2009 Ford Fusion Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2009 Ford Fusion has a complaint index of 64, ranking 6th worst among 15 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. Brakes account for 52% of complaints, with airbags at 35%; six recalls are on file, three of them do-not-drive.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 64/100
- #6 of 15 Fusion years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 1,022
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- 3 Do Not Drive
- Crashes
- 65
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
- 40
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 19 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 40 / 0
Top 2009 Ford Fusion problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes534 (52%)
- Airbags359 (35%)
- Engine63 (6%)
- Structure & Body59 (6%)
- Electrical System25 (2%)
- Other25 (2%)
- Transmission & Powertrain20 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires19 (2%)
- Steering16 (2%)
- Fuel System12 (1%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Some owners report the steering wheel suddenly seizing or locking while driving at highway speed, leading to loss of control.
- Airbags failed to deploy in some crashes, including one where the driver fell asleep before impact.
- One owner described a fire starting on wiring near the front wheel, which they linked to the cruise control system.
- Some owners report the driver's door no longer opening from the inside after a side impact.
- Braking behavior was reported as abnormal in a low-speed parking incident that ended in a crash.
2009 Ford Fusion recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V158000Mar 10, 2021Airbags2,602,668 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
- NHTSA 21V081000Feb 16, 2021Airbags1,067 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
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.
- NHTSA 19V904000Dec 18, 2019Brakes600,166 vehicles
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
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.
2009 Ford Fusion fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 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.
2009 compared with other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Ford Fusion reliable?
- NHTSA data shows the 2009 Fusion has a complaint index of 64 and ranks 6th worst out of 15 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Brakes are the top complaint area at 52% of all complaints.
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford Fusion?
- Brakes make up 52% of complaints, followed by airbags at 35%. Engine, structure/body, and electrical issues make up smaller shares, each under 10%.
- Does the 2009 Ford Fusion have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2009 Fusion, 3 of which are do-not-drive recalls related to airbags.
- How does the 2009 Fusion compare to other Fusion model years?
- The 2009 Fusion's complaint index of 64 is lower than the 2010-2013 Avoid years (indexes 79-100) but higher than 2017-2020, which range from Good to Best with indexes as low as 0.
- At what mileage do 2009 Fusion problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure across all complaints for this model year is 97,109.5 miles, with brake complaints centered around 100,400 miles and airbag complaints around 90,000 miles.