2011 Ford Fusion Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Ford Fusion. Part of Generation 1 — 2006–2012.

20102012
Complaints
3,640
Crashes
114
Fires
13
Injuries
66
Fatalities
1
Recalls
7

Worst 2011 Ford Fusion Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#11,393 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:97,436 mi
Crash-related:42
#2329 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:83,634 mi
Crash-related:19
#3276 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:52,625 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Ford Fusion.

Steering Defects
1,393
complaints
Crashes
42
Fires
Avg Miles
97,436
Airbags
329
complaints
Crashes
19
Fires
Avg Miles
83,634
Engine Problems
276
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
52,625
Transmission / Drivetrain
261
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
53,547
Unintended Acceleration
254
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
Avg Miles
48,559
Electrical Faults
195
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
6
Avg Miles
67,561
Fuel System
176
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
58,449
Brakes
169
complaints
Crashes
9
Fires
1
Avg Miles
121,775
Electronic Stability Control
93
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
83,516
Gasoline Fuel System
59
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
61,969
Body Structure
46
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
71,399
Wheel Issues
38
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
75,234
Suspension Failures
27
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
108,942
Hydraulic Brakes
22
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
95,605
Headlight/Taillight Failures
17
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
76,534
Steering:Electric Power Assist System
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
127,955
Structure:Body:Door
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,162
Engine & Cooling
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,734
Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
94,938
Seat-Related Issues
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
55,762
Traction Control System
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
92,978
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
72,776
Latches / Locks
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
75,848
Steering:Rack And Pinion
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
121,991
Automatic Transmission
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
3,450
Wipers & Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
62,250
Instrument Cluster
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Fusion. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2011 Ford Fusion

7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~6,211,906 vehicles.

21V158000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~2,602,668 affected

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.

21V081000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module · Air Bags:frontal
~1,067 affected

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.

19V001000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~782,384 affected

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.

16V384000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,892,343 affected

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 year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in 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." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V793000Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank
~411,205 affected

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.

15V340000Steering:electric Power Assist System
~393,623 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.

11V574000Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
~128,616 affected

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.

Other Ford Fusion Years

2011 Ford Fusion — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2011 Ford Fusion reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2011 Ford Fusion has 3,640 NHTSA complaints, 114 crash-related, and 7 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Steering Defects with 1,393 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2011 Ford Fusion?
Top reported problems: Steering Defects (1,393 complaints, avg 97,436 mi); Airbags (329 complaints, avg 83,634 mi); Engine Problems (276 complaints, avg 52,625 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Ford Fusion?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 81,007 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2011 Ford Fusion?
NHTSA complaints for the 2011 Ford Fusion include 114 crash-related reports, 13 fire reports, 66 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2011 Ford Fusion have any recalls?
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 6,211,906 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2011 Ford Fusion?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Fusion reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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