
  9. Fuel System2 (2%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the power steering seizing without warning while turning through a curve, sometimes leading to a crash.
  • Brakes reportedly fail to slow the car during highway stops, resulting in rear-end collisions.
  • Several owners describe the engine shutting off while driving, with brakes and accelerator disengaging and a pull-over-safely warning chime sounding.
  • Some cars reportedly rolled after being parked because the transmission was not actually in the park position despite the key being removable.
  • Passenger airbag warning lights reportedly fail to illuminate correctly, a problem dealers could not always duplicate.
2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid complaints: complaints filed per quarter212013 Q22014 Q42015 Q42017 Q12018 Q22019 Q22022 Q22025 Q3
132 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q4 (21).

2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid fuel economy and fuel cost

City
41 MPG
Highway
35 MPG
Combined
38 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other Fusion Hybrid years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid100508039
2011Avoid90132038
2012Caution5096038
2013Avoid80126141
2014Good3065141

All Ford Fusion Hybrid years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid a bad year?
Relative to other Fusion Hybrid years, 2012 carries a Caution verdict, ranking 6th worst of 11 years with a Complaint Index of 50 and 96 NHTSA complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid?
Steering is the top problem area, making up 38% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 66,622.5 miles. Airbags (33%) and brakes (24%) are also frequently reported.
Does the 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 model year in this dataset.
How does the 2012 Fusion Hybrid compare to other years?
2012's Complaint Index of 50 is better than 2010 (100), 2011 (90), and 2013 (80), but worse than 2014-2016, 2019, and 2020, which rank as Good or Best.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.