YearToAvoid

2012 Ford Fusion Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2012 Ford Fusion ranks 3rd worst out of 15 model years, with a complaint index of 86 and 2,516 complaints, earning an Avoid verdict. Steering problems dominate, making up 59% of complaints, backed by 5 recalls including 2 do-not-drive airbag recalls.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
86/100
#3 of 15 Fusion years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
2,516
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
2 Do Not Drive
Crashes
107
reported in complaints
Fires
9
Injuries
64
Top issue
Steering
Best nearby year
2018
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
23.5
21 city / 28 hwy
Injuries / deaths
64 / 3

Top 2012 Ford Fusion problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering1,473 (59%)
  2. Airbags404 (16%)
  3. Brakes198 (8%)
  4. Electrical System181 (7%)
  5. Engine181 (7%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain158 (6%)
  7. Structure & Body127 (5%)
  8. Other126 (5%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires72 (3%)
  10. Fuel System65 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Power steering suddenly cuts out at various speeds, including during turns and lane changes, sometimes causing loss of control.
  • Airbags fail to deploy in moderate-speed crashes, leaving occupants without protection.
  • Vehicles have experienced sudden unintended movement or acceleration at low speeds, leading to crashes.
  • Front seat belts failed to lock properly during a crash, allowing occupants to be thrown forward.
  • Electrical wiring and motor components have burned out, disabling systems like the air conditioning blower.
  • Brake response was reported as inadequate when paired with unexpected throttle behavior.
2012 Ford Fusion complaints: complaints filed per quarter1432011 Q32013 Q32015 Q32017 Q32019 Q32021 Q32023 Q32025 Q3
2,516 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2017 Q4 (143).

2012 Ford Fusion recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 19V001000Jan 7, 2019Airbags782,384 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and 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: 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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2012 Ford Fusion →

2012 Ford Fusion fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
23.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,750
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 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid1005,12911 !23
2011Avoid932,7867 !23.5
2012Avoid862,5165 !23.5
2013Avoid791,7911926.5
2014Caution571,3301926.5

All Ford Fusion years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Ford Fusion reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2012 Fusion has a complaint index of 86, the 3rd worst of 15 model years for this model, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Fusion years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Ford Fusion?
Steering issues account for 59% of complaints (1,473 of 2,516), with a median failure mileage of 74,668 miles and 46 associated crashes.
Does the 2012 Ford Fusion have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2012 Fusion, including 2 do-not-drive airbag recalls tied to inflator and module defects.
How does the 2012 Fusion compare to other Fusion years?
The 2012 model's complaint index of 86 is close to the 2010 (100) and 2011 (93) model years, all rated Avoid, while newer years like 2018-2020 rate Best with indexes of 14, 7, and 0.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Ford Fusion?
The 2012 Fusion gets 23.5 mpg combined (21 city / 28 highway), with an EPA estimated annual fuel cost of $2,750.

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.