2010 Ford Fusion Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 11 Fusion years
The 2010 Ford Fusion ranks worst of 11 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 100 and 5,120 complaints, the highest of any year. Steering (32% of complaints) and engine (26%) issues dominate, backed by 11 recalls including 3 do-not-drive airbag recalls.
- Complaints
- 5,120
- Recalls
- 11
- incl. Do Not Drive
- Crashes / fires
- 122 / 9
- Injuries / deaths
- 74 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20.5 city / 28 hwy
Top 2010 Ford Fusion problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering1,661 (32%)
- Engine1,320 (26%)
- Transmission & Powertrain892 (17%)
- Fuel System704 (14%)
- Brakes694 (14%)
- Airbags590 (12%)
- Electrical System334 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires184 (4%)
- Other152 (3%)
- Structure & Body128 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners report unintended acceleration at very low speeds while parking or idling, sometimes leading to crashes into walls or barriers.
- Some describe the vehicle lunging forward unexpectedly even when the foot appeared to be on the brake.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in side-impact crashes, with dealers declining to investigate while insurance claims were pending.
- Wheel lugs have come loose or wheels have detached entirely while driving, in one case after multiple repeated repair attempts.
- Brakes reportedly emitted a burning odor after repeated downshifting and braking on mountain roads, though dealer diagnostics found no fault.
- Front seats reportedly reclined backward during a rear-end collision despite an existing recall on the seat mechanism.
2010 Ford Fusion recalls
11 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:driver side:inflator module
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.
2010 Ford Fusion fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,825
- 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.
2010 compared with other Fusion years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Ford Fusion reliable?
- Among 11 Fusion model years tracked, the 2010 has the highest complaint index (100) and ranks worst overall, with 5,120 owner complaints and 11 recalls, including 3 do-not-drive recalls.
- What are the biggest problems with the 2010 Ford Fusion?
- Steering accounts for 32% of complaints and engine issues 26%, followed by transmission/powertrain at 17%, fuel system and brakes each at 14%, and airbags at 12%.
- Does the 2010 Ford Fusion have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 2010 Fusion, 3 of which are do-not-drive recalls covering airbag components.
- How does the 2010 Fusion compare to other Fusion years?
- The 2010 model has a complaint index of 100, higher than every other tracked year; by comparison, 2018-2020 models score between 0 and 20 and are rated Best.
- At what mileage do problems typically appear on the 2010 Fusion?
- Across all complaint categories on the 2010 Fusion, median mileage at failure is 72,000 miles, with steering-related failures reported around a median of 101,054 miles.