2010 Ford Fusion Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Fusion years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 11 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5,130 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Ford Fusion. That is the most of any Fusion model year in the database (15 years). The most reported problem area is steering (1,662 complaints, 32%), typically at around 101,054 miles. Complaints mention 122 crashes, 9 fires, 74 injuries. There are 11 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 9 defect investigations involving it.
- 5,130owner complaints
- 11safety recalls
- 9NHTSA investigations
- 122complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 Ford Fusion problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 1,662 | 32% | 101,054 | “power steering assist” (28%) | $2,450 |
| Power Train problems | 894 | 17% | 51,000 | “throttle body” (32%) | $770 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 793 | 15% | 53,000 | “throttle body” (57%) | $700 |
| Engine problems | 700 | 14% | 56,000 | “throttle body” (44%) | $590 |
| Air Bags problems | 591 | 12% | 85,000 | “takata air bags” (26%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 484 | 9% | 59,997 | “throttle body” (39%) | $780 |
| Service Brakes problems | 437 | 9% | 111,064 | “way floor” (12%) | $2,000 |
| Electrical System problems | 324 | 6% | 63,000 | “throttle body” (26%) | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 221 | 4% | 57,000 | “throttle body” (45%) | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems | 144 | 3% | 87,300 | “service advancetrac” (20%) | — |
| Wheels problems | 143 | 3% | 52,150 | “lug nuts” (27%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 135 | 3% | 77,178 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 101 | 2% | 111,000 | “brake pedal depressed” (31%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 93 | 2% | 49,500 | “throttle body” (32%) | — |
| Structure problems | 87 | 2% | 79,000 | “driver side” (41%) | — |
| Seats | 34 | 1% | 66,513 | — | — |
| Suspension | 34 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 19 | 0% | 68,260 | — | — |
| Visibility | 19 | 0% | 14,912 | — | — |
| Tires | 18 | 0% | 35,882 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 0% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 11 | 0% | 91,300 | — | — |
| Equipment | 9 | 0% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 0% | 105,611 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 8 | 0% | 55,900 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 0% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 8 | 0% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 6 | 0% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 5 | 0% | 1,602 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 3 | 0% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 80,424 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 52,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 Ford Fusion recalls (11)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module; air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. In the event of a crash requiring deployment of the passenger air bag, the bracket that secures the air bag inflator to the module housing may deform, allowing the gas that inflates the air bag to leak out.
Risk: If the air bag does not inflate as intended, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S34.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 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 2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles 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 2009 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming 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.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: 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.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank
Problem: 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.
Risk: The pressure changes may cause the tank to crack and leak fuel. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle powertrain control modules and inspect the vehicle for any diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) for this issue and perform a leak test on the Canister Purge Valve (CPV). The fuel tank will be inspected for cracks. The CPV and fuel tank will be replaced as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S34.
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Problem: 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.
Risk: While driving, multiple stud fractures could occur at the wheel location, and the operator may experience vehicle vibration and/or wheel separation, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake disc surface for flatness and replace the discs as necessary. Additionally, the wheel lug nuts will be replaced on all four wheels. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about january 24, 2012. Owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, milan, and escape vehicles manufactured from february 27, through march 26, 2010. The park rod guide retention pin may not have been properly installed which fails to conform to the requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention".
Risk: A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking brake may have unintended movement which may cause a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2010. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332 and for the hearing impaired call 1-800-232-5952 (tdd). Representatives are available monday through friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm.
Seats:front assembly:recliner
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, explorer, explorer sport trac, and mercury milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between december 15, 2009 through february 3, 2010 equipped with front seat manual recliners. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraint." the recliner gear plate teeth may be out of dimension specification which could result in limited pawl to gear plate tooth engagement.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seatback and head restraint may move rearward, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 30, 2010. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power Steering Failure (EA17004) — opened Nov 20, 2017, closed Feb 9, 2024.
- Power Steering Failure (PE16011) — opened Sep 28, 2016, closed Dec 25, 2017.
- Electric power steering failure (PE14030) — opened Oct 2, 2014, closed Sep 10, 2015, led to recall 15V340000.
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction (PE13003) — opened Feb 21, 2013, closed Feb 28, 2014.
- Floor mat interference with accelerator (EA12009) — opened Dec 12, 2012, closed Jun 12, 2014, led to recall 14E028000.
- Wheel Mounting Stud Fracture (EA11009) — opened Jul 26, 2011, closed Jan 20, 2012, led to recall 11V574000.
- Wheel Stud Fracture (PE11003) — opened Jan 21, 2011, closed Jul 26, 2011, led to recall 11V574000.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit (AQ10001) — opened Nov 18, 2010, closed Dec 28, 2015.
- Accel Pedal Interference - Acc Floormat (PE10019) — opened May 28, 2010, closed Jan 11, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Electronic power steering
My brakes felt mushy for a couple days. Next day br a ke fluid dash light came on. brake fluid was so low couldn't see it. Went to autozone bought brake fluid .dot 3 per internet. Internet went on to share the fact thi s p r oblem was recalled. I h a v e none open says major safety problem tow xar…
We have had multiple issues with the ABS and HCU since we bought this car used a couple years ago. We've replaced the ABS Module and HCU and had Ford reprogram it and are still having issues. The brakes go out fully and I went through a red light. The ABS and Traction control and check brake system…
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and failed to return to normal operation. The advancetrac warning light was illuminated and the "Power Steering Fault" and "Advancetrac Failure" messages were…
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact decelerated and pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was turned off and restarted…
Other Ford Fusion years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Fusion | 183 | 3 |
| 2019 Fusion | 316 | 3 |
| 2018 Fusion | 442 | 2 |
| 2017 Fusion | 1,112 | 4 |
| 2016 Fusion | 1,641 | 13 |
| 2015 Fusion | 994 | 13 |
| 2014 Fusion | 1,330 | 19 |
| 2013 Fusion | 1,792 | 19 |
| 2012 Fusion | 2,516 | 5 |
| 2011 Fusion | 2,792 | 7 |
| 2010 | 5,130 | 11 |
| 2009 Fusion | 1,023 | 6 |
| 2008 Fusion | 1,353 | 5 |
| 2007 Fusion | 1,064 | 4 |
| 2006 Fusion | 730 | 4 |
See all Ford Fusion problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford Fusion?
Owners most often report steering, power train, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 1,662 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Ford Fusion?
Yes, 11 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2010 Ford Fusion a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Fusion model years, the 2010 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.